Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
He reached out to clasp his hands over the ears of the beagle she still held. “Shh… Don’t talk like that in front of this puppy. He’s had a rough day. You’re going to hurt his feelings if you insinuate he has none.”
She giggled again before turning to set him on the counter with the elephant nestled in the sack.
When she turned back around, he continued the banter. “I know for a fact stuffies have feelings because Amelia tells me so often. Besides, Daddies can get jealous of just about anything that keeps their Little girls away. I bet the owner of Little Cakes has to contend with a Daddy who gets jealous of cupcakes.”
The smile that widened on Rose’s face made Adam so damn happy. “I suspect you’re right. I’ve met Ellie several times. I’ve seen her Daddy pop in too. Garrett probably doesn’t like sharing her with frosting and sprinkles.”
“See? It’s not just stuffies. Now, let’s get the rest of these friends turned the correct direction so you can get home and get some rest. What time do you usually get to work in the morning?”
She started turning the heads of a bin of unicorns as she spoke. “About nine forty-five. The mall opens at ten.”
“Are you a morning person or a night owl?”
“Morning,” she answered without hesitation.
“Good. Tomorrow I have an early meeting and I need to go to my niece’s birthday party right after work, but sometimes we can have breakfast dates.”
She smiled. “That sounds like fun. Can we get pancakes?”
Yes. She was definitely the most perfect Little girl he’d ever met. A sense of peace washed over him as he watched her face light up. “We can absolutely get pancakes. With lots of syrup.” He was glad they were lining up future possibilities. “Can you take a late lunch the day after tomorrow? Can your employees handle the shop for a few hours so we can get cupcakes?”
She seemed to think for a moment and then nodded.
He reached out and cupped her face again. “I’m so glad I caught you just in time tonight. If I’d been a few minutes later, I wouldn’t have met the sweetest Little girl I’ve ever seen.”
“I’m glad too.” She was smiling, but her cheeks were still flushed and she looked slightly nervous. She should. After all, he was mostly a stranger. A trip to Little Cakes would help ease her mind though. Tarson would vouch for him.
Adam could hardly stand the idea of waiting nearly two full days before he saw her again, but he needed to be patient. If he rushed her, he would scare her.
Chapter Three
Two days later, Rose opened Stuff-It at exactly ten o’clock according to the mall’s regulations. The early morning mall walkers were finishing up their laps around the building as customers streamed in to do their Christmas shopping. Rose had stayed late last night to dress the stuffies in the window displays in holiday clothing and add festive ornaments and greenery to the store. She yawned as she pushed the gate open completely.
“You need more sleep, boss,” a cheerful voice commented as she walked into the store. The curvy brunette stopped just outside the entrance and smiled. “You decorated. You should have let me know. I love to throw tinsel around.”
“Hi, Larisa,” Rose greeted her employee. “Does the store look okay?”
“I love it. You’d suggested that we talk about doing more with the store’s social media. I’m super stoked to take some pictures of the decorated displays and invite customers to come create special friends for the holiday,” Larisa suggested.
“That would be awesome. I’d love to make you Stuff-It’s social media guru. Would you be open to trying it for the next month, featuring the Christmas season? If you can create a positive buzz, I’ll assign you the job and give you a raise. Until we see if the extra advertising on the different platforms is effective, I can’t promise you much, but I’ll give you a bonus each week.”
“Let’s try it. I’m going to be learning in the beginning, so a bonus is great. When customers are raving about the store and piled three deep to the character bins, trying to choose their new best friend, a raise will be even better,” Larisa said with a grin.
“I’d happy dance to see that. Just don’t make it happen this afternoon. I promised a friend I’d meet them at Little Cakes to chat. Think you’ll be okay for a couple of hours by yourself?” Rose asked, watching Larisa’s face carefully.
“Of course. I think Amber comes in to help at two before the afternoon rush. We’ll be fine,” Larisa assured her. “Is it okay if I wear this?”
Rose looked at the funky Santa hat and laughed. “Where did you get that?”
“Three shops down at the bookstore. They have a whole display. Want one?” Larisa asked.