Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Lincoln

I 'm not the type of man to cry, but I almost do when I get the text from Lyla that says she'll work for me. We are drowning the closer we get to Christmas, and I wasn't lying when I said she's the most talented person I've ever met.

"Shaw," I call out to my bakery manager, waving her over. "I talked to Lyla. She's going to start tomorrow."

"What did you promise her?" She raises her eyebrows. "I can't imagine she'd come back to work here after what happened before."

I am too, but one thing I've learned since purchasing this place, it's to never let anyone see me doubt myself or sweat. "She needs the work, and she knows I'll pay her." That’s the simplest way to put it without telling her that Lyla's bakery closed. She'll know it soon, anyway. This is a small town, and word travels fast.

"When should I plan on her being here? That way I can adjust the schedule. She can do the work of two people much better than they can."

Running my hand through my hair, I glance around at the flurry of activity here. They've been running around like this since Lyla left, because she was such a calming influence. "Plan on her being here tomorrow, and keep the same people on the schedule. I want them to see how someone works who knows what they're doing, and doesn't get completely caught up in the stress of it all. Lyla has always had a calm head on her shoulders, and that's what we need."

She nods. "Sounds good. Just let me know what I need to do in order to get her onboarded."

"All her information should still be in the system. It's only been a year, and I know we keep it for a year and a half. Get her in, so that we'll be able to get her paid. I'm going to the office to make the order for this week."

Escaping to the office is just what I need. I'm conflicted about hiring Lyla back. In the days after she left, I'd told myself I wouldn't. That she'd used her one gift from me, but the longer she's been gone, the more I see I need her. We worked well together and had success because of it. It hasn't been as blatantly obvious for me as it has been for her, but I'm seeing it the closer we get to Christmas. I need her as much as she needs me.

When I get to the office, the phone is ringing. Glancing over at the caller ID, I groan loudly. It's my fucking brother, and he's just going to keep calling until I answer. "Hello?"

"I need a favor."

He always needs a favor, and it always involves me doing something I do not want to do. "What?"

"There's this woman I've been seeing."

It's always a woman. "What does that have to do with me?"

"If you'd shut up, I could tell you," he hurries, before I can cut him off again. "She has a kid who needs to bring some cookies and cupcakes for his class. I remember you saying you were going to get Lyla to come back. She's amazing at doing that type of shit. Think she'd do it?"

I roll my eyes, sighing heavily. "I think I could ask her if you agreed to fucking pay for it, Landon."

"When have I not paid for something you've done for me?"

We don't have enough time for me to list the amount of shit I've done for free. But I'm trying to turn over a new leaf this holiday season and not request that people who owe me actually pay me back. "I won't answer that question, but I have a few of my own. When do they need to be delivered? How many do you need? Do you have any idea about the theme?" I'm going to regret this. I know it with every ounce of my being.

"Would Wednesday be too soon? I'm gonna need fifty, and they'll need to be delivered to Sugar Creek Elementary."

"Son of a bitch, Landon. I'm already covered up, but I'll make this happen for you. Do you have a theme?"

He scoffs. "What the fuck do you mean theme? Aren't they just Christmas cookies?"

I hate this with every fiber of my being, but I also know what's popular right now, because I have to. "Everything these days has an aesthetic, Landon. What is the aesthetic for this party? Are they planning a snow theme, snowman, vintage Christmas, whimsical? I gotta know before I ask Lyla to do it tomorrow."

"Holy. Fuck. She's coming back to work for you? After all the shit, you two said to each other. What did you do? Promise you're first born to the devil?" He laughs.

God, why do I mess with him? He's such a pain in my ass. "No, she needed a job, and I needed a decorator. Simple as that."

"Only it's not. She quit working for you a year ago and opened her own shop. How is she going to be working for you, too?"

I hate being the person to tell others about this. It's not my place, but I also know he will not let me get away with being vague. Landon is the type of person who likes definite answers to his questions. "Her bakery closed a couple of days ago." No reason for him to know exactly when it happened. "So she's coming back to work for me."

"Couldn't handle it without you, huh?"

My chest tightens. I don't want him to think she's not capable of handling herself. She's more capable than most people I know. I'm not sure why this is offending me, either. It's not as if I have any skin in the game with her. All I want is for her to help make my bakery as successful as it can be. "She could handle it, but Sugar Creek wasn't prepared for two bakeries. The town failed her, not the other way around."

"Better be careful, Linc. Sounds like you have a crush on her."

This isn't the first time he's said those words, but it's the first time I really listen to them. I've missed Lyla since she left. Seeing her was always one of the best parts of my day. That hour we'd come in before anyone else? I treasured it. Not that I shared those feelings with any of the other employees, or my friends. She and I typically argued with one another. Lyla hated my marketing ideas, and I disliked the way she refused to see reason. "I don't have a crush on her. What I do have is complete respect for what she's able to bring to the table with her artistry. Everyone should've seen that and helped her make Holly Jolly a success."

"Which you should've been happy about. What if they'd left your patronage for her? Would you have been able to make that up? There are layers to this, Linc," Landon reminds me.

It's all complicated as fuck and way more full of emotions than I'd ever intended. "It is what it is, Landon. She'll be here. She's going to make your cookies amazing, and you're going to owe them for me. What is it you want her to make? If you don't tell me, then I'm going to decide for you and you might not like it."

He sighs. "I don't know. I've never been the bonus dad for a little girl before."

I throw my head back, laughing. Landon? A bonus dad? He's never even been a good uncle before. I can count on one hand how often he's been to see our niece since our older sister had her. "A bonus dad? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Have I walked into a motherfucking alternate universe here? I'm so confused.

"Look..." I can hear him rubbing his forehead. "I really like this woman and her daughter. I want to make the best impression I can. What would you recommend? Even though you have no kids, you know better than me." His voice is hoarse as he begs for help.

This is the first time I've ever heard him be so earnest. Landon can lie about most things, but what he won't lie about is the women in his life. He's a hopeless romantic, and he takes anything he sees as a lifetime commitment to heart. He's been engaged three times, and each one of those engagements, he thought would be the one. "Alright," I sigh. "What I've seen most girls want this year are the sparkling lights and glitter of Christmas. We'll make sure they're magical. I'll send you an invoice, and you better pay it."

This time, I hear the smile in his voice. "You don't have to worry. I'll pay for it as soon as I get it."

"See you later, Landon."

"Love you, bro."

"Love you, too."

With a shake of my head, I hang up and wonder what the fuck I've gotten myself into.