Page 19 of Fierce-Baker

Margo opened the rolls and handed her over one, then took the foil off the big pan, the spoon to scoop it up there, then another in the coleslaw for a topping rather than a side.

Before Tasha could make her sandwich, Margo was snatching the roll back and assembling it in the perfect way and then putting it on a small paper plate that was kept stocked on the table.

“I can’t wait to try this.” She moved out of the way with Margo and found a seat, then bit right in. “This is awesome. Make sure you tell Liam that.”

“I will. We’ll put it on special for this weekend if it’s a good hit. Everyone here knows what to do.”

“What does that mean?”

Margo pulled small note card-sized pieces of paper out of her pocket and got up to put them on the table and then returned. “They have to score it and then make any suggestions or comments. The responses will be returned to the pub tonight when someone comes back to get the pan.”

“Guess I’ve missed other days with new food being tested.”

“It’s not something that is done often,” Margo said. “I mean not weekly.”

“I’d be fat if they brought food over daily,” she said, chomping on another bite.

Her eyes landed on the door opening and Mason, Ben, and Baker coming in with Gavin waving to them and leaving.

The three men in charge got in line, made two sandwiches each, then were heading right her way.

There were a lot of eyes on them and she didn’t know how she felt about that. Most didn’t know her connection to the owners or their family, even with Margo sitting with her.

But once the three men took a seat, they would.

“Tell Liam this is great,” Ben said. “I might sneak a third but didn’t want people bitching at me just now in line.”

“There is plenty there,” Margo said. “But he’ll be happy to know.”

Tasha only had eyes for one person at the table. Baker. He was biting in and closing his eyes, chewing slowly as if he were savoring a fine wine.

But she supposed she got that. It was his rum that was in the meat.

“Yep,” he said. “Perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing other than it could use more rum.”

“I think it’s got plenty,” Tasha said. “I’m not much of a drinker, but I like the flavor. Are you supposed to taste the alcohol with it?”

Mason snickered. “You realize where you’re working, right?”

“Doesn’t mean I have to tilt a bottle of it each night though,” she said playfully.

“Tasha doesn’t drink much,” Margo said. “She can’t handle it like the rest of us.”

She shoved at Margo’s arm, saw Baker watching but wouldn’t be embarrassed over relaxing around the people she’d known for years. “Some of us haven’t worked in the food industry and didn’t end our nights with a shot or a beer.”

“I don’t do that anymore,” Margo said primly. “And we don’t talk about those younger years. It might get back to my children. We don’t need them to know how their parents used to be.”

“That means I can’t tell them what you were like as a roommate either,” she said.

“If you do, then I’ll make sure Micah knows all your secrets.”

She was laughing at the banter that she missed so much, the guys just watching and eating, not saying much. There was only one at the table that interested her. The first time any man had in two years.

It at least made her not feel so dead inside. Even if she knew there were still scars she had to heal.

“Don’t you dare,” she said. “My baby boy thinks his mother is an angel.”

“Okay, I was willing to go along with it until that comment,” Margo said. “And now I’ve got to get back. I’ll talk to you later. Bye, everyone.”