Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
People reacted one of two ways to meeting me: awkward starstruck delight or deliberate indifference as some manner of “putting me in my place.” Sloane, however, reacted normally. She gave me a pretty smile and shook my hand like I was just the guy next door. “It’s nice to meet you too,” she said, her American accent unsurprising. “Callie is having a lot of fun, aren’t you, baby girl?”
Callie nodded shyly. Apparently, she was one of those kids who came out of her shell on stage but turtled back inside as soon as she was off it.
“This is Walker Ironside.” I gestured to Walker, who was eyeing the cakes in front of Sloane like a starving man. To be fair, the cupcakes were decorated to perfection. They looked professional. As did the pie and madeleines she’d baked.
Sloane’s eyes lit up with interest at the sight of Walker. It wouldn’t be the first time a woman had thrown me over for Walk, the handsome bastard that he was.
“You work security at Ardnoch, right?” Sloane asked.
Walker looked up at her, his gaze searching. “I know you … you’re the new housekeeper.”
“You’re a housekeeper at Ardnoch?” Regan asked.
Sloane nodded, still gazing up at Walker. “We started around the same time, I think.”
“Right.” Walker’s attention dropped back to her cakes, oblivious to how her eyes raked his shoulders and chest.
Or he was ignoring her interest.
It was hard to tell with him.
I sighed under my breath. “Walker is my bodyguard but is working at Ardnoch while we’re here.”
“Oh.” Sloane’s gaze ran down his body and back up again, a tinge of pink cresting her cheeks.
I grinned at Regan, who smirked knowingly. Aye, she’d caught it too.
“What’s funny?” Eilidh asked loudly.
“Life, princess,” I answered, and then rubbed my hands together. “Okay, how much for one of those delicious scones?”
“Would you like to try a cupcake?” Sloane asked Walker as I handed over the money to my niece.
“Aye, how much?”
“Two pounds.”
Walker frowned and pulled out his wallet. He handed her a five-pound note. “Keep the change. You’re not charging enough.”
“Oh. I’m still getting used to what everything should cost here.” She reached down and plucked a cupcake with white buttercream icing and held it out to Walk.
“Thanks.” He peeled back the paper to bite into it. His eyes widened as he chewed. “Holy fuck,” he murmured, as his attention dropped to the other cupcakes.
Regan glowered at Walker. “There are children present.”
He wasn’t listening. He inhaled the rest of the cupcake and retrieved his wallet again. “I’ll take a box.”
Laughing, I considered betrayal of the Adair bake stand at his reaction. “That good?”
“Try one,” he answered while Sloane beamed as she boxed up four more cupcakes for Walker.
“Do you want to try my madeleines too?” She gestured to the seashell-like cakes.
“Aye, throw in a few of those.” Walker nodded to the pie, already sliced. “What’s in the pie?”
My shoulders shook with amusement as Regan snorted. “Sloane does kick my ass in the baking department.”
Sloane flushed. “The pie is chocolate and salted caramel.”
“You baked it?” he asked.
“Yes. I baked everything here.”
“My mom is the best baker in the world,” Callie offered quietly.
Walker’s gaze moved to the wee girl and softened. “Is that right?”
She nodded, pushing into her mum’s side. “You should try the pie.”
“Then I will. Slice of pie.”
“You’ll go into a sugar coma at this rate,” I warned him.
He cut me a look and answered belligerently, “If you’d try her cupcakes, you’d understand.”
Chuckling, I looked at Regan. “Do you mind, sis?”
“Have at it. Callie does not lie. Eilidh and I had a cupcake before you arrived, and it was …” She made a chef’s kiss.
“Oh, Ms. Sinclair!” Sloane suddenly called behind us, and I stiffened as Monroe came into sight. It surprised me when Sloane enveloped Monroe in a hug, like they were friends. My ex-best friend noted me and quickly looked away toward the array of baked goods.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you that my neighbor and I devoured the cupcakes you gifted me, Sloane. Best cupcakes ever. Seriously. In fact, I need more.” Monroe opened her purse. “How much for one?”
“Five quid,” Walker answered around a mouthful of madeleine.
Sloane shot him a surprised look, her lips twitching. “I think we can discount for Callie’s favorite teacher.”
He grunted.
Monroe chuckled, and it set off a sharp pain near my heart. I hadn’t heard that sound in eighteen years. “I’ll pay the fiver. It’s for the school, and your cakes are worth it.”
“Try a madeleine.” Walker picked up the tray and held them out to Monroe.
“Oh. Okay. I’ll take one of those too.” Monroe reached for one. “How much?”
“One—”
“Two pounds fifty,” Walker interrupted Sloane.
I could hear Regan choking on her laughter, and despite Monroe’s presence, amusement filled me at Walker’s proprietary reaction to Sloane Harrow’s baked goods—and the fact that the gorgeous young woman was staring up at him like he was a god and Walk was oblivious to it.