Edible Espionage (13 page)

Her speech…her expression…this whole damned situation made his chest tighten. The truth hurt.

I don’t know what’s true and false anymore.
He didn’t know what to say, and if he started talking, there might be a horrifying chance his voice would crack.

He did the only thing he knew he could i
n the moment—he moved his hands to encase her cheeks and kissed her tenderly. A sorrowful kiss. A kiss he hoped would convey all he couldn’t say. He lingered long enough to feel her lips on his and breathe in her lavender scent. After he pulled back, he didn’t look her in the eyes before he walked away…he couldn’t bear to.

Chapter Twelve: The Winning Team

Can’t be right.
Sarah searched through the papers again.
Two named contestants must be present during the three stages of the competition, awards ceremony, and Confectionary Digest magazine interview to receive the full award of prizes, or winner will forfeit the prizes in their entirety.
Sarah sat back in the office chair at Crazy for Cake and shut her eyes.
You have got to be kidding me. I just keep getting hung out to dry by this guy.

A week had passed since he kissed her and walked away…just walked away without so much as a goodbye.

“Hey, doll.” Fiona sauntered in flipping through the mail.

Time to crack this egg.
“Sit down. We need to talk.”

Fiona stopped, holding an envelope midair. “What’s wrong?” She sat on the wooden chair by the desk. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I have something, well,
some things
to tell you.” Sarah sat forward in the gray chair.

“Okay.” The mail fell to Fiona’s lap

“It’s about Gavin.”

“You haven’t said much about him. I thought I’d see him again.” Fiona flopped the mail on the desk.

“No.” Sarah bit her lower lip and her stomach knotted. “Well, maybe.” She folded the competition contract and threw it on the desk.
God willing, he’ll show up for the interview.
“Here it is. Gavin was spying on us. He was sent here to steal recipes and my secret ingredient. Basically, he was hired to help me lose and someone else specifically to win. The last part didn’t happen.” She quickly added, “Obviously…we won.”
Thank goodness.

“Hold the phone.
What?
”

“Yeah. Take it all in, my friend.” Sarah leaned back in the chair, waiting for the barrage of questions she knew were coming.

“Why am I just hearing about this?”

“I didn’t want to add to your stress. I had everything under control. Well, the competition part. I found out and switched the recipes and my secret ingredient. He didn’t get anything.”

“You what?” Fiona shook her head then smiled. “Look at you go.” She started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“This is ridiculous. Am I being punked right now?” Straightening in the chair, she looked around for a camera with a crew that might be hidden in their tiny office.

“No. I’m being serious.” Sarah held three tight fingers in the air. “Girl Scout’s honor.”

“Gavin. Sweet, deliciously edible Gavin played you. Well, us?”

“Yep.” At the unpleasant thought, Sarah felt her face tighten.

Silence stretched. Sarah knew this could go one of two ways…either Fiona would flip her lid or she’d laugh it off because Sarah had foiled him and they’d won, despite everything. She held her breath and surveyed Fi as the blonde processed the information.

Fiona took a deep breath.

Here comes the rage.
Sarah leaned in slightly, bracing herself for the burst of emotions and questions.

“One: If I ever see that lying sack of poo again, I’ll throat punch him. Two: If you ever keep something like this from me again, I’ll hide all the fudge…well, as soon as you make it. Three: I hope you got your revenge and didn’t get hurt. You didn’t, did you?”

Sarah started to say
no
with a shrug, but Fi kept talking.

“Because, if he hurt you, that’s worse than hurting our bakery. We won, which, I hope you rubbed in his chiseled face…so hard. But, honestly…I thought you two had something serious?”

“About seeing him again…” Sarah side-stepped the last question. One problem at a time. “Part of the contract with the Trio Trifecta is the winning team must complete an interview with
Confectionary Digest
.”

“Okay, so you and I will do the interview.”

Sarah shook her head and grimaced. “Interviewees have to be the people named on the entry form. I just got off the phone with the magazine. They wouldn’t let me push the interview back any longer. I had to schedule for next week. I called the number I had for Gavin and left a message.” After this entire disaster and Crazy for Cake went down the drain, she was hopping the next flight to Europe for a backpacking trip—there she wouldn’t have to speak to anyone and could focus on her art. Her body hummed at the impending failure. Fiona had a family now. She’d let everyone down.

“What if he’s a no-show for the interview?”

“We forfeit all the prizes.” Sarah focused on the mail. “They’re pretty specific about penalties in the contract.”

“So, we just have to wait and hope?” Fi’s voice rose.

“I don’t think there’s anything else we can do.”

Her finger tips grew cold as a dread filled chill crept up her spine. Turns out Gavin won, after all.

****

Gavin’s cell phone rang.
Why is he calling?
He swiveled in his chair to put his back to his team. He was in the middle of a strategy meeting, planning their next assignment.

“Arnold, there’s still a way you can salvage your dastardly performance on this assignment.” Mr. Lexington huffed.

“It’s over, Mr. Lexington.” Gavin’s annoyance level rose. The assignment had been over for a week now, yet it constantly poked its dirty little head in his life every damn day. The fact it wasn’t over hadn’t escaped him…no matter how much he told himself otherwise.

“Upon review of the competition rules, if they do not fulfill all of their obligations, then second place wins by default.”

Pies, Oh My! managed to swing second place—with greasing of palms no doubt. “What’s this got to do with me?” Gavin’s clipped words tightened his chest, anything to do with Sarah had that effect on him these days.

“The only obligation left is the interview. Both team members must be present, or they forfeit.”

His stomach knotted, and he swallowed hard.
Sarah needs me to show up, or she loses and the award goes to Pies, Oh My!
Why hasn’t she called?

“Do you know when their interview is?” Gavin’s eyes rolled to the ceiling as he calculated his distance from Washington and how much time he’d need to get back to Haven.

“Of course, I do.” Mr. Lexington snapped. “I’m not calling to tell you when it is. I’m calling to tell you
not
to go. I’ll put our original agreement back in place plus fifty percent.”

“And all I have to do is…nothing?”

“You’ve done enough already. Don’t go anywhere near Haven, and you’ll have your money.” Mr. Lexington disconnected.

The pompous jerk actually believes he just solidified his win.
Gavin noticed the blinking green light for his voicemail. He heard Sarah’s voice, and a chill ran down his spine. She was telling him the time and date and asking him to show up.

Gavin could hear the hurt in her voice, even though she’d obviously tried hard to mask it. The image of her standing at the island in the kitchen was burned in his memory. He remembered trapping her against the stainless steel and the sizzle in her eyes that clouded his judgment. The warmth of her skin on his and the smell of her sweet scent were nearly real, and he closed his eyes.
I’m not good for you, Sarah. I never was.
He’d just taken another assignment and getting back to Haven in time wasn’t plausible. Probably for the best.

Chapter Thirteen: Edible Espionage

“Would you like another cookie?” Sarah held out the platter of chocolate chip cookies to the woman in a red pant suit.

Liz Davenport, the reporter from
Confectionary Digest
, shook her head. “I’m at my limit. Thank you. They are scrumptious.” Her short onyx hair framed her face, accentuating high cheek bones and brown eyes.

What else is there?
She wasn’t ready to let Liz leave, or squash her hope of Gavin appearing.
“Oh, you know, I haven’t showed you the new mixer we just installed.”

“You gave me the tour. Don’t worry. I have some good pictures. Now I’d like to ask you questions.” She looked down at her notebook and then scanned the front area of the bakery. “Where is Mr. Arnold? Will he be joining us shortly?”

Isn’t that the question of the year?
Since last week, Sarah hadn’t received any communication from
Mr. Arnold
on any of the fifteen messages she’d left. All she needed to know was whether or not he’d be there. She knew he didn’t have to be, he had no obligation, but maybe out of human decency he’d show. Her nerves got the best of her, and she fiddled with her hair. She’d been miserable since learning about this last stipulation. In a cruel turn of events, second place had gone to Pies, Oh My!

Sarah checked her watch. Fifteen after.
I don’t know why I expected anything more. He won. There’ll be no prizes for us.

She took a deep breath realizing her defeat.
May as well not waste any more time.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Davenport, I’m afraid Gavin won’t be joining us.”

“What?” She stopped flipping through her notepad and her gaze met Sarah’s. “He’s only running late, I’m sure.” She checked her gold watch. “Let’s give him a few more minutes.”

“Yeah, I’m fairly certain time isn’t the problem.” She bit her bottom lip and rubbed her temple. “He’s not coming.”

“We could have rescheduled.”

“That wouldn’t have helped. He won’t
ever
be showing up to an interview.” Sarah blinked back tears. Ever since Gavin came into her life, and then left, she found herself to be a blubbering idiot.
I’ve never cried so easily in my life. This is ridiculous.

“Why not?” Liz asked.

“Well…” Sarah wasn’t ready to explain their complicated relationship. Where would she even start? “His real job takes him away, on short notice. It’s his busy time of year.”

“All right.”

Liz looked skeptical but accepting of the explanation.

“It was very nice to meet you, Sarah. You have a wonderful bakery.”

“Thank you.” Sarah nodded and diverted her gaze to the floor. Her dreams slipped away.

The chime on the front door sounded, and she jerked up her head, eyes wide, focused on the door. For a moment, she felt her heartbeat pound in her ears and then she sagged against the chair. Mrs. Cline was stopping in to grab her weekly loaf of bread.
Get real, that’s not the way my life works. He’s not coming at the last minute to save me.

Pasting on a fake smile, she shook the reporter’s hand and walked with her to the front door. Dread fought to take over her senses and motor skills but she managed one last sentence, “If you ever find yourself in Haven again, please stop by.”

“I will.”

Sarah reached for the knob just as the door swung out of her grasp, and she jumped back to avoid a collision.

“Sorry I’m late.”

That familiar smooth distinctive voice. “Gavin?” Sarah let out his name in high-pitched surprise.

“I was stuck in traffic. My apologies. Interstate Five was surprisingly busy today. I hope I didn’t miss the interview.”

“No. No.” The reporter shook his hand. “I’m Liz Davenport from
Confectionary Digest
.” She looked him up and down.

A possessive streak zipped through Sarah as she witnessed the two exchange pleasantries.
Back off, Liz.

“It’s great to finally meet you, Ms. Davenport.” Gavin flashed his charming smile at the reporter. “Your magazine is indeed an industry gem. We are so honored to be interviewed by you.” He gazed at Sarah. “Sorry I’m late.” He touched her waist and kissed her on the cheek.

Bolts of energy shot through her. Her cheek suddenly burned with a yearning for more and her vision blurred for a moment. “Okay” was all she could utter.
Am I imagining this? Is he really here for the interview? What an ass, being late. He could’ve called.

The reporter moved back to her seat, and Gavin followed.

Sarah turned on the heels of her boots and regained her composure. The shock wore off and adrenaline danced through her as she joined them.

****

Gavin couldn’t keep his gaze off of Sarah as she claimed her chair. Her silky skin, her bright blue eyes, her full lips.
He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her until he’d put his hand on her arm. Every ounce of control he could summon went into kissing Sarah only on the cheek. Being close again reignited the fire, and the emotions were white hot. Mr. Lexington be dammed. He messed up so much with Sarah this was the least he could do. Despite everything, she’d won, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her losing now. Anyway, he hated to see people like Mr. Lexington prosper. He never should’ve taken the assignment in the first place.
I shouldn’t go that far.