Page 66 of The Moment He Couldn’t Walk Away

“That,” Blue said, pointing to a banner Nina hadn’t noticed had been strung across the street. The words on it read The Lyntacky Bake-Off.

“Hell if I know, but it’s Lyntacky, so it could encompass anything other than baking, really,” Nina said.

“Not sure how something that says ‘Bake-Off’ could be anything but a baking competition,” the man in overalls who was approaching them said. “I’m entering.”

Larry Limpet had once owned the Swing Through Café, and it had been a place to avoid, as the food was terrible and the building infested by rodents. Now that he’d sold to Ryder Duke, he was a changed man and seemed to have had a personality transplant. He talked in full sentences these days, which he never used to do.

“You bake, Larry?”

The man’s face was lined after years of neglect and sun and not a single smear of anything remotely close to skin cream. “Course I do. I used to own a bakery, didn’t I?”

“Not sure that’s a recommendation,” Blue said in her usual blunt way.

Larry didn’t take offence and smiled—actually smiled. “I got a coconut cake that will knock your socks off, Blue Jay McAllister.” The man then walked off down the street.

“I hate it when a person changes, and I have to start liking them when I didn’t used to,” Blue muttered.

“No sleep last night?” Nina asked.

“A few hours, but I’m someone who needs at least seven. Jay can function on four or five. I hate him for that.”

“No, you don’t,” Nina said, slipping her arm through Blue’s.

“Come on, girl, let’s let loose because it’s been a crazy time for you,” Blue said, walking with Nina. “How are you holding up?”

“Okay, and Circle Left is helping. I have plans for it.” Nina then outlined a few.

“Nice, and if I can add another one, you could host a fashion show, and I can use my designs,” Blue said.

“Oh my God, yes!” Nina said. “I love that idea.”

“But, you have to continue doing the after-match for the games too,” Blue cautioned her. “Some things have to stay as they are.”

“Agreed, because we don’t want to scare off those who have lived in this town forever.”

“Exactly,” Blue confirmed.

In the seven days since she’d slept with Finch McAllister, Nina had only seen him at a distance, other than the day he’d appeared at The Gnat for a haircut. Jessie had done a good job. The style was short like Finch had in the army and suited his handsome face.

The man was messing with her head, even considering that it was full of other stuff at the moment. She found herself sometimes just staring at nothing, thinking about him. It was unsettling.

“Zoe and I have been discussing the interior, and we came up with some ideas,” Blue said.

“I want to keep the history,” Nina said, not at all surprised by her friends’ meddling. She was always involved—even if they didn’t want her to be—in their business, so it stood to reason they’d be involved in hers.

“Of course, but we’ve made notes and drawings,” Blue added.

“Nice. Saves me doing it, then, seeing as you two have better design taste.”

“Agreed. Maybe you could host Christmas dinners?”

“You really have given this a lot of thought,” Nina said.

“Haven’t you?”

“I have pages and pages of lists and notes written,” Nina confessed.

“Cool. So one day soon, after you take over Circle Left, we need to have a meeting.”