“Iamthe landlord.”
She glances over her shoulder at Lila, then back at me. “Right.”
“The raccoon’s at the wildlife refuge still sleeping off his hangover last we heard,” Lila says. “We had everything cleaned up hours before we opened?—”
“I hate to think that grubby creature was in here at all. Is it true that he ate his way through your desserts?”
“He found a few, yes,” Lila says. “But he passed out before he did too much damage. Really, we recovered pretty easily?—”
“It would be a shame if this got out.” I can’t tell if her tone is a warning or a threat. Maybe it’s a little of both.
“We’ve kept it quiet,” Lila reassures her.
“Right.”
“Are you sure you don’t want any cupcakes to go before I close up?”
“I’m not surprised that vile creature got in. Youarerenting a building from a West.”
It takes every ounce of self control I have and few I don’t to bite my tongue.
“Lila, you might want to get a second opinion on that roof vent. Make sure it’s patched up properly.” Valerie glances back at me, her judging gaze turning my blood to boiling. She’s trying to rile me up, which is the only reason I keep my fucking mouth shut.
“The roof vent is fixed,” Lila says, sounding a little sturdier than before.
“Right. Well, I know you know better than to get mixed up with the wrong sort—it would certainly be bad for business—so I won’t point out the obvious. Just, don’t be like your mother, okay. You’re better than that.”
“Now just a fucking minute?—”
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” Valerie hurries toward the door, pausing with it halfway open. “If you want a shot at my recipe, I know you won’t be late.”
I’m down the ladder before the door fully closes. I’m so fucking mad there’s no doubt steam coming out of my ears. I want to reach for Lila, but I also want to punch a hole in the wall. What the fuck is wrong with that woman?
“You thought I was exaggerating, didn’t you?” Lila says, her laugh weak. As though it’s the only thing holding back tears. She moves around the counter, flipping the open sign to closed. I watch as her shoulders lift and fall with her deep breath.
“She’s a fucking peach,” I deadpan.
Lila blows out a second breath before she turns around, facing me. The defeat in her earlier expression has transformed to something determined—and a little playful. “Want to help me forget all about the last ten minutes?”
CHAPTER 11
Lila
“This is a bad idea,” Sullivan says, despite having followed me upstairs to my apartment.
I can only imagine what’s going through his head right now after the embarrassing episode he just witnessed. It’s not so much what Grandma Val said, but how I turn into this pathetic beaten dog around her. I hate that he witnessed that disgusting exchange, and tomorrow morning, when Grandma Val tries to make me feel small again—no doubt while I watch her hand the coveted family recipe to Audrey—I’m going to set the record straight. That comment about my mother crossed the line, and it’s fueled a new fire in me.
I’m done letting Grandma Val push me around. Tomorrow morning, I’m going to stand up for myself once and for all, no matter what it costs me. Let hertryto run me out of business. I dare her. I’m not going anywhere.
But tonight, I just want to forget all about the woman who still clearly holds my mother’s choices overmyhead.
“You promised to break in the new bed with me,” I say, already working at the buttons on Sullivan’s shirt. I can’t decide which is sexier—Sullivanina flannel shirt, or Sullivanoutof a flannel shirt.
“I don’t want to be responsible for what that woman does to make your life more difficult.”
“Sull,” I say, kissing his chest as I slide the shirt down his shoulders.
“Yeah?”