Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
My phone dings, letting me know I have fifteen minutes until my live starts.
I finish cleaning up, wiping down the counters, and then I get all the ingredients out for the cupcakes I had planned to make tonight.
I’ve done this so many times, I don’t even have to think about it. I grab all the ingredients, thinking about Zach.
Salt, baking powder, egg, brown sugar, oil, vanilla, baking soda, butter, sour cream, powdered sugar, peanut butter, flour, heavy cream, milk, and a bag of peanut butter cups. I measure everything out and put them in aesthetically pretty bowls so I can just dump it all in on the live.
My five minute till live time dings.
I set up my camera, make sure the lighting is up and ready, and then turn on my microphone. I spend the rest of my time pacing back and forth until it’s time to go on.
I’m wondering where Zach is, but I’m thankful that he hasn’t made his way back to the kitchen. I’m not sure if I can do my show with him watching.
Right on time, I turn the camera on and push the Go Live button.
“Hey, Cookie Crew, I’m back, and do I have something sinfully sweet for you tonight. I looked at all your votes, and I’m excited to say that peanut butter cupcakes had the most.”
I pump my hands in the air as if I’m cheering.
Right at that moment, Zach walks into the kitchen.
I try not to stumble, but there’s no way I can’t look at him. It should be a sin to be as handsome as he is.
I force my eyes to the camera. “So let’s get started. As you know, we’re going to get everything stirred up and in the oven, and then we’re going to chat.”
I go through measurements of each of the items, dumping the ingredients into the bowl.
Zach is staring at me, but I don’t dare look at him.
I smile into the camera, walk them through all the steps, and once I’m opening the oven and putting the cupcakes in, I finally take a breath.
I lean down to read the comments. I read one, answer the question, and then move on to the next. This part used to scare me, but now it’s almost as much fun as the baking.
“Hey, Leena, thanks for joining in.” I hold up the bag of candies. “No, we didn’t add these to the mix because we’re saving them for after the cupcakes are iced. We’re going to put one on each and every cupcake. Yum, amiright?”
Question after question, I go down the line until I see that bakersking has commented. I start to stutter and look over at Zach. It’s as if he is completely attuned to me. He knows something is not right because he stands up from the stool he was sitting on.
I skip the bakersking comment and go to the next.
But bakersking keeps commenting.
The more I see his handle, the more I stutter.
Zach comes toward me, and I should stop him, but I don’t know how. He comes to stand right behind me, hands on my shoulders, and leans over my phone to read the comments. He tenses, and that’s when I realize that I’m live… with Zach Campbell standing protectively over me.
I turn and look him. “Ha, ha, big guy! What’s up? I know, I know. You want a cupcake, but you’re going to have to wait until they’re done.”
He realizes his mistake almost instantly. He was concentrating on protecting me and didn’t realize what he just did.
He gives me that smile of his, and my knees turn to jello. I smile back at him, but I don’t miss a thing. The way his hand squeezes my waist. The reassuring smile that he gives me. Or the way he leans in to whisper, “I’m right here.”
He walks away, and I can feel the heat in my cheeks as I look back at my phone. It’s blowing up with hearts and comments.
“Ooh, girl, who is THAT?”
“Is that your boyfriend?”
“Is he single?”
“Dang, he’s handsome.”
“Girl, it’s getting hot in here.”
I put my hand over my mouth and keep reading. I glance at Zach, but he’s staring down at his phone. I look back at my screen. Comment after comment of people thinking that Zach is my boyfriend. Oh my God, this is so embarrassing.
I put my hand on my chest, right over my heart. “Wow, Cookie Crew! That woke you up, didn’t it? To answer all your questions, he is my friend. He, uh, was excited about the cupcakes tonight and—”
I stop when another comment from bakersking comes up. You are mine. No one else can have you.
I’m just staring at the screen, and for some reason his words fill me with fear. I can feel the blood drain from my face, and I’m frozen.