Unwanted Heat

“So Kenzie… who’s your new boyfriend?” Ginny asks the moment I walk into the bakery.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” I’m confused… how could Ginny possibly know about Nicholas? It has to be Nicholas that she is talking about because I haven’t been out with any other guy or even had interest in a guy for years.

“One of the afternoon girls brought a picture of you in-”

“A picture?”

“Here, it’s in my office,” she leads me back and hands me a piece of paper. On it is a blurry picture of Nicholas and me from the business dinner Friday night. We are sitting next to each other at the table; Nicholas’s eyes are on me but it looks like I’m talking to Ella. I didn’t think he was watching me during the dinner but he was probably just making sure that I didn’t say something that I shouldn’t have, given the limited time we had to prepare. The headline below the picture reads:

“We couldn’t believe it either! Billionaire playboy Nicholas Parker is seen for the second time with a mystery woman. Until recently Nicholas Parker had been attending events solo after being seen with half a different dozen women in less than two months. Now, in span of two weeks he is seen with the same one twice! Who is this mystery woman and what spell could she have put on Parker to get him to take her out twice?”

“Oh that…” I stutter.

“You’re dating a friggin’ billionaire, Kenzie?!?!?” Ruth, one of the other girls who works the morning shift rushes in.

“I… I…” I’m caught completely off guard.

I hadn’t expected that part of my life to mix with this part. I thought I could keep them separate: I should have expected that wouldn’t be the case if I was seen publicly with Nicholas, the purpose of our arrangement.

“Nicholas Parker and I are dating-”

“For how long? Why didn’t you say anything?” Ruth asks.

“Ruth, enough. As long as Kenzie is happy, that is all that matters,” Ginny interrupts. “Now, I believe we have some donuts, muffins and breads to make for today.”

I want to hug Ginny in that moment, but instead I lead the way out of her office to the kitchen where I start my orders.

I wasn’t expecting it to be common knowledge so fast that Nicholas and I were dating but I guess this is exactly what he wanted, what he needed, so the press would begin to paint a different picture of him. I don’t remember seeing any press at the dinner the other night, but the little bit I saw of our picture it us looks like it was from someone’s cell phone who I can only assume then sold it to the media. The media hasn’t yet figured out who I am but I’m sure it won’t be too much longer before my name is leaked to the press, either purposely or through some investigating. I need to remember that at any time I could be questioned about my relationship with Nicholas. I need to stay on my toes and be more prepared the next time someone asks about us.

“Kenzie, someone is asking to speak to you about a catering order,” Ginny informs me.

“Cara, how nice to see you!” I walk out front and am immediately surprised to see Cara Parker waiting at the counter for me.

“Kenzie, I’m so glad you are working today! I need to talk to you about a catering order,” she says.

“Sure, why don’t you have a seat at a table and I’ll grab our ordering forms.”

I gesture to one of the empty tables. Luckily the morning rush has ended, so there it’s pretty slow. Had Cara shown up during the morning rush, there is no way I would be able to sit with her and discuss orders. The mornings are hectic no matter what day it is: great for business but very little time to take care of anything else until the breakfast crowd dies down.

“How are you, Kenzie?” Cara asks when I sit down next to her.

“I’m good, how about you?”

“I’m great! My mom is hosting a morning meeting for a fundraising committee next week and we were hoping you could cater the meeting? It’s nothing huge, but everyone just loves this place!”

For the next ten or so minutes, Cara and I discuss the menu for the meeting and what will be needed. She arranges to pick up the order the morning of the meeting, since we don’t offer delivery.

“So, I saw you and my brother made the gossip rags again,” Cara says.

“I just saw that too,” I answer honestly.

“He hates the press. I can’t believe they followed him to a business dinner.”

“I don’t think we were followed. I think someone recognized your brother and took the picture to sell it to the press.”

“You might be right. How did you two meet again? I don’t remember Nicholas mentioning you before the gala, but then again he doesn’t talk much anymore. I can’t remember the last time he came to a family dinner… ”

“We met at a coffee shop a couple of months ago,” I answer with the cover story that Nicholas and I had previously agreed to.

“Oh, I hadn’t realized you two knew each other for that long. Well, I have to go. Maybe you can get Nicholas to come to dinner this Sunday?”

“Cara, I don’t know-”

“I know my mother would love it. Please… try to get him to come? Of course you come too-”

“We’ll see Cara. No promises, I’m not sure what our schedule is.”

“Okay, thanks, Kenzie!”

“Kenzie, do you have a minute?” Ginny asks just as I finish meeting with Cara.

“Of course,” I follow her back to her office where she shuts the door.

“I’m only going to bring this up once because it’s none of my business. This Parker guy… he treats you right?” she asks.

“Yes Ginny, he’s a perfect gentleman.”

“Good… you’ve had enough pain in your life. I don’t want to see you have more.” That surprises me because I’ve never spoken to her about my past.

Maybe she just assumes because it was a case worker from the shelter that set up the interview for me. I know my case worker wouldn’t have said anything to her about my past-we had talked about it before I agreed to let her arrange the interview for me.

“Listen, you’re still the only one here who knows that I’m trying to sell this place and I want to thank you for keeping it to yourself-”Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

“Of course, Ginny.”

“My lawyer called me just now and told me he might have someone interested in purchasing the place.”

“That’s wonderful! Do you know who it is?”