Page 24 of The Offer

Kevin’s brow furrowed. “Rent them?”

Jess shrugged. “Yeah. Shops along the Cape do it all the time. Vacationers will rent bikes for a day or even a week so they don’t have to travel with their own,” she said. “It was also a big date-night thing for, well—”

She looked down at the handlebars, squeezing and releasing one of the brakes.

Kevin tapped a finger to his lips. “Maybe we could make it some kind of package deal. Date night at Port Wheels. Rent two bikes for a couple of hours, get two free treats of your choice.”

Jess smiled, nodding her head. “Now we’re talking.”

When they finished pushing all of the bikes to the front, Jess pressed her hands into her back, scanning the room. “So how exactly is this going to work? The shop is tiny as is, but we’ll need some kind of storefront for the bakery.”

Kevin nodded. “Most of these bikes will go outside during store hours, which will give us some room. I was thinking,” he started, turning toward the right wall next to the shop windows, “the bakery will go here.”

Jess watched as he held out his hands. “Counter and register,” he explained, then shuffled closer to her. “Glass display case next to it,” he said, shuffling again. His arm brushed up against hers as he held out his arms. “We’ll leave this space open for you to easily get in and out.”

Jess took a step back, aware of the heat from his body.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, then walked past her and continued on with his vision. “Back counter here with the espresso machine and other coffee accoutrements, and a little work space for you when you’re taking orders or working on admin.”

Jess let out a shaky breath. “This feels like a lot of work.”

“It’s a good thing I have contractors coming tomorrow,” Kevin said. “If all goes to plan, everything should be done by this time next week.”

She gaped at him. “You already have contractors? There’s no way they agreed this last-minute.”

Kevin simply winked at her, a twinkle in his eye. “Maybe it wasn’t last-minute.”

She stuttered, feeling stunned. “But…but how did you…”

“I had faith in the kanelbullar. I knew you wouldn’t be able to go that long without baking your next batch.”

Her mouth fell open as Kevin propped the front door and started pushing bikes outside of the shop, getting things ready for opening. Even before she left Charlie, before she decided to take him up on the offer, Kevin had things set in motion believing that she would. Contractors hired, plans in place. She wondered if there was something else going on behind the scenes she wasn’t aware of, or maybe someone else who was pulling the strings. Kevin did mention a mysterious investor for the whole project, and there was only one person Jess could think of who’d want to drive Charlie out of her life.

She inhaled sharply as he walked back in to grab another bike. “Kevin?”

He looked up at her. “Mmm?”

“Who’s the investor behind this project?”

Kevin opened his mouth and closed it a few times, like a fish. “They, um, asked to remain anonymous.”

“But shouldn’t I—” She caught herself, thinking through what to say next. She technically was only an employee of Port Wheels, not an outright owner like Kevin was, so she wasn’t really in a place to make demands. But she needed to be sure.

She scrunched her hands into fists and slammed her eyes shut. “Can you promise me that it isn’t Charlie’s father?”

There was a beat of silence between them as Jess held her breath. She heard shuffling, then a pair of warm, calloused hands on her bare shoulders. “Jess,” Kevin breathed.

She peeked her eyes open. His own gaze was soft, his expression careful.

“I would never do that to you. Charlie Sullivan the Third will never be in business with us or in charge of this property. He would have to rip it from my cold, dead hands.”

She coughed out a laugh at his morbidity, which made him smile.

“Okay,” she exhaled. “That’s all I needed to hear.”

“Good.” Kevin nodded, dropping his hands. She watched him grimace after he did, looking at her shoulders.

She frowned. “What?”