Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods #5) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,44

cheese sauce and parmesan, my meal isn’t exactly light eating for a midnight snack.”

I feel my cheeks heat. “That’s true,” I mumble. “I shouldn’t—” I start to put the ball back.

“You can’t put that back.” He cocks his head at me. “You have to eat it now, Miss Shaw.”

“I shouldn’t have it.” I’m a pig. An absolute glutton. To make matters worse, I ordered garlic bread as well. I’m making such a bad impression. I’m shocked he hired me, and even more shocked that I’m still here.

“You absolutely should eat the arancini. I’m sorry I teased you. It’s just…” he smiles and out pops that single dimple, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone blush as hard as you do, Miss Shaw, and I love that you can enjoy a meal…or two.” He chuckles.

I blush harder. I can feel my cheeks growing hot.

“It’s a good thing. Refreshing, actually. Even being here is…” He looks around, relaxing back into his chair. “It’s refreshing.”

“I like it too.” Then I eat the ball and moan around it. “It’s good,” I say, chewing a few more times before I swallow.

His eyes are on my mouth. They quickly avert to his beer glass. Bolt takes a sip.

“You should try one.” I feel like another rice ball but refrain. “They’re amazing. Best thing I’ve had in a long time.” Oh, fudge buckets! I shouldn’t have said that. “Except for our dinner tonight, that is. That was amazing too. The best. Unbelievable.” It was! I’m not lying. “I have to say that these are right up there, though.” I point at the rice balls.

“I have to try one, then.” He puts a ball in his mouth, and I watch him chew. Masticating. It’s an ugly word. Up there with ‘moist’. Chewing…the action itself is pretty ugly. There are people on this planet who have phobias about this very thing. Phobias about the sound of someone chewing. Phobias about the sight of it. I think that even if I had a phobia, I would still watch Bolt. It would still do things to me. He swallows and licks his lips. “You’re right, Miss Shaw. That was probably the tastiest thing I’ve had all night.”

I clear my throat. I need to get my head out of the gutter. “We were interrupted earlier. You were telling me that our plans to get Buns and Breads back on track were a good start, but that it was just a start. What did you mean by that?”

“Exactly that. Buying equipment is a great start, but I doubt it would be enough. Do you know your competition?”

“Of course.” I shrug. I rattle off the franchise name. “They have twenty-two bakeries across the country.”

“I mean really know them. Have you been to one of their stores? Have you specifically been to the one up the road from your parent’s bakery?”

“Of course not,” I snort. “I would never! It would be wrong.”

“That’s a mistake, Miss Shaw. How can you hope to go head-to-head with someone and not know them intimately? You need to head over there. Go buy their products. Find out why they have taken your customers. What are they doing that you’re not?”

“It’s prices…theirs have to be lower.” I reach for my wine. I can’t leave a full glass. It would be rude. I’ll drink some water when I get to my room. I’m praying I don’t have a hangover in the morning. I don’t usually drink this much on a work night.

“Prices are one aspect.” He shrugs. “Delve deeper. What else? Keep asking yourself that question until you have all the answers. You need to know your competition. What’s working for them and what’s not. Then formulate the rest of your plan on how to beat them.”

“You make it sound easy.”

“It is.”

“This is for my parents, by the way. I don’t want them to lose their business. I’m excited to be working for you. To be doing something new and challenging.” I have a whole lot more to say. Too much. If I say anything more, it’ll look bad, like I’m trying to cover it up. Like I don’t mean it. Even though I’m a fish out of water, I find that the prospect of being Bolt’s PA isn’t as daunting as it was. I might even enjoy it.

“I’m glad to hear that, Miss Shaw.”

“I’m an only child,” I blurt. This has been running through my head over the last few months. I haven’t told anyone my true feelings. Not even Candice.