AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Me too.” She stretched back and sighed. “Your food always makes everything feel better.”
The look she gave me—this open adoration—was too much. Fuck. I had to get away from her before I did something stupid.
“Good,” I barked out.
She looked at me curiously and pushed off the couch. “I bet you’re tired after today. Thanks for dinner.”
I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me as she stood up. “Today was rough.” And your intoxicating vanilla scent has me wanting to risk everything. “But I’m glad we had dinner together.”
She stared at our hands and bit the corner of her mouth. “Me too. And, hey, don’t worry about rent. I had a few months saved up so I’ve got my half covered until I find a new job.”
“Tomorrow’s a new day, okay?” I assured her.
It was a phrase she usually said to me. She was my happy-go-lucky Em that didn’t let the world bog her down.
I let go of her hand and watched her walk away. She turned to smile at me, and my heart twisted.
Her ability to pay rent was literally the absolute last thing on my mind.
Chapter Six
Emily
“This bread is delicious, Emily.” Roxie, my best friend in the universe, groaned as she tore another piece from the loaf I had made.
“You think so?”
“Absolutely. I have a cinnamon honey butter in the walk-in that would take it to astronomical levels.”
She bustled off, and I tore off a piece of the hot bread.
She was right. It was good.
Bread baking had been a hobby of mine in my senior year of high school. With finals and my future looming over me and a complete lack of direction, I had experimented with flour and yeast instead of drugs and alcohol.
It made me a loser in school, but it helped me get through that last year relatively unscathed.
Roxie plopped a container on the stainless-steel counter and flipped the lid off. I sliced two pieces of bread and lined them up for her. She dropped a generous smear of butter on each slice and passed one to me.
Roxie’s eyes widened. “Girl. This is incredible.”
“It tastes like cinnamon rolls.”
“It does. Have you thought about making some?”
I shook my head. “I invaded your kitchen so I could get my frustration out with some dough. Beyond taking advantage of all your commercial equipment, I don’t have any plans.”
Roxie motioned to her kitchen that attached to her café. “You make me things like that, and you can use whatever you want.”
“Need a pastry chef?”
Roxie laughed until she saw my face. “Oh, honey. I can’t afford to hire you on.” She put her arm over my shoulder, and I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from crying. “How’s the job hunt going?”
“Horrible.”
“Why don’t you make some cinnamon rolls and I’ll buy them from you?”
“I don’t need your pity.”
