Read Online The Baker's Man by Jennifer Moorman - Free Book Online

have to get ready. Then, I’ll figure out what to do with you.”
    “I have a few ideas about what you can do with me,” he said and smirked.
    Anna closed the door and exhaled loudly.
    “I’ll meet you downstairs,” he said. “It’s cupcake day.”
    “I know what day it is, Eli!” The whole apartment seemed to expand with the sound of his laughter.
    ˜˜˜˜
    Anna tried to focus all of her thoughts onto making sure the bakery’s treats were prepared before the customers arrived at seven a.m. With Eli’s help, they finished baking, icing, cutting, and arranging with plenty of time left over to hang out, which Anna tried to avoid by cleaning the windows and organizing an already organized pantry.
    When the first customers arrived, Eli was right by Anna’s side, and she couldn’t help but notice what a great team they made. Before long, she was smiling and laughing with him and the customers. During a mid-morning lull, Eli sat down with Mr. Silverstein, who always ordered six different cupcakes on cupcake day and ate each one in turn, relishing them like guilty pleasures. He swore they kept him curious and happy for an entire day. While Mr. Silverstein worked on the key lime cupcake with lime cream cheese filling, he and Eli discussed the town’s upcoming Fall Festival that would occur a week from Saturday. Anna saw this as an opportunity to slip into the backroom unnoticed. She grabbed her cell phone and crept into the large freezer. She wedged the door open with a wooden spoon.
    Anna quickly dialed Lily’s number. Her best friend answered on the fourth ring. “Hey,” Anna whispered, “do you have a minute? Okay, good. Let me preface this entire conversation with the fact that I know this is going to sound insane, but I haven’t lost my marbles. Something happened the other night after you left—yes, the rum night. Yes, I had a hangover. No, I haven’t heard from Baron today. Yes, I have a new worker in here, and he’s…yes, he’s gorgeous. I didn’t tell Tessa first. She came into the bakery yesterday, and it was a madhouse so I didn’t have a chance to call either of you—Lily, will you let me tell you?” Anna sighed in exasperation. “The new worker is Elijah, the man I made with the magic sand in Grandma Bea’s box.”
    Anna held the phone away from her ear because Lily’s laughter was piercing. When she finally stopped laughing, Anna said, “I’m serious. Why would I lie about that? Lily, just get yourself over here, okay? I need you. Well, I don’t care. Make Amanda work the register. I need you—”
    “What are you doing in here?” Eli asked.
    Anna released a strangled yell and bungled the phone so badly it looked like she might be trying to teach herself how to juggle. It bounced out of her hand and off blocks of frozen butter before ricocheting into her forehead. She leaned down, retrieved the phone, and hung up on Lily.
    “Taking inventory,” she said, rubbing her forehead.
    “Is that code for ‘taking a super secret phone call’?” he asked with a smile.
    He reached out and smoothed her long hair with his hand, pressing strands of cold hairs against her neck. Anna tingled. Eli looped his fingers around hers, and she didn’t immediately pull away. He was right-out-of-the-oven warm against her cold skin.
    “If you stay in here much longer, you’re going to be a Popsicle.”
    Anna exhaled and hurried past him, shoving her cell phone into her back pocket. The front door opened, and October breathed into the shop, sending in the smell of pumpkin pie and apple cider. Eli went to help the customer, and she was grateful for the moment alone.
    The bell jingled again, and Anna felt a jolt of energy. She rubbed her temples and walked through the archway. Lily burst into the shop and stopped halfway across the room. Her eyes locked on Eli, and he smiled at Lily.
    “Wow,” Lily said.
    Anna could tell from the way Lily tossed her blonde curls over her shoulder and the way her face