Our Star-Crossed Kiss (The Rooftop Crew #4) - Piper Rayne Page 0,7
a man calls.
I raise my hand. “Time to put on your competitor’s hat, Mom.”
She nods and we walk toward the man, disappearing through a black curtained-off area, but I can tell that neither of us are as gung ho as we were before we spoke with Evan.
Chapter Four
Evan
“The Bagel Place!” a woman calls from the opposite side of the room I just saw the Andrews go to.
My stomach clenches as I raise my hand and shove my phone inside my bag.
“Hi,” the friendly blonde says and walks steadily past a black curtain. “How are you?”
“I’m good.”
That’s the extent of our conversation—which I’m thankful for, because I feel as though I might throw up. After Mrs. Andrews gave me those puppy dog eyes and asked about my family, I felt the weight of her grief for losing her best friend. Because although Mrs. Andrews hates us, she still loves us too, and she knows our family has been through the wringer lately. But so has hers. I have no idea what it’s been like, but the rumors about Trevor and what he’s done to support his habit have been upsetting to hear.
“Here you go.” The blonde woman opens a curtain, and there sits the host for the Food Channel’s most popular show, Tastes of Small Towns, Nick Klein.
He stands. “Miss Erickson from The Bagel Place, right?” His hand is outstretched across the small table and I slide my small hand into his large one.
“Yes. Thank you.”
He smiles. It’s warm and kind and it puts me a little more at ease. “You’re welcome. Please sit down. I’m—”
I laugh. “I know who you are.”
He chuckles and leans back, putting his ankle on his opposite knee. “Sorry, I’m surprising a few businesses. A mutual friend called in a favor.”
“That’s nice of you.”
He shrugs and holds his calf in a casual way. “I think you know them. The Floyds. Bruce Floyd. I heard you’re Brockie’s girl.”
My gut twists. I brought this event up to Brock two nights ago at dinner at a fancy five-star place in the city. He didn’t act like he was really listening, but I guess he was. I can’t decide if I like that he called in this favor or not.
“Yes. We’ve been dating,” I say.
“For how long?”
“Um.” I swallow. “Just a couple months.”
“I think that’s pretty long in Brockie’s book, no?” He chuckles as if I should agree that I know I’m dating the town playboy. Some nights I wonder if I did in fact tame him.
But I plaster on my smile. Regardless of how I got here, I need to be here. For Eli, Elsie, my mom, and my dad. And myself, because this move is slightly selfish too. “I suppose so.”
He glances at a piece of paper in front of him. “I’m supposed to ask you all these questions. They’re boring.” He drops the paper back on the table. “Let’s talk about you.”
I twist my fingers in my lap. “What would you like to know?”
“The Bagel Place? Was it yours originally or did you buy it? You’re young.”
“It’s my parents’ actually. I run it though,” I quickly add. “But my parents started it almost twenty years ago. Before that—” I stop talking because I don’t want anyone involved with the show to know about the feud. Who knows what they’d think of my dad if they did?
“So you were always destined to take the place over?” Nick has got one of those charming smiles like he’s listening intently and there’s nowhere else he’d rather be.
“Kind of, yes.” I thought I was about to make my escape when Eli started school, but then my dad’s heart attack sucked me back in like a tornado.
“And you enjoy it?”
“I do. Very much.” I sit up straighter in my chair.
His smile fades for a second, but it pops back into place. “You should always do what you love. So what part is your favorite?”
“The business side mostly. I mean, I don’t mind the baking and making the cream cheese. Then again, maybe I only enjoy the inventory and numbers side because that’s the only time I’m off my feet.” I smile and shrug.
He laughs. “Well, I hope Brockie’s giving you a good foot rub at the end of the day.”
Yeah, right. I suggested once to sit at home and do nothing, and Brock gasped like a schoolgirl who’d just heard she’s the topic of a wicked rumor.