Page 36 of Building Romance
Shit. She’s been homesick for her family for weeks. I can’t do that to her.
Me: No worries. I’ll figure it out.
I finally look up at Fletcher. “I’m solo,” I announce.
His phone buzzes with a text and he looks down at it. “Fuck,” he mutters. “None of my bakers are available for three weeks. We’d have to fly someone in and the earliest they can be here is in ten days.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek as I think. Then something pops into my memory. When everyone was scouring the internet for information on Fletcher, there was an article. An article about a little boy who won a baking competition with his grandmother.
I look up into Fletcher’s eyes. “What if…you did it?” I ask, my voice coming out more breathy than I like. I sound desperate.
I swallow hard as I watch a myriad of emotions play out over his face. Confusion. Skepticism. Annoyance.
“You won a competition as a kid,” I point out.
Now he’s frowning. “How’d you know that?” he asks.
I roll my eyes. “There’s this thing called the internet,” I state with a deadpan face.
“That was years ago,” he says. “I…I was just a kid. Mostly that was my grandmother.”
For the first time since we met, I see something I never thought I’d see on Fletcher’s face. Vulnerability.
I put a hand on his shoulder and squeeze it. His eyes go from the ground to my face. “But you helped her. You could help me. Please. You’re right. Those other teams are good. I need an assistant. I’d ask my neighbors but none of them bake. Not enough to help me. Drew is the closest one to being helpful but he can’t take off for three weeks.”
I watch Fletcher as he considers what I’m saying. “Please,” I beg. Now it’s me that feels vulnerable. This man can ruin me. Right now.
He turns and runs a hand through his hair. And slowly he turns back to me.
“OK,” he says.
I release a breath that I didn’t know I was holding.
“OK?” I repeat.
He nods. “OK,” he says again. Then puts up a hand. “But no being obnoxious. And if I’m doing this, then…fuck it, we’re winning this shit. We’ll figure everything else out afterward,” he says and then gives a small shake of his head as if he can hardly believe his own words.
A smile threatens on my face and I finally give in to it. I throw my hands around his neck and hug him. He doesn’t move for a second and then I feel his arms come around me.
“You’re a pain in my ass. You know that, Tanner,” he says.
I giggle. “You haven’t seen anything yet, McDowell,” I reply as I let go and stand back from him. We both stand there smiling at each other. And for reasons I will never understand, I lean up and kiss him. Just a quick kiss. A thank-you kiss. Or at least, that’s what I tell myself as I turn and walk into my room, shutting the door behind me and leaving a very stunned Fletcher standing in the hallway.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Fletch
I stand in front of the mirror as I shave. What in the hell happened last night? I can’t believe she kissed me. Yes, it was a quick kiss. Yes, we both had a few glasses of wine. And yes, she was in the moment. But something about it felt…right.
“Fuck,” I mutter to myself as I rinse my razor and set it down on a towel to dry. I walk back into the bedroom and pull a fresh suit from the closet but then I remember what transpired yesterday. I’m going to be on the front lines not standing off camera. Shit. I don’t have anything to wear.
I pick up my phone and call my assistant.
Dana answers on the first ring.
“Everything alright?” she asks.
“Not really. I need a favor. I’m sending you a list of clothing. Can you please go get it from my apartment and then have it delivered to me?” I ask.
