The dog barked twice and banged its head against her legs. She stepped back, unprepared for its strength.
His forehead crinkled. "I'm really sorry. I'm guessing it's a delivery and not just you taking home some extras?"
"It was a special order, and it was due to be delivered in twenty minutes." She squared her shoulders, fighting against the tears threatening to push their way into her eyes. Tears didn't solve anything.
Xavier retrieved wayward items and began stuffing them into the bag she held. Muscles flexed in his arms and back. He fit the build of an athlete, all toned and tight. "Rolling pin, whisk, bowls... Do you always travel with baking utensils?"
"Only when absolutely necessary. And always when I'm doing a baking demonstration." Murmuring her thanks, she took a few steps toward the safety of the store. "I need to get back inside and find some replacements."
Xavier pulled the door open for her. She ducked under his arm. He and the dog followed her inside, and he set her box on the counter.
Katie came out of the kitchen. She glanced at Ashley, and then the man and dog, and her eyes grew wide. "What the heck happened to you?"
"I had a mishap with the cake." An understatement to say the least.
"I'd guess so. You're wearing it."
She winced as she caught sight of her reflection in the window. "Can you grab the lemon pound cake, the gingerbread loaf, and the vanilla cream cake from the display case and load them into the car while I change clothes?"
Her sister hurried to the cakes. "Sure, sis."
Imagining dollar signs going down the drain, Ashley rubbed her temples. She couldn't deliver the ordered cake, but the replacements would be free of charge. She wouldn't charge them for the baking demonstration either if they complained.
Xavier cleared his throat. "You won't charge the client if you can't deliver their order. How much was the cake? I'll pay."
She took in his scuffed sneakers, jeans worn white at the creases, and threadbare t-shirt. Even if he was a pro athlete, she'd never make assumptions about his financial situation, not when she knew how fast money could disappear when life changed unexpectedly. Her heart softened at his apologetic smile. "No, it's all right. Rocky getting loose and hitting me was an accident."
The dog barked and she glanced down. He tilted his head, looking at her. Who could stay mad at that face? "No worries."
She could feel her sister's gaze, but when she glanced at the counter, Katie smiled and lifted the bags with the cakes and then headed out of the room.
"Here." Xavier spun the wooden rolling pin then handed it to her.
She repacked the pin and smiled up at him. The pin had been her mother's. She always brought it to baking demonstrations, for good luck. "Well, thank you for helping me clean up out there."
His smile warmed even more as he took her hand and held it in his. "I really am sorry about everything."
"Accidents happen." Her skin tingled from his touch. The dog barked again and drew her gaze down once more. He whined and pulled against Xavier's hold. "I think Rocky is ready to go."
Xavier stooped and adjusted his grip on the dog's collar. Hair, the color of black coffee, curled out from beneath his cap. "I'm really sorry he ran you down. He thinks he's a lap dog and forgets his size and his manners."
Ashley chuckled. Gorgeous was one thing, but gorgeous and a sense of humor, was irresistible. But not right now. She needed to focus on her cake delivery, not some man with soul-stirring eyes and a voice that washed over her like rich cream. "We need to get together to talk about the competition. This isn't a good time, but soon."
His long, enigmatic stare pulled at something primitive, private, and deep within her. "Since you won't let me buy the cake, can I take you to dinner?"
Her mind spun like a mixer on high speed. "Right now, I can't think past getting to my appointment and starting my baking demonstration."
He reached for one of the store's business cards from the stack on the counter and tucked it into his back pocket. Then took another, along with a pen from the register, and scrawled his name and number on the back and pressed it into her hand. "Then I'll give you a call, or you call me, and we figure out a better time."
Ashley nodded as her fingers closed around the cardboard.
Xavier quickly glanced at the dog and shifted it away from the display case. "Nice to meet you, Ashley. Rocky thinks so, too." His eyes crinkled at the corners as his smile deepened. With a wave, he and his wayward dog exited the store.
She hurried up to the apartment to change clothes. She set the business card with Xavier's information on her dresser and took a second to trace her finger over the bold, black script. Nerves tingled her stomach as she remembered the feel of his strong hand holding hers. They would need to get together soon. The competition was a month away. The fact that the network had chosen her was huge. Celebration was in order. She couldn't wait to tell her sister.
But facing the music at the gardening club came first.
Hopefully, those instant grandmas would be understanding and not use the mishap as a sign to start patronizing Blackstone's Bakery.
CHAPTER THREE
Of all the times for Rocky's leash to break... Xavier strode back to his house, his fingers curled in a tight grip around the remainder of Rocky's leash. His long strides made quicker by his impatience with himself and his rambunctious rescue dog.
