“No question. Your macadamia cookies are to die for, Lexi. If you don’t keep those on the menu, I’m going to disown you as my friend. Of course everyone loves chocolate, but most women can’t turn down a good nut.”
Lexi snorted and tapped her feet together, staring at her blue Converse sneakers. She dressed so plainly for such a stunning brunette. Unlike me, she was slim without all the curves, but her high cheekbones combined with those bourbon eyes just made her stand shoulders above other women.
“Why all the fuss? You already know what sells. It’s what I do in my line of work,” I said with a sly wink. “Find out what they like and keep dishing it to them.”
She drummed her fingers on the armrest. “I hear what you’re saying, but I keep wondering if I could be doing better. I just don’t want to screw this up and have Austin think of me as a failure. There’s just so much more to running a business than I ever imagined. When the cost of goods goes up, my profits go down unless I can find another vendor or raise prices.” She waved her hand at the mess of papers on the coffee table. “Thanks for helping me with everything; I don’t know what I’d do without you. I went over the cost factors with Wheeler last night, and we’re in the black. Maybe I don’t want to get too comfortable with our income and become afraid to try new things. The tip jar helps, and God knows that Trevor can bring in extra money when he plays, but I want to keep taking it to the next level. This business could keep our family comfortable for years to come, and I’m just trying to come up with ideas to make Sweet Treats more profitable.”
“Girl, you practically have a sugar empire in the making. Maybe you should advertise your bakery on the human side of town. Have your friend, April, pass out the menus.”
Lexi pursed her lips. “I don’t discriminate against humans, but I’m afraid it’ll drive away the Breed customers, and they’re the ones who bring in the big money. I’ll keep it in mind, but for now I better focus on building clients in our own district since we’re still pretty new.”
“Agreed. If it’s one thing immortals have, it’s deep pockets. Never sell yourself short, and I still think you should make the cinnamon bread two dollars higher.” A quiet moment passed between us. “Honey, I miss having you as my neighbor.”
Lexi put her feet on the floor and leaned forward, her voice softening. “It’s not like I’m totally out of your life. We still hang out.”
I crossed my legs, noticing it was time for another pedicure. “Yes, but I miss the heavenly smell of your baking. Now all I smell coming from next door is boiled cabbage.”
Lexi wrinkled her nose. “Well, at least the downstairs neighbors moved. No more Pink Floyd music.” A nostalgic smile brightened her face. “I miss having you wander over at odd hours to play cards.”
After Lexi moved in with Austin, the apartments had become a dull place to live. I’d met her years ago in the Sweet Treats candy store, and we’d connected right away. I’d had an inkling she wasn’t human—sometimes you can just sense it up close. Plus, even though she hadn’t gone through the change yet, I’d noticed her habits were indicative of a wolf.
Lexi’s expression faltered. “Was my moving here a coincidence? That seemed pretty convenient after I broke up with Beckett.”
“Confession: I paid off my old neighbor so he’d move out. Then I threw a little money at the office manager to hold the vacancy. Honey, you were in the middle of a breakup with that cheating man, and I didn’t want to see you two kiss and make up. The sooner I could get you settled in a new place, the better your chances were of getting over him. No friend of mine will be a doormat for any man’s feet.”
Her brows arched thoughtfully, but her eyes were downcast. “I can’t believe I loved a man like Beckett. I would never have gone back to him, but how did I not see that coming?”
I scraped my fingernail on the fabric of the chair. “Because Beckett was a man obsessed. You know how human men behave differently around Shifter women. After a breakup, some of them can’t let go. They obsess over it until those feelings turn into rage. If I hadn’t been so distracted that evening, listening to music and cleaning…”