A festive reunion...

...with an unexpected gift!

When Pepper Kane’s home and bakery are burned down in the weeks before Christmas, billionaire CEO Simon Ross—the man she spent one unforgettable night with—comes to the rescue! Pepper knows this playboy doesn’t do relationships, but staying with him in his penthouse and caring for an abandoned puppy, their spark is rekindled... And then comes a festive surprise that shocks them both: she’s carrying his baby!

Award-winning author JENNIFER FAYE pens fun, heart-warming, contemporary romances, filled with rugged cowboys, sexy billionaires and enchanting royalty. Internationally published, with books translated into nine languages, she is a two-times winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award. She has also won the CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, been named a TOP PICK author, and has been nominated for numerous other awards.

Also by Jennifer Faye

Heiress’s Royal Baby Bombshell

Once Upon a Fairytale miniseries

Beauty and Her Boss

Miss White and the Seventh Heir

Greek Island Brides miniseries

Carrying the Greek Tycoon’s Baby

Claiming the Drakos Heir

Wearing the Greek Millionaire’s Ring

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise

Jennifer Faye

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09175-6

HER CHRISTMAS PREGNANCY SURPRISE

© 2019 Jennifer F. Stroka

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

PROLOGUE
October... Ross Tower, New York City

WAS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?

An invitation to one of the most exclusive parties in New York City. It didn’t get much better than this.

Okay, it wasn’t quite an invitation. Still, she was here among the crème de la crème of New York society—actresses, models, politicians, and the list went on. How she got here shouldn’t matter, right?

And, okay, she just happened to be one of the waitstaff. Not an actual guest. But still, this wasn’t just any party. This was Simon Ross’s party at the top of the tower. She stifled a squeal of delight as she considered pinching herself just to make sure this was real.

Pepper M. Kane resisted the urge, but barely. After all, she had landed—correction, her bakery had landed—this prime opportunity, and she wasn’t going to do anything to ruin it or her reputation. If she could make a good impression here, the connections and possibilities were endless.

By the end of the party, she’d handed out countless business cards. Her cheeks were sore from smiling so much. And her feet ached from the heels she’d decided to wear instead of her usual flats. She couldn’t wait to get home, curl up on the couch and put on an old black-and-white movie from her ever-growing collection.

There were still a few lingering guests, not to mention the host—the very sexy host. Her gaze moved across the spacious conference hall. There stood the man himself. More than six feet of tall dark sexy goodness.

She clearly remembered their first meeting this past summer. It had been very early one morning when Simon had strolled into the Polka Dotted Bakery. It had been just like any other day when her life started to change. There had been no lightning strikes and no earthquakes, but his entrance into her life had caused ripples through her heart.

At the time, she’d thought he was just another customer. Well, not just any customer—he’d been the only customer at that early hour. Even the sun hadn’t risen yet.

Pepper remembered quite clearly that particular morning. She’d been working the front counter when he’d stepped up to the glass display case to peruse the baked goods, from croissants to donuts to cookies and everything else in between. He’d chatted with her about her selection of donuts. And then he’d ordered two coffees, plus two cherry turnovers. After he paid for them, he’d handed her the second coffee and the extra turnover. No one had ever done something like that for her before. She was truly touched.

He had a billion-dollar smile that could melt the frosting right off Pepper’s triple-chocolate cupcakes. And he had these dreamy espresso brown eyes that she could stare into the entire day. With his short-styled hair and designer suit, he could easily grace the cover of any magazine or romance book.

The longer she talked to him, the more she’d noticed that he had something weighing on his mind. Pain flared in his eyes. It touched her, and though they were strangers, with her staff handling things in the kitchen, she’d invited him to sit and drink his coffee with her.

He hadn’t said much at first, but as one thing led to another, their conversation deepened. And then he’d revealed that he’d just received news that a childhood friend had died. Pepper never thought anything good would come from losing her mother and grandmother, but she was able to draw upon that experience to give some sort of comfort to Simon. It was as though that morning they’d formed a bond—a bond forged in loss and wrapped in hope.

And so for the past five months, Simon had been stopping by the bakery at least once a week early in the morning for two large black coffees and two cherry turnovers. Pepper looked forward to those mornings as they chatted about current events, the bakery or whatever was on their minds. She had made a new friend—a good friend.

And then out of the blue, he’d offered her the opportunity to cater for the Ross Toys expansion party. At first, he’d caught her off guard, as they hadn’t exchanged last names. But when she found out he was Simon Ross of Ross Toys she was left speechless. For Pepper, it was a crowning achievement. Ross Toys was one of the biggest businesses in the country.

Today Mr. Ross, as she insisted on calling him at the party, was the host and she was the baker. Today they were not coffee mates or friends. They each had a job to do—expectations to be met. The announcement of a new chain of stores had been made to the world—Ross Pet Playground. Speeches had been made. Thank-you’s had been issued. And predictions were bandied about while Pepper and her staff kept the trays on the buffet table filled.

Pepper had just returned from helping her staff load the empty trays into the delivery van. With both employees and the carts, the van was full. She’d sent her staff back to the bakery to unload and then head home. She’d driven separately, but before leaving, she had to finish cleaning up.

She rushed in the back door and came to an abrupt halt. There stood Simon Ross not more than ten feet from her. He wasn’t just another New York City businessman. He had been voted the city’s sexiest bachelor, as well as Business Person of the Year, in addition to being CEO and founder of Ross Toys. He was quite a package for some lucky lady.

At the moment, he was deep in conversation with another man in a similar dark suit and tie. Before she could discreetly make it past the men, Simon’s gaze met hers. It was only for the briefest of moments, but it was long enough for her heart to start racing. Heat rushed to her face. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she treat him like any other client?

A mocking voice inside her head said it was because he wasn’t like any other client. He’d started off as her friend. And then there was the part about him being smoking hot. She didn’t know a man could look that good in a suit.

She moved to the buffet tables, finding them still covered with fine white table linens and a cake platter. She lifted the end of a long white linen—

“Would you like a hand?”

She didn’t have to turn around to know that deep, smooth voice belonged to none other than Simon. Her stomach shivered with nerves. She glanced over her shoulder as he moved next to her. “Thanks. But I’ve got this. Don’t you have to tell your guests good-night?”

He frowned.

“I’m sorry.” That hadn’t come out like she’d intended. “I didn’t mean to sound dismissive. I just don’t want to take you away from your guests.”

“They’ve all gone now.” A smile returned to his very handsome face, making her heart beat faster. “So tell me, what needs to be done?”

Pepper could fold the cloth herself. She’d done it countless times in the past, but she’d been hoping all evening to have a little of his time.

“You could help me fold the tablecloth.”

He moved to the other end of the table and lifted the corners of the cloth. They approached each other. Her gaze caught and held his. Her pulse raced and her knees felt as though they’d turned to gelatin. With concerted effort, she kept putting one foot in front of the other. All the while, she wondered if he could hear the pounding of her heart.

And when they brought the material together, their fingers brushed. A jolt of awareness had her gaze dipping to his mouth—his very kissable mouth. The tip of her tongue moistened her lips.

For the longest second of her life, neither of them pulled away. In fact, it was as if time had slowed down. A rush of energy pulsated through her body.

This was ridiculous. It wasn’t like this wealthy, extremely handsome, very eligible CEO would be interested in her. She was just a baker with a polka-dotted apron and her hair pulled up. And she was his friend. Nothing more. Just someone to occasionally start the day with over a cup of hot coffee—even if those were the days she most looked forward to.

She moved her hands to lift the fold. “Mr. Ross, I think you had a very successful event.”

He arched a brow. “Since when do you call me anything but Simon?”

She glanced around to make sure no one overheard them. “It’s different here. Someone might overhear.”

“And that would be a problem?”

He was right. She was getting too worked up about protocol and appearances. Still, she couldn’t resist glancing around again just to make sure no one was watching or listening to them. Satisfied they had some privacy, she began to relax.

“Congratulations on the new store chain.” She took the tablecloth from him, in order to make the final folds. “Your guests all seemed excited about the plan.”

“Thanks. It won’t be long now. The first store opens just before Christmas.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

He shrugged. “Sure.”

“If you like animals enough to start up a chain of pet stores, why don’t you own one?”

Simon didn’t want to think about the past and how he’d wanted a puppy so badly. Yet the door to the past had been cracked open and now the memories slithered through, filling his mind.

He remembered the little black puppy he’d fallen in love with. The neighbor’s dog had given birth. And his best friend, Clay, had offered him a puppy. He’d snuck it home, not wanting anyone to know—if they didn’t know, they couldn’t ruin this for him.

Except two days later, his father found out and there’d been a high price to pay. Simon absently rubbed his right arm. He slammed the door on the memories. He wasn’t going to open up about his horrific past, not even for the amazing woman standing next to him.

“It’s not a chain of pet stores. It’s a toy store for pets.”

“There’s a difference?”

He nodded. “We won’t be selling food and basics. We’ll tailor our supplies to keeping the consumers’ four-footed friends entertained.” A frown came over his face. “As for me not owning a pet, it’s the way I like it.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep.”

He cleared his throat. “I think we both had a successful evening. Are all of your business cards gone?”

“Almost.” She pulled a dozen or so out of her pocket.

“I predict you’re going to be very busy in the near future.”

“I hope so.”

“Trust me. I see a brilliant future for you.” He smiled at her.

Her stomach dipped. No one had a right to have such a sexy smile. What were they talking about? It took her a second, but then she got her mind back on track.

Her gaze met his and held, much, much longer than was necessary. Her heart started to beat faster. “I... I want to thank you for hiring me—for hiring the bakery—my bakery.”

Oh, why am I tripping all over my words? It’s not like this is a date or anything.

He smiled. “There’s no need to thank me. I wanted the best. And you are the best.”

Pepper felt as though her feet had just left the floor. He thought she was the best? Her lips pulled up into a big, broad smile as her heart continued its erratic tap-tap-tap-tap. It was like it was beating some Morse code signal or something.

“Yes, there is. It means a lot that you think enough of my baked goods to want me to serve a party.”

He continued to stare deeply into her eyes. “Of course, I think your food is amazing. But I didn’t hire you.”

“You didn’t?” She studied him, not sure what to think.

He shook his head again. “I have staff that take care of things like that.”

“Of course you do,” she mumbled under her breath. The blaze of heat singed her cheeks as she glanced away. What made her think he would be bothered hiring a caterer?

“Not that I wouldn’t have hired you.” His gaze met hers yet again. “It appears I’m not the only one to think you have the best bakery in the city.”

Once again the heat flamed in her cheeks. She glanced up. “Thank you. I should be going.” When he didn’t make any move to leave, she said, “I’m sure you have other plans.”

She wanted to ask if he had a girlfriend, but it was absolutely none of her business. And she didn’t want him thinking she was hitting on him—that would be the end of their easy friendship. Besides, a friendship was as much as she was willing to offer anyone. The thought of caring for someone—of losing another person in her life—scared her.

“For once, I don’t have plans.”

And so he lingered while she placed the tablecloth in a box with some other items. “You must always be so busy. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to run a company this size. I know that my little bakery keeps me busy from morning until night.” She was running out of things to say, but he still didn’t make any movement to leave.

“Usually, I spend my evenings in the office.”

“So you like to stay on top of everything?”

He nodded. “I do.” He started helping her pick up things. “Just like you do by being here for the party.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks. He was referring to the fact that she was here in person instead of sending someone from her staff. “The truth is I like to handle these events.”

He arched a dark brow. “You like to make connections and expand your business. And your staff can’t do that as well as you do. I totally understand. You and I, we aren’t so different. If you ever want to discuss your business model or plans, let me know.”

Pepper couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Simon Ross, the Simon Ross, was offering to help her with her business. Like he didn’t already have his hands full with a Fortune 500 company that kept rising in people’s estimations. If anyone could help her, it would be him. She’d love to hear what he had to say.

“Thank you,” she said, carefully placing a stray cake server in the box. “I’d really appreciate it. Right now, I could take all of the help I can get.”

“Do you have any plans for tonight?”

“No. I don’t.” The words slipped past her lips before her mind had a chance to catch up. Some helpful business advice would be just what she needed. But she sensed he had more than business on his mind.

As though he was reading her thoughts, his gaze dipped to her lips. Could this really be happening? The girl voted most likely to run away with the circus because of her strawberry blond hair and her colorful clothes. The girl who had never fitted in until she opened her bakery. Within those walls, she could unwind and be herself.

He picked up her box from the floor. “Are you ready to go? We can grab a late dinner.”

She had to make sure this thing arcing between them was real—that it flowed both ways. And it wasn’t some sort of misunderstanding. Staring into his eyes, her heart pounding, she asked, “It isn’t business you have on your mind, is it?”

He stepped closer to her. His voice lowered to a sexy, hushed tone. “No. Is that a problem?”

He was giving her an out. Knowing they came from totally different worlds, she would be smart to back away. But she was drawn to him unlike any other man in her life.

Simon didn’t see her as the awkward girl in school that never could manage to be just one of the crowd. Those days were in the past—or so she wanted to believe.

When concern touched Simon’s eyes, she realized the brief memories of her past had her frowning. She turned that frown upside down and sent him one of her brightest smiles. She was no longer the girl kids would point at and whisper about. Now, she was a confident business owner.

With Simon standing so close to her, she had to tilt her chin upward for their gazes to meet. As she stared into his dark eyes, she felt as though she could get lost in them. She couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do than spend the evening with him.

“I’d like to go to dinner with you.”

His voice lowered even more. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to ask you out.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “You intrigue me.”

A flutter of excitement filled her chest. “So why didn’t you ask me?”

He placed the box on the table next to them. “It was never the right time. I was busy with plans for this new venture. And you were busy with the bakery.”

It was true. They were busy people, but she would have made time for him, just as she had in the mornings for coffee over the last several months. It was during those mornings that they’d slowly let their guards down—revealing parts of their lives. But how had she missed that he was interested in her?

He reached out to her. His thumb gently caressed her cheek. “You are so beautiful.”

She leaned into his touch. His gaze held hers, as though he needed the connection more than oxygen. And then his gaze lowered just a bit. Her racing heart jolted with anticipation. He was going to kiss her.

The breath caught in her lungs. As his head lowered, she gave herself over to the moment. Her eyes fluttered shut. And then she melted into his very capable arms. Her hands landed against his muscular chest and moved slowly up to his shoulders.

The kiss, though gentle at first, picked up its pace. His mouth moving over hers, his tongue probing her mouth and her giving in to the ecstasy.

Crash!

Pepper jumped back. Her heart careened into her throat. She pressed a hand to her sensitive lips. All the while, her gaze moved about the conference room, searching for the source of the noise. And then she spotted the box on the floor. They must have bumped into it while they’d been kissing.

She scanned the room again. There had been no one else around. Their kiss was still their secret. She liked the thought of sharing a moment of passion with Simon—something only the two of them knew about.

Her gaze returned to the upturned carton. “Oh, what a mess.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help clean it up.”

Together they knelt down, Pepper righting the box and the few things that remained inside it. Simon handed her the scattered contents. In no time, the mess was cleaned up.

When they’d both straightened, Simon leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. It was short, but it left no doubt in her mind that there was chemistry between them—as in the sizzling, smoking, combustible kind.

She swallowed hard as her heart pounded in her chest. All the while, her gaze followed him as he shifted. She should say something. Yes, she should not let on that his touch had rocked her to her very core.

Summoning her wits, she smiled at him. She just couldn’t let him see how much he got to her. “What was that for?”

He smiled at her. It was one of those lazy smiles that showed just a bit of his straight, white teeth. Her stomach dipped. No man had a right to be that handsome.

When he spoke, his voice held a rich timbre. “I wanted something to tide me over until dessert.”

He was back to flirting with her and she liked it—she liked him. And the way he looked at her, it was like he was making love to her with his eyes. No longer the social misfit, she’d blossomed into Cinderella.

Her gaze strayed across the sharp contours of Simon’s face, down to his broad shoulders and muscled chest. Oh, yes, he was definitely her Prince Charming.

CHAPTER ONE
Seven weeks later...The Polka Dotted Bakery

THERE’S ONE THING about fairy tales...

They don’t always have a happily-ever-after.

Not even a happy-for-now.

Pepper glanced out the decorated storefront window and didn’t see any paparazzi. She took an easy breath. It was the first time in weeks. Seven whole weeks plus one day of being hounded for photos and comments.

And she was tired. Tired of it all.

But at last, there was peace.

In the end, she’d done nothing wrong. Nothing, except for letting her defenses down with a man that she’d thought—Well, it didn’t matter what she thought because she’d been wrong about him, about the evening together, about them. And now, the paparazzi wanted a comment.

She’d been counting off the days since their night of passion turned into a morning of regrets. It had been fifty days since she’d found herself in the arms of Simon Ross. Forty-nine evenings since she’d spent the most glorious night with him. And seven long weeks since her life had felt like her own.

And a lifetime since she’d last seen him.

Not that she missed Simon...at all. Not a bit.

The very next morning after her fairy tale had begun, her life had spun into some sort of soap opera. One photographer had spotted her leaving Simon’s building in the wee hours of the morning. How he’d known she’d come from Simon’s place, out of all the condos in the high-rise, was beyond her. Perhaps it was the doorman, or maybe it’d been a nosy neighbor anxious for a quick payoff, or possibly someone had spotted them kissing after Simon’s big announcement.

Then Simon had phoned. The first words out of his mouth had been an apology.

Her heart sank down to the tips of her cotton-candy-pink painted toes. It was obvious he regretted their night together, and everything that she’d thought was happening between them had been nothing more than a figment of her imagination. But then he’d sent her a link to a website with a picture of them kissing after the party, and it became clear what he was apologizing for.

Billionaire Bachelor Interviewing New Love Interest!

The headline was outrageous. How had their brief relationship been leaked to the press?

It was then that she knew she had to end things before he did. She told him that they’d just gotten caught up in the moment and it should end right here and now. He hadn’t said a word. He obviously agreed. That was it. No discussion. No nothing. The night before, they’d made love, and the next morning, it was over.

Until that moment, she’d never appreciated her freedom to move about the city basically anonymously. For the most part, no one knew her and didn’t pay attention to what she did. From that day forward, it was like everything she did had to be analyzed for the world to read and to figure out what, if anything, it had to do with Simon.

A single photographer had quickly turned into a gaggle of them. Keeping them out of the bakery had become a full-time job for her staff. With her apartment above the bakery, there was no getting away from them.

One morning, she’d glanced out her apartment window to find a photographer hanging from the tree. Seriously. He’d just been hanging there like he was part monkey, with a camera in hand. She’d closed her mini blinds and then drawn her curtains. She’d never felt more invaded in her entire life.

But then they’d started dissecting her life, from her mother’s death to her life with her grandmother. She’d felt naked and exposed for the whole world to see. She didn’t know how Simon lived in the spotlight. And then they’d sought out people who had known her in school. Every insecurity she’d ever had in her youth came rolling back.

Little did the paparazzi know that it’d been nothing more than a brief fling with Simon. She thought of telling the photographers that they were wasting their time, but her wounded pride and the prick to her heart kept the words locked deep inside her.

From One Night to Wedding Bells!

Honestly, who came up with these outrageous and totally false headlines?

Her friends commiserated with her. And told her to look on the bright side—business at the bakery had never been better. They were right. She was doing a booming business.

And then the next headline came quite unexpectedly.

Billionaire Bachelor Moves On...

One minute the paparazzi had them picking out wedding venues, with a photo of two people who were quite obviously not them, and the next they had him moving on. Although this time the photo was most certainly Simon. He’d been spotted the following week with his arm around a leggy blonde as they attended a Broadway show opening. As Pepper stared at the photo, she resisted admitting to the sharp piercing pain.

So much for their special evening meaning anything to him. Her back teeth clenched together. Lucky for him, he hadn’t been back for his weekly order. He might have ended up wearing his coffee.

And the part of her that missed his bright smile and his flirty ways that made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world? Well, she shushed it right up. He wasn’t worth missing. Simon Ross lived up to his reputation as the uncatchable bachelor.

It didn’t help that she hadn’t felt great for the past few days. She had a slight headache and she blamed that for her queasy stomach. It wasn’t enough to stop her though. Whatever it was, it would pass.

It was no wonder she didn’t feel good, aside from the mess with Simon. She had competition. A new bakery had just moved in on the next block. And her business took an immediate hit. Customers strayed to the new place, eager to see what they had to offer.

To that extent, she supposed her friends were right and the coverage about her and Simon wasn’t all bad. People had visited the bakery to meet her, but she made sure to stay busy in the back. Still, while they were there, they bought her products. They bought a lot of products. If things had ended better with Simon, she might be inclined to thank him. But as it was, she didn’t think she’d ever speak to him again.

The new bakery was pulling out all the stops with big ads, radio spots and every other promotion they could think of. The bakery was part of a national chain that could afford to undercut their prices to drive the competition out of business. Then once the competitors were out of business, they’d jack up their prices. The nerve of some people.

But Pepper refused to let them drive her out of business—not without a big fight. She’d sunk everything she had into making this bakery a success. It was a dream of hers—a dream that she refused to let die, even if it meant doing things that she wouldn’t otherwise have done, like working round the clock if she had to. The chain couldn’t keep up their deep discounts forever. At least, she hoped not.

In the meantime, she was taking every Christmas party she could cram onto her calendar. It was exhausting, but her grandmother had always told her that nothing worth having came easily. This bakery definitely wasn’t going to be easy.

She worked from the time she woke up, which was hours before the sun decided to rise, until she fell into bed early in the evening utterly exhausted, sometimes still in her work clothes. And so far, it was working. She was keeping her existing clients and gaining new ones. Things at last were looking up. Her clients recognized true quality and not frozen mass product.

Now that Christmastime was here, it was time to sparkle. Pepper loved Christmas above all other holidays. And that was saying something because they all had a special place in her heart. But she not only loved Christmas, she really loved it. It was magical and it brought out the best in people. People were a little nicer to others, holding doors, sharing a smile or a nod. If it was possible, she’d have Christmas all year round.

It was almost time to open up for the day. She loved this early morning hour. In her mind, each day was a new beginning with new possibilities. And she had a feeling something big was going to happen. Maybe they’d be hired for the wedding of the year. Or perhaps she’d meet a big client at the holiday party she was catering that evening. A smile pulled at her lips as anticipation put some pep in her step.

She moved to the stereo system and turned it on. Over the speakers came the deep timbre of Michael Bublé’s voice as he sang “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” She glanced out the window as the flurries swirled through the air. This really was her favorite time of the year.

Yesterday had been Sunday, the only day of the week the shop was closed. She’d taken advantage of the downtime to get out the holiday decorations. It took all day to exchange the Thanksgiving fanfare for the homey Christmas look, but that was because she’d baked and crafted a lot of the decorations herself.

She paused next to the glass display cases and glanced around at her handiwork. On the brick wall where floating shelves normally displayed an array of antique dishes, she’d replaced them with gingerbread figures, from a giant gingerbread man to a gingerbread train. There were also red ribbons, greenery, pinecones and a poinsettia bloom here and there.

She loved gingerbread. Not only did it taste delicious, but there were so many things to do with it. And so she might have gone a little overboard this year with gingerbread. It was even in the store window.

Looking around at all she’d accomplished, she realized she’d done it all alone. As much as she loved this bakery, she’d give it up to have her family once more. The joy the bakery brought to her life just wasn’t the same as having her family by her side, especially during this festive holiday season.

Walking through life alone was not how she’d envisioned her future. And yet that’s exactly what she was doing. Because each and every person who meant something to her had been torn from her life.

She’d learned to close her feelings to others little by little, and her grandmother’s death had been the last straw. That was it. The protective walls had fully encased her heart. She was done with loving and losing.

Pepper moved to the front door and turned the lock. She smiled as the first rays of sun lightened up the inky sky. Beneath the streetlights, a light coating of snow was detectable. It had fallen last night, coating the grass but leaving the street clear.

“It’s going to be a good day. A very good day indeed.” If only wishes came true.

“What did you say?” Charlotte asked from behind the counter.

Pepper shook her head. “Nothing important.”

Charlotte arched a brow. “Talking to yourself again?” When Pepper shrugged, Charlotte continued, “You keep that up and I’m going to start worrying about you.”

Pepper moved behind the counter. Her gaze strayed across the little stuffed dog she’d had since she was a girl. When she was young, they’d lived in an apartment—a small apartment—that didn’t allow pets. And she’d wanted a dog in the worst way. Every birthday and Christmas, when anyone asked her what she wanted, she would tell them a puppy.

Her mother felt so bad that she gave Pepper this designer stuffed beagle and a promise that someday when they moved to a bigger place that allowed pets, she would get her a dog. But that day never came.

She’d lost her mother at the tender age of eight, after a car had run a red light and struck her mother as she’d crossed the street. Pepper had gone to live with her grandmother, who was allergic to animals. Bugles McBeagle had come with her.

She sighed as she ran a finger over the dog’s plush fur, promising herself that someday she would have her puppy. Just not today.

The business phone rang. Pepper rushed over to answer it. “Hello. This is the Polka Dotted Bakery. How may I help you?”

“Pepper, this is Mike. I’m sorry to do this, but I quit.”

“Quit?” Not again.

“I just couldn’t say no.”

“No? To what? To whom?” She had a sinking feeling she knew who he was talking about, but she had to hear him say it. She needed the confirmation.

“The other bakery. They approached me when I was leaving work yesterday. They offered me a lot more money. And with the baby on the way, we need all of the money I can make. Pepper, if it wasn’t for that, I swear, I wouldn’t be leaving. Honest.”

She liked Mike. He’d been with her since she’d opened the shop. And even though she didn’t want to, she understood he had to put the needs of his family before his loyalty to her and the business.

She wished him well and hung up. So now she was short a baker and she had a party to prepare for...alone.

Not wasting any more time, she got to work.

CHAPTER TWO

THIS COULDN’T BE HAPPENING.

How had he let this slip through the cracks?

With the tinted rear windows of the car, no one could make him out. Simon was free to stare at the passing buildings and people hustling along the crowded sidewalk. The Polka Dotted Bakery was a place he’d thought of often in the past several weeks. He tried to tell himself that it was the fragrant and rich coffee that he missed, but it was something more than that. An image of Pepper laughing flashed in his mind. He recalled how her lush lips would part, lifting up at the corners, and her pinkened cheeks would puff up. But more than that, her eyes would twinkle and the green of her eyes reminded him of gemstones.

And then a much more somber memory rushed to the forefront—his last conversation with Pepper. There had been no smiles, no friendliness. She’d dumped him, dismissed him, had no use for him. That was something he was not used to, at all. He was the one who always ended relationships. Not the other way around.

“Pull over here,” he said to his driver.

He didn’t normally have a driver, but seeing as he was headed for the bakery and parking could be quite limited at this time of the day, he’d decided it would be prudent. He’d considered calling her on the phone, but he didn’t feel right about it.

Simon opened the car door and immediately the distinct nip in the air assailed him. The holidays were here and so was the winter season. He tugged at the collar of his black wool overcoat and pulled it close to his neck to keep out the chilling breeze. Not even the midafternoon sun was enough to warm him.

There had been so many times over the past several weeks when he’d wanted to swing by the bakery. He told himself that it was the cherry turnovers that he craved—not staring into the green eyes of the very beautiful baker.

And it didn’t help that when he suddenly stopped bringing the mouthwateringly good baked goods to the office it was noticed by his employees. When he got questioned enough about the lack of treats, he started going to the new bakery, though the service wasn’t nearly as friendly and the turnovers—well, they were dry and overly sweet. And though his staff didn’t say much, the number of leftover pastries at the end of the day said it all.

Though everything in his body wanted to turn around, he kept putting one foot in front of the other. The streets were decorated with garland and on each lamp post was a large wreath with a great big red bow. Shop windows had holiday displays. Some had Santa figurines and others Christmas trees. Everything to put the passerby in the holiday spirit—except for Simon.

However, when he reached the large picture window of the Polka Dotted Bakery, he slowed down. How could he not? The holiday-themed display was literally a work of art—all made out of baked goods.

It was a wintery scene, with a white tree with gingerbread ornaments trimmed with white frosting suspended from it. And beneath the tree was a gingerbread house. Not just four walls and a roof of gumdrops. Someone had gone all out, detailing not a one, not a two, not even a three, but a four-story house decorated with white and pale pink frosting. He didn’t have to guess. He knew it was Pepper’s work. She was quite talented, making the window shutters out of white frosting, and there was even a chimney.

He drew in a deep breath, straightened his shoulders and opened the glass door of the bakery. When he stepped inside, he found it empty. Not one single customer. Sure, it was a little past three in the afternoon, but from what Pepper had told him, there were usually customers streaming in and out of the bakery all day long.

He stepped further into the shop to find the display cases completely full, as though none of the goods had sold that day. How could this be? Pepper, by far, had the best pastries in the city.

“I’ll be right with you.” Her voice was light and friendly, just the way he remembered it before things had spun out of control.

He turned to her, bracing for Pepper’s onslaught of angry words. She knelt down, placing something in the glass display case. When she straightened—when she saw that it was him and when she heard what he’d come here to tell her—he was certain her tone would change drastically.

And then she straightened with a smile on her face. Her beautiful long auburn hair was pulled back in a twist, pinned to the back of her head. When the lights hit her hair, the deep red highlights shone. Her bangs fell to the side of her face and a few wispy curls fell around the nape of her neck. Was this the real reason he’d come here? To have one more look at her—to drink in her beauty?

As recognition flashed in her eyes, her friendly demeanor vanished in a heartbeat, replaced with a distinct frown. “You.” Her green eyes widened with surprise. “What are you doing here?” Then she held up a hand as though stopping him from speaking. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. Just leave before someone sees you here.”

“Pepper, we need to talk.”

She shook her head. “If anyone spots you here, the press with be back. I can’t deal with them. Just go.”

He knew how bad the paparazzi could be when they were chasing what they thought was a story. “I’ve taken precautions so no one knows I’m here.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment. “They’ll still find out. They even dug into my past. My past! People I never thought I’d speak to again were giving interviews about me. Do you know how that invasion of privacy felt?”

“I do. And I’m sorry.” His whole life had been aired in the papers since his business took off. It had been hard, but he was somewhat used to it now. “Just hear what I have to say and then I’ll go.”

She placed her hands on her waist. If looks could vaporize a person, he would be nothing more than mist. Wait. How did she get to be so angry with him? She was the one who had dumped him.

Not that the night would have led anywhere. He didn’t do relationships—not even with the very sweet, very tempting Polka Dotted Baker. He wasn’t cut out to be someone’s boyfriend, much less someone’s husband or worse yet, a father.

Still, she glowered at him. He didn’t move an inch. If this was a struggle of wills, he would win. He’d come here for a purpose. He thought he was doing a nice thing. Now, he was having second thoughts. Still, he was here. And he wasn’t leaving until he’d had his say.

She stared deep into his eyes. “Make it fast.”

“Where are all of your customers?” He sensed something was very wrong. “And why does it look like you haven’t sold anything?”

“Things have changed. I don’t have time to chat. I have work to do.” She moved past him, leaving plenty of room between them so their bodies didn’t touch.

She stepped up to the front door and flipped the sign to Closed. He couldn’t help but notice her craning her neck to gaze up and down the walk, as though checking to see if anyone had spotted him in her shop. As far as he could tell, his ball cap and dark sunglasses had kept his identity under wraps.

“There’s something important I need to tell you.”

She shook her head. “How about we just go back to pretending we don’t know each other? Life was so much easier back then.”

He wished he could rewind time. “It’s too late for that.”

She didn’t say anything as she moved past him and kept going toward the back of the bakery. What he didn’t understand was her hostility. If he’d dumped her, he’d get it. But she’d been the one to end things. Sure, he’d been getting ready to do it, but she’d beaten him to the punch.

He followed her because he still hadn’t told her the reason for his visit. She led him to a small office. The room had vacant white walls, which surprised him after getting to know Pepper’s lively personality and her penchant for decorating. A solitary desk in the room was buried beneath a mountain of paperwork. She grabbed a small quilted backpack with a red-and-white pattern, as well as a digital notebook.

When she turned to the door, she practically ran into him. She glanced up as though she’d gotten lost in her thoughts and had forgotten him. His ego was taking hits left and right. He still wasn’t sure why she was so steamed with him.

She glanced at her wristwatch. “If you came here to talk about the past, don’t. It was a stupid mistake. It won’t happen again.”

If he’d had any doubt about her sincerity, he had his answer. She wanted nothing to do with him. That was a first for him. She certainly was different than everyone else in his life.

And this was why he’d been drawn to Pepper in the first place. She wasn’t a pushover. She wasn’t out to see what he could do for her. She was her own woman, who took life on her own terms.

She placed her things on the counter. After washing her hands, she set to work. Pepper continued to move about the kitchen as though he weren’t even standing there.

“Why are you so mad at me?” He stood at the edge of the large kitchen with all its gleaming stainless surfaces. “As I recall, you’re the one that dumped me.”

Her cheeks filled with color. “I didn’t dump you.”

She added sugar into a saucepan and placed it on the gas stove. She kept her back to him as she adjusted the temperature. He was in absolutely no mood to be ignored.

“I’m pretty sure you did.” His bruised ego could attest to it. “So why all of the hostility?”

She spun around. Her gaze clashed with his. “I’m not hostile.”

He arched a disbelieving brow and waited for her to explain herself. He didn’t mind taking the heat when he deserved it. But in this case, he didn’t do anything wrong. Thoughts of nipping the relationship in the bud didn’t count. Pepper might be good at figuring out people, but even she wasn’t a mind reader.

She sighed. “You’re right. I’m taking my frustrations out on you.” She paused as though choosing her words carefully. “I... I’m sorry.” Her gaze met his briefly, but she turned away before he could read her thoughts. “Things at the bakery haven’t been going well.” She took the saucepan and stirred as the sugar began melting. “But you didn’t come here to hear about my troubles.”

At last, she was beginning to sound like the Pepper he’d gotten to know and trust. “Would you believe I missed your cherry turnovers so much I couldn’t stay away?”

She tilted the pan, letting the melted sugar roll across the bottom. She didn’t say anything, concentrating on what she was doing.

And that was why what he had to say next was that much harder. He wasn’t so sure he wanted to have this conversation while she was distracted, but she wasn’t leaving him much choice. She took a spoon with a long round handle and began to drizzle the caramel onto it. All the while, she turned the handle so the caramel would make a corkscrew shape.

He never knew there was so much more to baking than mixing up some delicious-tasting batter and pouring it into a pan. But Pepper was showing him another side of the business and he was enthralled with it. She made it look so easy—like anyone could do it. Even him.

She moved the corkscrew to a piece of waxed paper and then started to make a new one. They were beautiful. They were like little pieces of art.

And the guilt he’d been carrying around with him most of the day mounted.

“Pepper—”

“Just give me one more minute.” Her full attention was on her work and he couldn’t blame her. What she did here was like magic. If he tried to do the same thing, he’d end up with burnt sugar.

He knew he should hurry. He didn’t have that much time to get out of the city and to his country estate, where the big Christmas celebration was taking place. But he didn’t move a muscle as he stood there watching Pepper do her thing. Each golden caramel corkscrew was then placed atop a cupcake. They looked too good to eat.

When Pepper had finished with all the cupcakes, she straightened, glanced at him and blinked, as though she’d forgotten that he was still there waiting to talk to her. And then her gaze moved to the clock above his head.

“I have to hurry.” Her beautiful face creased with worry lines.

“What happens if you don’t finish these?” He knew the stakes were high, but he wondered how high they were.

Pepper shook her head as she boxed up the cupcakes. “That can’t happen.”

He moved next to her, placing a lid on the full box. “Pepper, stop for just a moment.”

She turned to him. “Simon, I’m sorry. I just don’t have time to talk. I have a very important party.”

“That’s the thing.”

“What’s the thing?”

His gaze met hers. “The party. It’s mine.”

“Yours?” She shook her head. “I spoke with a woman. Elaine something or other. I have her full name written on the order. And this party is in Connecticut.”

He nodded. “Elaine Haskins is my assistant and the party is at my country home.”

Pepper’s face creased with lines of frustration. She didn’t say a word as she digested the information.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “This is my fault. Everyone was so impressed with you at the office party that Elaine added you to our catering list. After what happened between us, I forgot to say anything to her. I totally understand you wanting to cancel—”

“Cancel?” Her shoulders straightened and she lifted her chin slightly. “I’m not canceling.”

“You’re not?” He was so confused.

“We have a contract. I expect you to keep your end of it.”

“But why? I mean, why would you want to cater a party for me?”

“Because this is business. It’s not personal. I can’t believe I have to explain this to you.”

And then he thought of the empty bakery and the overabundance of unsold goods. Something had happened to her business, and he wondered if it had anything to do with the paparazzi fuss when they’d caught on to their night together. His jaw tightened. He was so used to it that he hadn’t stopped to consider how it might affect Pepper.

“And you don’t mind working this party, even though it’s for me.”

She straightened her shoulders and there was a slight tilt to her chin. “I’m a professional. I can do this job. There won’t be any problems.”

“I know you are and I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.” He couldn’t shake the thought of the baked goods going to waste in her display cases. “I’ll throw in extra if you include everything in your cases.”

Her mouth gaped. She quickly regained her composure. “Why would you do that? If you want a cherry turnover that bad, all you have to do is ask.”

He would make sure and set those aside for himself. “I have some extra guests,” he said, which was the truth, but just part of it. “I want to make sure there’s enough for everyone.”

“Oh. Okay. I’ll get them boxed up.”

He glanced around. “Are you the only one here?”

She nodded. “Don’t worry. I have a couple employees meeting me at your estate.”

“Let me give you a hand.” He slipped off his coat.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Sure I do. I’m the one who insisted on the extra items. The least I can do is give you a hand boxing them up.” He didn’t mention that he’d noticed the dark smudges under her eyes. She was working too hard and not getting enough sleep. At least he hoped that’s all it was.

They worked together, packing up all the delicious treats. Simon snagged one of the cherry turnovers. He couldn’t wait until later. His palate had been in withdrawal for weeks now. He was only so strong.

“Look at the time.” There was mild panic in Pepper’s voice. “With the traffic, I’m going to be late.”

“Not if you leave now.”

“But there’s still all of this to load in the van.”

“I’ll help you.”

This time she didn’t argue. They moved the baked goods on carts out to the delivery van painted in white with big black polka dots all over it and the logo for the Polka Dotted Bakery painted in bubblegum pink and lime green. He couldn’t help but smile. It was unique, just like its owner.

The truck was quite full when they were done and Simon wasn’t sure what he was going to do with all the extra food, but he would deal with that problem later.

He climbed out of the back of the van. “You’re good to go.”

She stood frowning.

“What’s the matter?”

“I forgot something.” And then her eyes widened. “My backpack. It’s on the counter.”

When she went to turn and rush back inside, he reached out to her. “You stay here. Close up the van and I’ll grab your stuff.”

She nodded.

He ran back inside the bakery. The only problem was that there were a lot of counters. His gaze moved around the kitchen in a counter clockwise manner. And then he spotted her red and white backpack as well as the digital tablet next to the stove. He rushed over and grabbed them.

He moved too quickly and the backpack knocked over a tall stack of business cards, as well as some papers. A frustrated groan formed deep in his throat. He rushed to clean up the mess. He guessed that Pepper meant to take the business cards with her to hand out at the party. He took most of them and her backpack. He flipped off the lights, exited the building and, using the keys Pepper had placed in the door earlier, locked it.

She was in the back of the van, doing something with one of the boxes.

“I’ve got it,” he called out.

“Okay. This is all set.” She climbed out, closed the door and turned to him. “I just have to set the alarm system.”

She rushed back inside. He checked the time. It was most definitely late, and it was his fault for insisting on taking her extra pastries. He owed it to Pepper to make sure she arrived on time. He called his driver to tell him to head to Connecticut without him. Simon had just hung up when she returned.

“I’m never going to make it on time,” she said.

“You will if you take a couple of shortcuts I’ve learned.”

She shook her head. “I’ll just get lost. I’m going whatever way my phone app tells me.”

“Trust me. I’ll show you the way.”

“You?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Think of it this way. The longer you stand here arguing with me, the later you’ll be.”

Her lips pressed together in a firm line. And unhappiness was written all over her face. “Fine. Let’s go.”

He hadn’t imagined the day taking this most unexpected twist. What would they talk about? On second thought, it was probably best to remain quiet. This was going to be a very interesting ride indeed.

CHAPTER THREE

WHAT WAS SHE THINKING?

The last time she’d been alone with this man, her world had come undone. Pepper kept her gaze focused on the busy roadway. But she couldn’t ignore Simon’s presence. With him next to her, it felt as though the interior of the van had shrunk.

He was so close that she could reach out and touch him—like they’d done after his party to announce the launch of his Pet Playground stores. They’d been hand in hand as Simon drove them back to his place. They’d laughed. They’d talked. The exact opposite of now.

She quietly followed Simon’s instructions as she weaved her way through traffic. Even with Simon’s input, it still wasn’t a quick journey.

And with hustling out the door, she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d turned everything off. She hated rushing. It left room for error and she always strived for perfection, though she never reached it. But she’d grabbed everything for the party and she’d set the alarm.

Still, worry niggled at her.

“What’s the matter?” Simon asked.

“Did I turn off the lights?”

“You did.”

“Did I lock the front door?”

“You did.”

“Did I get everything?”

“Pepper, what’s the matter?”

She sighed. “I just have the feeling I’m forgetting something.”

“I don’t think you have to worry. Everything is under control.”

She hoped he was right.

Other than some instructions on where to turn, silence fell back over the van. It wasn’t a comfortable silence. In place of conversation was a strained void. She should have refused his offer to ride with her. But then she would most definitely be late and that would be very bad, especially if this guest list was anything like his last party.

She couldn’t help glancing around in traffic just to make sure the paparazzi weren’t following them. Thankfully, they weren’t. She glanced over at Simon as he lounged back in his seat, checking messages on his phone.

The silence in the van was deafening. She reached over and turned on the radio. She adjusted the tuner to a station that played nothing but Christmas tunes. Andy Williams’s “Sleigh Ride” was playing. At least it was upbeat, unlike her passenger. She turned it up.

She chanced a quick glance at him. The frown on his face had deepened, marring his handsome face with deep lines. What was up with him? Did he regret offering to ride with her?

“Is something bothering you?” The question popped out of her mouth before her brain had a chance to restrain her tongue.

“What?”

At the same time, they reached for the radio. Their fingers touched. A tingle pulsed up her arm. She glanced at him. His gaze met hers, making her heart pound.

She yanked her hand away as she turned her attention back to the road. Simon lowered the volume on the radio. She swallowed hard, gripping the steering wheel with both hands as she tried to put a lid on whatever it was that just happened between them.

“That’s better,” Simon said. “Now what did you ask?”

She felt really weird asking him now, but she refused to let on how their contact had unnerved her. “Is something bothering you?”

“You mean besides you being angry at me when it was you who dumped me?”

So they were back to this again. “I didn’t see you minding so much when you were out with that tall blonde the next night.”

“It wasn’t the next night.” His tone was gruff. “It was two weeks later.”

“A day. A week or two. It’s the same difference.”

“Turn left right up here.” He was quiet for a moment. “And it does matter, because it wasn’t the same thing.”

She made the turn. She shouldn’t care, but her curiosity was eating at her. “Why is that?”

“Because that appearance wasn’t a date. It was arranged to draw the paparazzi’s attention from you.”

It wasn’t a date? She caught sight of the serious look in his eyes. Should she believe him? After all, they had looked like a real couple in the photo. “But they said you were both on the rebound.”

“Turn left in a mile onto Willow Lane.” He shifted in his seat so he could look at her. “Since when do you believe what they print online? Remember, those are the same fools that said we were getting married.”

“Like that would ever happen.”

“Exactly.” His tone softened just a bit.

He didn’t have to agree so quickly, like the thought of marrying her would be worse than a death sentence. Maybe it was better if they didn’t talk. In fact, that sounded like a really good idea.

The ride had gone far worse than he’d imagined.

Thankfully, the Christmas party was faring much better.

Simon was certain he was losing his touch with women. That or Pepper was immune to his charms. Rekindling their friendship was never going to happen. The realization was a sobering one.

But even though their relationship was broken beyond recognition, he noticed that didn’t stop her from putting on the most amazing display of pastries. But it wasn’t just sweet treats. She’d mingled in flowers and twinkle lights. The display really drew the eye.

She was attentive to the guests as their hungry gazes meandered over the lengthy selection of sugary temptations. She was kind. She was patient. And she beamed as she talked about the baked goods and her beloved bakery.

As a professional, he had no qualms with her. On a personal note, he wished they’d never taken things to the next level—even if it had been the most amazing night of his life. The price had been too high. It had cost him a friendship that he didn’t know how much he valued until it’d ended.

He made his way through the great room, greeting all of his guests. These were important clients who’d helped get his products on the store shelves. And now that he was branching out with his Pet Playground chain, he was talking it up, hoping a groundswell of excitement would carry through to his launch at Christmas.

“Your Christmas tree is gorgeous,” the wife of a business associate said.

“Thank you.” Simon didn’t admit that the tree wasn’t his. His assistant had hired a decorator to come in and stage the house with holiday cheer. When the party was over, the tree, the twinkle lights and all of the other decorations would go away. None too soon as far as he was concerned.

But the funny thing was, as much as he tried to talk business, everyone wanted to talk about the baker he’d hired. Forget the heated appetizers; they were all agog over the sweets. Not that he could blame them. They were delicious.

“Isn’t she the best?” Elaine stepped up next to him.

His assistant was a few years younger than him, married and the most efficient assistant he’d ever hired. He would be lost without her. She kept him and his calendar on task.

“Yes, Pepper is very good.” He only hired the best.

“The guests seem to love her. And everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”

He nodded. “You’ve done an excellent job coordinating this party.”

He made a mental note to speak with Elaine at a later date about removing Pepper from their list of vendors. No matter how good Pepper was, they needed to maintain their distance. He felt bad about having to do it, but it was for the best—for both of their sakes. Because no matter how much they both wanted to deny it, there was still chemistry sizzling between them.

His gaze kept straying to Pepper. He assured himself that it was his job to keep an eye on the staff, to make sure the party was running smoothly. He noticed her on the phone. He couldn’t have his employees chatting while they were supposed to be working. She turned her back to him and headed toward the kitchen with the phone pressed to her ear.

His jaw tightened. Surely she had to know how important this party was to him. He set off after her. When he stepped into the kitchen, the door almost bumped Pepper.

“Are you sure?” she said into the phone. “Okay. Okay. I... I’m out of town. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

He couldn’t see her face, but he could hear the tremor in her voice. “What’s the matter?”

She turned to him. Her face was white like the frosted snowflake cookies on the buffet. Her eyes filled with unshed tears, but she didn’t speak.

“What’s the matter?” He repeated with more urgency.

“I have to go.” She rushed to the coat check.

He followed her. “Go where?”

She attempted to shove her hand in the sleeve of her coat, but missed. She tried again and got it. Her movements were quick and jerky. She muttered something under her breath.

“What did you say?”

“My backpack. I need my backpack.”

It was hanging right in front of her. He took it down from the hook. “Here you go. Now tell me, what is going on?”

“I don’t have time. I have to go.”

Concern pumped through his veins. He took her by the shoulders. “Pepper, look at me.” When her wide-eyed stare met his, he said, “Tell me what’s going on.”

“The bakery. It’s on fire.”

“Fire?” This was the very last thing he was expecting her to say. “Are you sure?”

“It was the alarm company.”

“Okay.” He rushed to process this information. “Maybe it’s a false alarm. Those happen all of the time.”

“I have to go.” She looked as though she was trying to figure out how to get around him, as he was blocking the doorway.

There was no way she was in any condition to drive. Before he could decide the right and the wrong of it, he said, “I’ll take you.”

“Fine. Let’s go.”

The fact that she didn’t argue with him let him know how scared she was of losing the most important thing in her life. He texted his driver to meet them in the back. And then he texted Elaine to let her know that she was in charge of the party, as he had an emergency.

Once they were seated in the back of the black sedan, the driver wasted no time heading south to the city. Simon wasn’t sure what to do to comfort Pepper. She wrung her hands together as she stared out the window at the passing lights.

He wanted to say something—do something—to lessen her worry. “Everything will be all right.”

Her head whipped around and her worried gaze met his. “You don’t know that. I was certain I’d forgotten something when we left. What if it was the stove? What if I started the fire?”

He reached out, taking her hand in his and giving it a squeeze. “If that’s the case, we’ll deal with it.”

“Everything I had—everything I dreamed about—is tied up in the bakery. What will I do? How could I be so stupid?”

“Calm down. You don’t even know if anything happened.”

She left her hand in his. It felt comfortable there, as though they’d been doing it for years. And though it was a small gesture, at least he was able to do something for her.

CHAPTER FOUR

RED LIGHTS FLASHED off the nearby buildings. There were emergency vehicles and people loitering everywhere. A news crew was filming in front of the bakery—or what was left of the bakery.

“This can’t be happening,” Pepper whispered to herself, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare.

“Pepper?” Simon’s voice drew her from her troubled thoughts.

She glanced back out the window. She knew that once she stepped outside the car this horrible scene would become her reality. Her dream had quite literally gone up in smoke.

How had this happened? She’d been so careful, having the place rewired from top to bottom and having a pricey alarm system installed. She’d done everything she could think of, and still it wasn’t enough.

“Pepper, if you’d rather remain here, I can go check on things for you,” Simon said in the gentlest tone.

She gave a resolute shake of her head. This was her nightmare. She should be the one to face the damage. Pepper drew in a deep breath and released an uneven sigh.

She clutched the door handle. All she could see were the flashing red lights. She had no doubt that for a long while she’d be seeing them every time she closed her eyes. She couldn’t stall any longer. She had to go. She would be told what she already knew—her dream had gone up in smoke.

She wasn’t sure how she got from the car and past the police officer who was keeping people back from the scene, to stand in front of her bakery. Black soot trailed up the front of the building. The air was heavy with the foul odor of smoke.

The backs of her eyes stung. All she could do was stand there, struggling to take it all in. Just a couple of hours ago she’d had a home, a business. Her heart splintered into a million pieces. Now she had nothing. Only the clothes on her back.

Her throat tightened. Her knees gave way. And then there was an arm around her waist. Simon pulled her back against him. He held them both up.

“Let me take you back to the car,” he said gently.

She shook her head, not trusting her voice. She didn’t want to go anywhere.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when a firefighter stepped up to them. “I was told the owner is here.” The older man’s gaze immediately moved to Simon. “Is that you?”

“Pepper owns the bakery.”

She glanced at the man’s helmet. It said Captain on it. To her, he was the messenger of bad news. “The bakery—is it completely burned?”

“Afraid so.”

In that moment, she was thankful for Simon’s support. This was like losing a member of her family...again. She’d lost her eccentric mother and her conservative grandmother. The bakery was all she had left of either of them. And now she didn’t have it either.

“But there’s some good news,” the fire captain said. “Thanks to the fire alarm, we were able to get here fast enough to save the second story. Granted, there will be smoke damage, but it won’t need the repairs the first floor will need.” The man paused and looked at her as though expecting her to launch endless questions at him. “I’m really sorry, ma’am.”

“How...how soon can I get in there?”

He shook his head. “It’ll be a while. The fire marshal has been requested.”

“The fire marshal?” Simon finally spoke.

The captain nodded. “In cases like this, he’s called in to determine if this was a case of arson.”

“Arson?” Pepper’s eyes widened. “Who would burn down a bakery?”

The captain looked at her, but he didn’t say anything. And then she realized she was now considered a suspect—torching her own place for the insurance money. She was certain it wasn’t a secret that her bakery was struggling now that the chain store had moved in.

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