Ashley didn't know what to say. She met Xavier's gaze and waved the quarterback into the room.
Tyson tossed the back and gold box on the counter. "Then he told me to take these with me. He first asked me to stand outside his store and give them away to people."
Everson chuckled and shook his head. "Since you're here with a full box, I'm guessing you told him no."
"I wanted to tell him where he could shove his box, but there were kids around, so I told him I had an appointment and left. He doesn't have any trash cans outside his store. I didn't see anywhere to toss them. Figured I'd wait until I got home."
Xavier opened the box and broke a cupcake in half. He bit into it, and his sour expression didn't improve. After he swallowed, he looked at her. "You don't have anything to worry about. You're a better baker."
She smiled at his words and support. "A lot of people like his products."
"I don't know if this will make sense, but it tastes like a typical bakery-made treat to me. A little stale and impersonal. But yours, something just says home. Like the best desserts you remember from growing up."
Katie came back in and grinned at his words. "You know Mom would have called that the made with love part."
Ashley nodded and shared a smile with her sister. "She considered that the highest compliment."
"So there you go." Xavier chucked the rest of the cupcake into the trash. The long-sleeved T-shirt didn't hide the play of muscles as he attempted that three-pointer. Dusting off his hands, he turned toward Tyson again. "But how did you know that I was here? Unless you stopped by to see Ashley."
Tyson held up his phone. "You were tagged in a Bliss Bakery photo. The notification came in as I was walking."
There was only one source for that photo... Ashley pinned her sister with a glare. The last thing she needed was Xavier thinking that she was anything near Blackstone's level of shadiness. "You shouldn't be posting pictures of people without asking them."
Her sister waved away the concern with a roll of her eyes. "All I did was post side by side pictures of the cream cheese challenge and ask our followers to vote on which one they liked best. I did tag everyone here. If that's an issue, I'll remove the tag, but you should see the number of likes and comments we're getting."
Ashley snatched up her phone. The bakery's account was blowing up with notifications. "Wow."
The comforting weight of Xavier's hand cupped her should a second before his arm came around her and he leaned in to look at her screen. "The Frenzy's account shared it too."
"Is that okay with you?"
"Ash, I'm happy to help you."
"I don't want you to think we'd use you like Blackstone tried to do to Tyson."
He skated his fingers down the side of her face. "If I thought that, I wouldn't be here. But if tagging me will help increase sales, do it. In fact, I'll do it." He moved away from her, and the flash went off as he took some shots of the bakery. Then he typed into his phone.
A moment later, a new notification popped up on her screen. Xavier had tagged the bakery in a photo of the cupcake display and captioned it: The cupcakes at Bliss are a touchdown for your taste buds. Come in and try them.
She tapped the heart below the post and commented with the bakery's usual response: So glad you found some bliss!
His gesture was sweet, and appreciated, but did he really mean it, or had he felt pushed and pressured?
She didn't want to do anything that might alienate him the way Blackstone had alienated Tyson. The competition was so close. She had to avoid any possible roadblocks to their working relationship.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Xavier woke up from a dream of endlessly mixing a bowl of cake batter. His phone held texts from his dad and brothers, all wishing him good luck for his first real broadcasting opportunity on a national stage. He was ready to tackle Pro Football Daily.
Leo and Kelsey were back in Buffalo. Rehabbing from his injury had to come first. Xavier had insisted on that. A pro athlete's body was an instrument that needed to be protected and properly cared for. He'd manage to get through one co-hosting gig on his own.
The chance to talk about the competition and his foundation, the chance to show his skills and hopefully, impress the show's producer and his co-host, he couldn't wait to get there.
But nerves rattled him more than he'd expected.
Seeing Ashley would help settle him.
He showered and dressed in the suit that Kelsey had suggested he wear. Then he packed an extra change of clothes, on Leo's advice.
A glance at the time showed he had plenty of time to stop at the bakery. He could buy a box of cupcakes to bring to the show. Maybe even get them on air and give Bliss Bakery a publicity boost.
Excitement charged along his skin. He couldn't wait to see her. It didn't matter that he saw her nearly every day. That energy— that spark —was always there.
He dropped the dog off at his dad's house and headed to the bakery. Traffic was annoyingly slow. But part of that might have been viewed through the lens of his impatience.
Finally, he pulled in behind her van and jumped out to meet her. She was in the driver's seat. She slammed her hand on the steering wheel
