Close to You

choice is up to Daniela.”
    “ How about if I email you a
press packet for Ground for Thought along with an outline of my
ideas for the event? Will that make it easier for you?”
    “ Yes.” Carmen soundly
surprised and a bit relieved. “Do you have my email
address?”
    “ Hold on just a
second.” Pen, pen, pen… She rifled through a drawer and found one.
Flipping over a receipt, she said, “Go ahead.”
    The woman recited the address.
Thanking her, Eve hung up.
    Then she jumped up and
down. “ Yes. ”
    She had her foot in the door. All she
needed to do was follow through and convince Daniela to host her
cookbook launch at Grounds for Thought.
    It’d put her little shop permanently
on the map.
    She’d never have to worry about money
again.
    Her dad would get off her
back.
    A month didn’t give her much time to
plan though. She needed to send Carmen McKnight the press kit ASAP,
and then she’d have to start the ball rolling on media coverage.
She definitely wanted an article or two in the Chronicle, and that
took time to organize.
    Thinking about it all, Eve checked on
the scones in the oven, taking them out. Buoyed with hope, she
pushed the kitchen door open with her hip. “Hot stuff behind you,”
she said to Allison.
    “ Hot stuff in front of you
too.” The older woman motioned with her chin.
    Eve glanced up and met Treat’s gaze
through the storefront window. He was headed in here. Her skin
flushed, from her chest all the way to her cheeks.
    Allison gasped and leaned
across the counter to stare at him. “That’s the guy, isn’t it?
The cute one
you’ve been watching for.”
    “ Stop it.”
    “ How could you possibly
call him cute ?”
Her face scrunched at the word. “That man is downright
hot.”
    “ He’s coming in
here.”
    “ I know, and you better put
those scones down before you drop them.”
    “ Shh ,” she hissed, carefully setting the tray on the
rack.
    The front door tinkled as it opened
and they both watched Treat enter. Eve’s face burned as he headed
straight for her, and her stomach fluttered with nerves.
    She’d always had a thing for bad boys,
and with his long ponytailed hair and the tribal tattoo circling a
thick bicep, Treat definitely qualified as a bad boy in her
book.
    Hoping her smile was friendly instead
of leering, she greeted him. “Treat, you came back.”
    “ I couldn’t resist.” His
voice was sleep raspy, like he’d just rolled out of bed.
    The image made her face burn hotter.
Ignoring Allison’s pointed look, she cleared her throat. “Would you
like a mocha?”
    “ Please.”
    She nodded and turned to make it. She
felt his gaze on her back and hoped he wasn’t wondering if the red
creeping up her neck was a rash.
    Setting the mug in front of him, she
asked, “Will that be it for you?”
    He flashed her his lopsided grin.
“Depends on what else you have to offer.”
    Allison chortled.
    She narrowed her eyes at her supposed
friend.
    “ How about a chocolate
croissant again? It was delicious,” he said, saving her from having
to reply.
    Nodding, she put his pastry on a plate
and rang him up.
    She flushed when their hands brushed
as he handed her a ten-dollar bill. Reminding herself that she was
a thirty-two year old adult and not a schoolgirl with her first
crush, she handed him his change. “Enjoy.”
    “ Thanks.” He gave her
another knee-weakening smile and took his breakfast to the table he
sat at before, grabbing a newspaper on the way.
    “ Enjoy? ” Allison asked incredulously.
    “ Shh.” She looked to see if
he heard.
    “ You’re going to have to do
better than that. Show a little cleavage. Put your hair down.
Blondes are supposed to have fun.”
    She touched her chin-length
bob. “My hair is down, and I do have fun.”
    “ Not that kind of fun.” She pointed at the
man.
    “ Allison.” Eve pushed the
woman’s hand away.
    “ At least go talk to
him.”
    “ No.”
    “ Why not?” The older woman
put her hands on her hips. “There’s not a breathing woman on this
planet who wouldn’t be interested in that man.”
    Because he oozed sex. She glanced at
him and wondered if he’d come back for her.
    “ If I were a few years
younger I’d go for him myself. You don’t suppose he likes older
women?” Allison adjusted her white peasant blouse to reveal a
little more cleavage.
    “ Stop,” she said,
laughing.
    “ Tom wouldn’t like me
bringing home another man anyway. Not that Treat would be
interested,” Allison