Read Online Edible Espionage by Shaunna Owens - Free Book Online Page B

mortifying day after another—and then there was the competition.
    Sarah lay back against her pillow and folded her arms over her face. When will I get my act together and stop playing these games? Stick to the plan. Priority one—get Gavin out of my life.
    The rest of the night was a restless blur of sleep, dreams, and reality.

Chapter Five: Zagic
    Sarah kept her head down when the back door to the bakery opened. She’d been fuming all morning about her stupidity last night and the crazy mixed-up situation she found herself in. I wish he wasn’t working today. I wish I hadn’t hired his stupid pretty face, and I wish I hadn’t come on to him last night. For a moment, she stopped kneading the cherry chocolate cookie dough. And I wish he wasn’t trying to steal my secrets.
    She chuckled to herself partly in amusement and partly in disgust. W hat a ridiculous life I lead. Circumstances had left her with two choices, either laugh or cry, and she hated crying.
    “Good morning. You seem to be feeling better. How’s the bump?” He smiled as he put on the pink apron over his brown long-sleeved T-shirt.
    “Yes, much better.” Now that I have my head on straight. “Thank you. I hope the couch provided a decent night’s sleep.” Act like nothing happened. For all he knows, I was in a dream state and don’t remember a thing.
    “Yes. Thank you. I left early so I could wash up.” He stared at the mixing bowl. “I wanted to leave a note but couldn’t find a pen.”
    “No worries.” With her chin, Sarah pushed up her sleeves. Chilled due to the drizzling rain, she’d opted for a black sweater to match perfectly with her eggplant skinny jeans and tall black boots. Time to kick plan “Screw You” into high gear.
    Gavin reached for her sleeves. “Here, let me help.” He rolled them above her elbow.
    His touch was soft and tender. Hot chills spread, emanating from his finger tips on her skin. Stop wanting him. It’s over. She needed to shut off her stupid emotions and get real.
    This is business. She cleared her throat. “My hands are all messy. Would you mind grabbing the red jar?” She nodded in the direction of the jar she’d filled with ingredients when she first arrived that morning.
    “This one?” He held up the red jar.
    “Yep.” She watched him return to the counter and then said, “Can you measure out four teaspoons, please?”
    Gavin grabbed the measuring spoon ring off the counter. “What’s this?”
    She watched him as he added in the exact amount she’d instructed. “My secret weapon.” No reaction. Well played, Arnold.
    “I see. This is the sugar crack, huh?” His gaze found hers and he smiled.
    “Ha, ha. No, it’s my Zagic…my secret weapon.” Throughout the generations in the Zion family, they’d discovered a mixture of ingredients to make the perfect batch of cookies every time. The magic of the ingredients eventually became known as Zagic. She intended for Gavin to get his hands on the wrong secret combination.
    “What’s in this Zagic ?”
    “Oh…ya know…stuff.” You’ll never figure it out.
    “A short cut.” He winked. “Not much of a secret, Sarah.”
    “I guess you could call it a shortcut.” Sarah started kneading the dough again. The sweet smell of cherries surrounded them. “My grandmother showed me there are secrets to baking that most people leave out when they make cookies. People assume I add a weird ingredient to my batches, but it’s really this special mixture.”
    “What is Zagic?”
    Sarah laughed and resisted the urge to narrow her gaze. “Do you honestly believe I would give away my Zagic that easily? What do you take me for? A moron?” Because you shouldn’t. “Fiona doesn’t even fully know what I put in the mix, and she is my best friend.”
    “When you need to talk to someone about your family’s dark history of conjuring up secret ingredient spells, you let me know. I’m here for you.” He chuckled then shifted on his feet and