Chapter 39

• The sun cracked soft over the rooftops, warm light spillin’ lazy down Main Street where Sparrow’s Bakery sat pretty in its fresh paint, window glass still fogged from the first hot trays rollin’ out before six. Inside, the hum of the old coffeemaker mixed with the hush of flour siftin’, the low clink of trays and the soft laugh of Sadie Lawson holdin’ her chin in her palm while she watched Beau fight the pastry bag like it’d said somethin’ nasty about her.
• He’d never admit it but he liked standin’ back there — sleeves pushed to his elbows, big hands smudged in sugar and butter, broad back blockin’ half the prep space just so she’d brush by every time she reached for the next rollin’ pin. She’d giggle under her breath, flick a bit of powdered sugar at his jaw — and he’d flick her ass with the edge of a dish towel just to hear her squeal.
• The first bell hit the door at seven sharp — Miss Patty, gray hair pinned neat, plastic earrings bobbin’ when she stepped in like she owned every secret this town’d ever buried. She didn’t even look at the pie case first — eyes flickin’ right past the fresh cinnamon rolls to land on Beau standin’ behind the counter, sleeves tight, jaw rough with stubble he hadn’t bothered to shave.