Page 13 of Midnight Snack

Before I can devise a plan, my phone dings.

Gracie: So? How did it go?

Kelsie: What’s he like in real life?

ME: Kind of obnoxious, if I’m honest. Clearly, he thinks very highly of himself.

Gracie: Boooo! I do not love that for him. Or you.

Kelsie: Could be bad first impressions.

Kelsie: Kinda like when Ethan broke into my house, and I nearly decapitated him with a lamp.

Gracie: Babe, that’s legit not even possible.

Kelsie: Whatever. It happened.

Kelsie: Okay, be honest, how bad is it? You know if he’s a real jerk, you can back out.

ME: Back out?

Kelsie: Yeah … you could just come home.

ME: Um … I signed a contract. I can’t back out.

ME: It’s fine. I can handle it.

ME: The good news is we should have no problems working together.

Gracie: Think you’ll develop some decent on-camera chemistry?

Enough to light up an entire city. But I’m sure as hell not confessing to that.

ME: We’ll be fine.

ME: Also, I’m certain he’s younger than me, which I guess I wasn’t expecting.

Gracie: Ohhh, reverse age-gap. I like it.

ME: NOT what I meant.

Gracie: Bygones.

Kelsie: Like how much younger?

ME: Not like a decade or anything. But I’d guess four or five years.

Gracie: So perfectly legal.

Kelsie: Why are you like this? Who hurt you?

ME: LOL. I miss y’all.

Kelsie: Yes. The bakery isn’t the same without you.

Gracie: So what’s the plan?

ME: Focus on the competition and ignore the rest.