Page 132 of Going for Gold (Sweet Cravings 3)

He wrapped his arms around me. "It's going to be okay."

"I know. And I'm sure this other place is good too. I just..." I let my voice trail off.

He placed a kiss on my forehead.

"Let's go check it out. Maybe I can get a job there in the meantime."

He looked down at me and smiled. "Maybe I will too. It would be cool to be able to walk to work."

I grabbed his hand. "I didn't realize that you were so passionate about bakeries."

"Well, I'm passionate about you. And eating baked goods."

I laughed.

He kept his hand in mine as we walked along the sidewalk. It was a beautiful summer day. It was like we had walked along this path a million times together. I just felt so comfortable with him.

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

"I have a surprise for you."

"But I'm going to trip."

He laughed and picked me up in his arms. "Close your eyes now."

I followed his instructions. "You showing up was the only surprise I needed. Asking me to be your girlfriend and to move in with you was pretty great too though."

"I think you're going to like this one too."

"Well, you're whisking me off my feet."

"Keep your eyes closed." A few seconds later he placed me back down on my feet. "Okay, open them."

I opened my eyes and looked up at him. "You're very handsome, Bryce." I clasped my hands around his neck.

He smiled. "Turn around, Alina."

I looked over my shoulder. We were standing in front of my grandmother's bakery. Only, it had a fresh coat of paint. It looked amazing. Maybe the new owners were going to take good care of it. And then I realized that Kristen, Tim, Alex, and some slutty looking girl that I didn't recognize were inside, painting the walls.

"Bryce, what did you..."

"I bought it for you." He grabbed my chin and turned my face back to his.

I thought about his fancy new apartment. And how much money it was going to take to put into the bakery. "Bryce, you can't buy the bakery for me. I can't pay you back."

"I don't want you to pay me back. And the sale was final." He reached into his pocket and handed me the key. It was the same one I had been using ever since I was a little girl.

"Bryce." My eyes started to water. He really was my knight in shining armor.

"I was hoping to make you smile, not cry." He ran his thumb under my eye, wiping away my tears.

"I don't...I don't understand. I thought you were using your money from winning gold to help pay for your sister's college tuition?"

"I did. But I recently came into a lot of money."

"How?"

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