The Ingredients of You and Me (Hopeless Romantics #3) - Nina Bocci Page 0,94

Nanas videos in the bakery?” Nick asked, and immediately tried to backtrack. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. I know you know what you’re doing here with the no cell phone policy, and everyone chilling out.”

“No, no, what are you thinking? New videos or old ones?” I asked, pulling up the note app on my iPhone.

“I think both. Maybe you can even have a suggestion box or something. It would help everyone, including the Nanas. Live comments from the peanut gallery, I guess you could call it. There’s a way for people to ask for stuff on YouTube but not in person. I think that may go a long way,” he explained.

“Also a great idea. I’m not totally sold on a television here except for airing the videos. I’m thinking we can have them air in the hallways of the building as well. Maybe a slide show or something of the businesses, and then still shots of the loft apartments upstairs.”

“Yeah, Charlotte could have something, and the restaurant.”

“You’re on a roll. Have anything else?” I asked, watching his face light up at the thought of giving more suggestions.

“A couple,” he said with a smile. “Can I play with your site?”

I nodded. “What are you thinking?”

He rubbed his neck. “I know you want the focus to be the Nanas, but I think people need to fully understand what you’re doing here and how you’re behind it.” I gave him a face. He chuckled. “I know, I know—it’s not about me, it’s about them—and that’s wonderful and noble and I love it, but I think pushing the fact that you’re behind this will only elevate it. I know you’re not hiding it, but you’re also not full-blown making an announcement with skywriting or anything.”

“I see what you’re saying. I can do that, I think,” I said, and he looked forlorn. “I mean, unless you really want to go nuts. The less I have to worry about the better. My mind has been going in a hundred different directions from everything coming up between the bakery and the videos. If I had one less thing to worry about, Nick, that would be super helpful. Thanks.”

Grateful, I reached up and kissed him on the cheek. We hadn’t discussed the kiss from the other night, and this felt like we were heading down that path again.

As if reading my mind, Nick stepped forward and whispered, “Parker.”

The word was simple, full of longing, and I didn’t know how to respond. This was public, something we weren’t used to. We’d avoided the scrutiny and the gossip before.

I glanced up at his darkening eyes and smiled. “Nick.” He took a tentative step closer and repeated my name with more longing, more need.

Closing the short distance, I stood in front of him and pulled his hands so I held them in mine.

“Nick, I’d like you to kiss me now,” I said simply. If he needed an invitation, there it was.

He smiled, dimples and all, and leaned in to firmly capture my lips.

At the same time the front door chimed.

“Oh, sorry!” Emma said, covering her eyes with one hand and her belly with the other. “Baby and I didn’t see anything we weren’t supposed to, but if we did, we’d be asking what the H-E-double-hockey-sticks is going on here and why didn’t we know about it?”

We separated, knowing that we’d been busted.

Turning to her, I smiled. “Hey, Ems. What’s up? How are you feeling? Want a snack?” I rambled it all quickly, but it did nothing to thwart her curiosity.

She looked between Nick and me repeatedly before calling for Mancini to join us.

“I’ve been summoned,” she said, coming into the studio from the bakery, and it reminded me of the first day that I met her. She appeared out of nowhere.

“Emma, looks like you interrupted something back here?” Mancini asked, searching for some gossip. She crossed her arms over her chest.

“I daresay that I don’t know. Tell me, Mancini. What did I walk in on?” she answered, smiling when she looked at Nick’s reddening face.

“Nothing,” I said flatly. “I gave Nick a kiss on the cheek and Emma is interpreting it as something more.”

Mancini’s eyes widened, and her mouth made a perfect O. “I see. Well, I must say if there was something going on here, I would certainly approve of and encourage it.”

“You’re both nuts. We’re friends, right, Nick?” I said, bumping him in the arm with my hand.

Nick was looking down, much as he had that night at