“Nothing and that’s just it. We are exactly who we were when you arrived here yesterday. Neither of us intended to end up having sex but we did.” Her hand slashed through the air. “It was a mistake. I admit it and so should you.” She walked into the closet, unconcerned that he could hear her muttered admonitions for allowing her libido to rule her mind.
She stopped in her tracks as she came back, dressed in jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers to find him still lazing against the headboard.
“You’re still here?”
“We need to discuss this. I’m not—”
“There’s nothing to discuss, except if it’s about my proposal. That was why you came here in the first place, right?” She winced as she ran her hands through the tangled mess of hair. “Look, Max, I’m not an idiot. You have no intention of becoming romantically involved with me again and I have too much self-respect to indulge in a purely sexual affair especially if we became business partners.” Her eyes bore through him. “Besides, one night of a temporary accommodation doesn’t change what happened in the past. You might’ve explained why you just disappeared on me but…” She shook her head, her eyes sad. “You broke my heart and I might have forgotten to an extent but that doesn’t mean I can forgive. If there is one thing I learned it’s to guard my heart. I’m not going to fall for your charm a second time.”
“I don’t expect you to.”
“Wonderful. At least we agree on one thing.” The air crackled with sarcasm. “You will listen to my proposal, Max, if only because you owe me that much.” She held up a hand as he attempted to respond. “Don’t worry. I’m not about to demand you waste your precious Saturday listening to it. Alice rescheduled my appointment for Tuesday morning at ten. I promise you, it’ll piss me off big time if you don’t honor it a second time, so don’t make me chase after you again.” She pointed toward the bathroom. “You’re welcome to use the shower. I’m going to the bakery. Goodbye.”
Max watched her walk out of the room. Lexi’s passion is what fed her aggression over what had happened the night before. She might be vehemently denying it but she was just as shaken about the effect their explosive night had on her as it did on him. He knew it was a mistake to take her up on her invitation. He had been around women enough to know what she’d been up to with that kiss in the kitchen. She had wanted to bring him to his knees, break through his iron control. Maybe get him to admit he’d made a mistake leaving her.
“If only you knew, Lexi. If only.”
Just one night with her had more than jarred loose the memories of their past relationship. It had jolted and confused him at the loss of something so fragile and precious that was so callously discarded. Yes, he indulged in debauchery for its own sake but that wasn’t meant to replace the emotional connection he’d had with her or the depth of the feelings he’d developed for her during their short relationship. More than anything, the loneliness of living with the memories of the laughter and happy times they’d shared burned a hole in his heart.
He had no idea how he was going to push past the emotional baggage and concentrate on a working relationship with her. One thing stood out above all else— he couldn’t walk away from her again. He’d have to make do with a professional relationship only because somehow she’d managed to do exactly what she’d set out. She had pierced the armor he’d built around his heart.
Last night had confirmed what he’d known all along— he still loved her.
“I guess I’ll have to go to the bakery for another taste of her tart, sticky apple pie.” He walked to the bathroom for a quick shower. He felt light and filled with hope for the future.
“And there’s no time like the present.” He smiled broadly as he opened the shower tap.
“Better have a hot piece of apple pie ready for me, little baker.”
Chapter 8
“Well, this is such an unexpected surprise.” The sonorous voice turned every head in the shop. Harold Jones’ hypothalamus overstimulated his pituitary gland at the early age of twelve, turning the boy into a goliath by the time he was eighteen. He glowered at the intruder from a height of seven feet, three inches. His sarcastic tone left no doubt as to the bankruptcy of affection he continued to feel for Max Turner. The older man had been the chief baker at LDD since Lexi’s grandmother owned it. Naturally, he was very protective of her and from previous experience, Max knew that he fulfilled a foster parent’s role in her life. He wouldn’t think twice to clobber anyone for hurting his precious girl, as he always referred to her.
“I’m surprised I’m still standing,” Max intoned dryly as Harold continued to glare at him with unrestrained contempt.
“You should be. If not for the children present in the shop, you would’ve been groveling on the floor the moment you stepped inside.” He pointed a finger at him. “You broke that precious girl’s heart, young man, so what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to taste her apple pie, Harold. You know, the new recipe that has become known far and wide across the country? The one that potentially could put this bakery on the map of pastry delights?”
“Bollocks! Don’t tell me she asked you to invest?”
“Is that so farfetched? It’s the business I’m in.”
“I don’t give a fig tart’s crust about that. She wouldn’t have approached you if you were the last man… holy shithouse, that’s it. No one else would invest and she was forced to embarrass herself and ask you for help. Oh, the poor darling.” Harold cut him a cold stare. “I’m warning you, Turner. If you’re only here to play with her heart, you better leave now and if you’re not serious about investing in this business, there’s the door. I won’t allow you to play with her emotions again, capeesh?”
“Duly noted.” Max sat down at a table facing the pond at the back of the bakery. He was surprised to see a large yet cozy coffee shop had been added to the bakery since he’d last been there. Not surprisingly, it was packed with customers. Most of whom he recognized casting hostile glances in his direction.
“I’d like a latte and a large slice of apple pie, please.”
Harold ignored the request and looked around to acknowledge the vibe. The air was electric. He nodded at the crowd. These were his people. Gloating, he turned to Max with a smug face, snorted loudly for all to hear then quickly pivoted and strode off towards the kitchen.
Max chuckled at his obvious reluctance to serve him. He ignored the buzz of voices and let it wash over him. In such a small community everyone knew everybody else’s business. He watched bemused as the animated patrons chattered and stared. He was the scoundrel. The man who broke Lexi’s heart.
His ears rang as a plate with a large piece of apple pie landed in front of him with a loud clang.
“I thought I told you to leave.”
“So you did but I’m a little peckish.” He shrugged as he picked up the fork and smiled at her. “I can’t think of a better way to start the day than with a taste of your tart and sticky apple pie.”
“It’s a little early to indulge in something as sweet as that. It’s hardly a breakfast dish.” Her grumbled response drew a deep chuckle from his chest.
“Maybe so but I need to regenerate some of the loads of energy I exerted last night and—”
“Stop!” She glanced around furtively. “Very well, Mr. Turner, spit it out. You never do anything without reason. What do you want?”
He gestured to the chair. “Sit down and have some pie and coffee with me.” His eyes shone with mirth. “It’s the polite thing to do the morning after, don’t you agree— having breakfast?”
“Stop it, damn you.” The chair grated over the wood floor as she pulled it out and sat down. “Very well, I’ll have coffee with you but one more word in reference to last night and I put Harold on you, is that clear?”
“As crystal.” His eyes twinkled. “Although I’d love to hear what you’d tell him about it.”
“I wouldn’t have to say anything other than I want you out. It would take just a look from me for
him to bounce you out that door.”
“Since we’re not allowed to discuss a certain night, what are you going to charm me with?”
“You’re the one insisting on me being here, so go for it. Spew more bullshit and see if I fall for it.”
“Ah, I see the resentment towards me has grown overnight.” He took a bite of the pie and chewed with obvious delight. “Hmm, I have to admit, Lexi, this is the best apple pie I’ve ever tasted. Even better than the ones you made before. Care to share your secret?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Let’s bury the hatchet.” His tone, although officious, was diminished by the pleasant expression on his face. “I’m not going to indulge your desire to pummel me with the past every time we meet to discuss your plans for LDD. You need to decide if you’re serious about wanting me to invest, Lexi.” He exhaled slowly. “I asked the question because I need to understand what makes a household product enticing enough to invest money in. Baking apple pies is something that has been done for centuries and everyone has a secret recipe. Why should I buy yours?”
“It’s not just about the apple pies, Max, it’s about the brand of LDD. All the delicacies we produce can be shipped across the country in frozen form. They’ll taste as fresh as just out of the oven once they’re defrosted and baked because of the recipes we’ve designed. Yes, everyone has a special apple pie recipe but how many people nowadays have the time to make a proper pie that will tantalize your senses from the aroma that drifts from the oven until it teases your palette upon the first bite?”
“So, you’re proposing an online ordering service of frozen pastries?”
“That’ll be a big part of it, yes. More and more households are looking for ways to indulge in the freshest, tastiest products without having to leave their homes. Our product does just that. And no, it won’t be pirated once you decide to buy into it. We’ve been supplying neighboring towns with frozen delicacies for the past year. The pandemic has escalated that side of our business but without the proper infrastructure, I can’t maintain it. I need more staff, bigger premises, and proper equipment to produce on a large scale. Apart from that, I also want to expand and open bakeries in a couple of states. Initially, no more than five to test its success and yes, we did our due diligence. The states we selected are the ones we believe would drive the success of our brand.” She leaned forward; her expression passionate. “The community is suffering, Max, and Williamsburg is running on empty. Opening a manufacturing plant here could potentially offer hundreds of people a stable job. My profit projections suggest that we could open more than one within a year and offer the town the economic influx it needs to survive.”
“In other words, any suggestion of moving the manufacturing plants to Cincinnati would be shot down?”
“Yes.” Her expression turned pleading. “I’m not only doing this to fulfill my dreams. I’m doing it to save Williamsburg.”
He continued to eat his pie as he pondered the summarized proposal.
“What do you think?”
“Have you had breakfast?”
“Max! What does me having breakfast have to do with— mmm!” She glared at him as he popped a piece of apple pie into her mouth.
“The coffee you serve is out of this world,” he said as he took another sip of the latte. “What brand are you stocking?”
“Wills Bros Coffee,” She snapped as she irritably wiped her mouth with a serviette. “We have a standing agreement with them. In fact, I offer a special sample with each of our online orders of the blend that best suits the different kinds of pastries.”
Max’s eyes flickered as his mind immediately went into overdrive with the possibilities a dual investment with both entities could offer. Not just to his firm but to both companies. He chose not to divulge anything just yet. He never jumped head-first into a deal. There needed to be proper business plans and modules drawn up to establish the probabilities he was playing around with in his mind.
“I have to admit, Lexi, the combination of your apple pie’s tangy sticky sauce and your own personal blend is—”
“I warned you not to— mmm!” Another piece of apple pie filled her mouth. At first she was angry and then the humor struck her. A muffled sound tinkled through the air as she burst into a fit of laughter. He’d gotten her back for what she’d done to him.
Tit-for-tat.
“Well played, Mr. Turner,” she ended with a chuckle as she did her best not to become captured by his relaxed behavior. Suddenly, his face lit up with laughter. The old Max was back. She jumped up before she made a complete ass of herself and kissed him in full view of her customers. “Now that you’ve had your fun at my expense, I suggest you leave. Your craving for something sweet has been filled and I’m confident your energy levels have spiked.
“With that sexy laugh of yours, love, something else spiked a helluva lot faster and harder.”
“Oh lord,” she moaned as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. She leaned closer to snap into his face. “I told you, last night was a mistake. Find someone else to use to expend your lust on. I refuse to be one of your conquests.”
“You have been many things in my life, Lexi. A conquest was never one of them.”
Lexi escaped to the kitchen so fast, she left skid marks on the floor. The damn man was getting to her again. He was expertly crawling back into her heart no matter how hard she tried to push him away.
“I should never have approached him for money.” She picked up a bag of flour to measure it off for a fresh batch of pastry. “He’s just too much for me.”
“Who’s too much for you?”
“Ohh!” she cried out in fright as Harold’s deep voice sounded behind her. “Now look what you made me do,” she wailed as she found herself, the counter, and the floor covered in white flour.
“Well, this gives new meaning to dusting the surface doesn’t it?”
Lexi’s glare at his droll observation turned to a grin as she threw a handful of flour at his face.
“There… now we’re even.”
Harold had a way to ease her concerns and before they’d cleaned up the mess, she was back to her old chirpy self. The tingling Max had caused in her loins pushed to the back of her mind… but was not forgotten.
The effect he had on her, even in abstinence, was too potent.
Chapter 9
As she stepped out of the elevator, Lexi took a deep breath to assuage the nauseous feeling in her stomach. Her head felt vertiginous. The moment she’d stepped over the threshold into Turner Investments Incorporated, she felt as cold as the glass and steel structure.
“Morning, Miss Dutton. I’m glad to see you’re back.”
On cue, Lexi made eye contact and procured one of her manufactured smiles.
“Since we weren’t formally introduced the previous time, I’m Alice, Mr. Turner’s PA. He’ll be with you shortly. May I offer you something to drink?”
“Water… please.” She traced a moist tongue over her parched lips. Why, all of a sudden a case of nerves? She had no idea. Max had already heard the gist of her proposal. If he had no intention of investing in the expansion of LDD, he wouldn’t have wasted his precious meeting with her.
She accepted the glass of water and settled into a chair. It calmed her nerves and soon she felt her spirit lift as she waited for Max to appear.
She was going through her proposal in her mind when the phone on Alice’s desk rang.
“Right away, Max.” Her movements were practiced as she got up. “Mr. Turner is ready for you. Please, follow me.”
Armed with the precious folders and confectionary box, Lexi followed her down a hallway. She hadn’t planned on bringing any pastries but a text message from Max the previous morning instructing her to bring a freshly baked apple pie had left her no choice. She had no idea what he intended and she wasn’t going to take the chance of disappointing him.
Alice stopped at a hand-carved mahogany door. “Good luck.” She winked at Lexi as sh
e held it open. She walked inside and promptly forgot to breathe. It was a corner office with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the cityscape.
Max stood gazing out over the city in a handmade Savile Row suit. He was the epitome of a successful businessman. His back was to her as he finished the call when she’d walked inside. For long moments he didn’t move and seemed lost in the panoramic surroundings of his office. Lexi got the impression that he was either tired or was struggling with a decision. She could only hope it wasn’t a bad sign of what was to come.
“Ah, you’re here.” He smiled briefly as he sat down at the large boardroom table at one end of the room. He gestured to a chair. “Thank you for making the time to come and see me today. Once again, I need to apologize for the inconvenience last week.”
“So polite.” Lexi stared at him with her heart in her throat as she sat down. “Is this your way of gently letting me down?”
“It’s a business meeting and—” The buzz of an incoming Skype call interrupted him. “Right on time.” He leaned over to press a button on the communication unit. The faces of two men appeared on screen. They looked familiar but Lexi was too tense to try and recall who they were.
“Morning Max and thank you for inviting us to this discussion.”
“Let me introduce you. Lexi Dutton, meet Devon and Luke Wills.”
“From Wills Bros Coffee?” She blinked in confusion as she made the connection.
“Morning Lexi,” they said together.
“Max tells us you make decadent pastries and the best apple pie in the States,” Devon Wills, the oldest of the two brothers said. His smile was friendly and engaging.
“It’s always nice to hear such praise,” she said, still struggling to understand the shift in the meeting. “I sell your brand at my bakery. Your new blends are very popular.”
“Max told us and we’re quite honored to have noticed that you have been one of our customers for the past ten years.”
Eat Your Heart Out: A Romance Charity Anthology Page 19
