Sprinkled with Love

“Don’t do that. It’s my fault. I’ll go.” She started to get up from where she was working on a sketch of a jewelry design.

“Stay. This is my project. I’ll do it.” He grabbed his jacket and slipped it on. “Is there anything else you need?”

“Not that I can think of.”

“I’ll be right back.” He grabbed his keys and headed for the door.

No matter how this Bake-Off turned out, he was going to have to figure out some special way to pay Jillian back for her generosity. She was a very special lady. Too bad he hadn’t let down his guard sooner—when she was still interested in him.

*

Knock. Knock.

That was funny. Jillian thought Avery should still be at the store. Perhaps he forgot something. But why was he knocking when he was welcome to just walk in?

She rushed over to the door and flung it open. “Hey, I was just thinking—”

The words died in her throat. It wasn’t Avery standing there. It was Glenn. What was he doing here?

The smile slipped from his face. “I take it I’m not who you were expecting.”

“I…uh, Glenn, why are you here?”

He stepped past her into the apartment without an invitation, sending the door closed behind him. “Did you get my roses?”

That was it? He was upset that she hadn’t called him and gushed about the roses? That would have happened if they were on good terms, but they were far from that.

“I got them, but I don’t know why you sent them.”

The expression on his face softened. “I told you I made a mistake.” And then he moved his arm from behind his back. He was holding a bouquet of white and red carnations. “I saw these and thought of you. I had to get them.” When she didn’t move to accept them, he said, “Go ahead. Take them.”

“I don’t want them.” Her voice was firm. He had no chance with her. “We’re over.”

His face creased with frown lines. “Why do you always have to be so difficult? This is why we broke up. Why can’t you just forgive me? After all, we wouldn’t have broken up if it weren’t for you.”

“Me?” Was he serious? It would be so easy to engage in an argument with him, but she refused to fall for his bait. He just wasn’t worth getting worked up over.

He nodded. “You’re just so stubborn. But I’m willing to forgive you. We can work this out.”

She opened the door. “It’s time you go.”

He moved to place the flowers on the kitchen counter. He turned for the door and then paused in front of her. “I know you’re angry now, but think about it. We’re perfect together. You’ll never find anyone who treats you as good as I do.”

Before she could close her gaping mouth and formulate a response, he was gone. That man had some nerve. She sent the door shut with a resounding thud. Why was he suddenly so interested in getting her back? Was he that oblivious to the fact she didn’t want him back? Not now. Not ever.

*

Jillian had company?

Avery didn’t recognize the upscale SUV sitting in the driveway when he returned to Jillian’s house. He couldn’t imagine Jillian would invite over one of her friends when they were in the middle of a baking lesson. He glanced toward Jillian’s mother’s house. The lights were on, so he assumed it was her guest.

He alighted from his pickup and leaned back inside to grab the bag containing the eggs and some snacks he recalled Jillian enjoying. It was then he heard approaching footsteps. He straightened and turned.

The man approaching him was the same man he’d seen kissing Jillian on the sidewalk the other day. But Jillian had told him she didn’t have a boyfriend. So what was this guy doing here?

“You must be Avery,” the man, wearing a dark suit with a wool overcoat and shiny dress shoes, said. The man oozed ego and money.

“I am.” Avery responded curtly. It was obvious the man had something on his mind.