The little old ladies surrounding her smiled. A couple of older gentlemen nodded and grunted, including Herb Lee, owner of Leeve It and Lube, across the street.
“This true?” he asked. “You making pie today with Jacobs apples?”
Annie looked at the crates, then at the crowd. They didn’t look hostile, or look at her like she was hostile. This was a good sign. Sure, Luke’s sign—basically a public banner of peace between her and him—also helped.
“Looks like I am.”
A few claps and cheers let out as she opened the door to the café and turned on the lights.
To her surprise, everyone followed her in. Herb hollered at his son, and a few other men from his shop who had also gathered, to pick up the crates and take them inside.
“Where do we put these, Miss Annie?” Joel Lee asked, hoisting up a crate.
“They can go in the kitchen in back. Thank you so much.”
And in a matter of seconds, her little place was full of people ordering coffee and happy to spend their morning waiting for apple pie.
Annie set straight to work, hustling between patrons, delivering coffee and scones, getting everyone settle
d, all while having a massive smile on her face.
The sentiment behind what Luke had done wasn’t lost on her. He put to bed the miniscandal of her slugging him, but in a way that the town would know they had made up without knowing they’d “made up.”
He must have delivered the apples at an ungodly hour, since she’d left him not too long ago. The gesture was incredible.
“Looks like you kids worked it out,” Nana said, shuffling into the café for her morning shift and peeking into the kitchen. “Gotta love them apples.” She smiled and tied her apron on.
Annie laughed and under her breath muttered, “You have no idea.”
It was only fair that Annie take him lunch since Luke had given her hundreds of dollars in apples that morning. Which was keeping the café pretty busy and putting the regulars back in their seats.
Pulling up to the loading dock, she got out, paper bag in hand, and searched for Luke. She found him bent over the forklift, messing with the engine.
She tilted her head, examining his amazing ass in those jeans, and a small sigh escaped. It just wasn’t fair for one man to possess all that hotness.
“Hey,” she called out.
He looked over his shoulder. “Hey, baby.”
Grabbing a rag from his back pocket and wiping his hands, he turned and walked toward her. Not hesitating for a second, he wrapped her up and kissed her like crazy.
Her eyes shot open in surprise, but when he ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, she parted them and let him in, basking in his crisp taste and masterful mouth.
“Thank you for the apples,” she said, a little breathless.
“You’re welcome. Thank you for wearing this dress.” His hand skated down to grab her ass as he delved his tongue deeper, consuming her, sweeping her up in his touches and slow, intense kiss.
Bag in hand, she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him closer.
“Mmm, something smells good.”
She leaned back and smiled. “I brought you lunch. A pulled-pork sandwich and sweet-potato fries.”
“My favorite.” He brushed the tip of his nose against hers.
“I know.”
“God, you’re sexy when you’re thoughtful,” he said, nipping her chin. “Had me wondering why you took off last night.”