Imagine That Read Online Free PDF

bills. She counted out a few and laid them down on the counter.
    For the first time today, Nate laughed.
    Emily gasped and her head flew up. She stared at him in shock for a moment. “Heath… er… Nate.”
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” he asked.
    She glanced down at the floor again. “Making a mess obviously. I heard the bell as I was taking the cookies out, and then the oven pad thingy slipped, and I thought I was going to burn myself, so like an idiot I reached for the tray with the other hand, and then I did burn myself.”
    He took a step closer. “Are you okay?”
    She gazed up at him and his breath hitched as her blue eyes sized him up. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she liked what she saw, too.
    A dangerous thought.
    â€œI’m fine. I’ve dropped plenty of trays already today.” She inspected her hand. “It’s not the first time I’ve burned myself either.”
    The bell by the register dinged again.
    She grimaced. “Every time a bell rings, Emily gets her hand burned.”
    For the second time, Nate let out a genuine laugh, and the dark clouds hanging over his heart parted to allow in a bit of sunlight.
    Cheeks flaming, she waved him back. “Do me a favor. Tell whoever it is I’ll be out in a second. I have to clean up.”
    When Nate emerged from the kitchen, he found three young girls standing at the counter. All of them were holding hardcover books clasped to their chests.
    â€œIs she back there?” the one on the left asked.
    â€œWe heard she’s working here,” the middle one said.
    Nate had no clue what they were talking about. “Who?”
    The last girl gave him a what-planet-are-you-from glare of amazement. “E.J. Sinclair!”
    Right. Emily was some kind of children’s book author. “She’ll be right out.”
    The girls shared a glance and squealed.
    Nate sensed her in the doorway behind him. “Your fan club is here.”
    He went back around the counter and watched as Emily greeted her young fans. She seemed flattered by their obvious devotion. Her eyes glowed as she signed their copies and answered a barrage of questions with more patience than he would’ve ever had. Then she gestured to the display case, and all three bought a treat.
    â€œEmily Sinclair is a disaster in the kitchen, but she’s brought in more customers today than I’ve had since Christmas.”
    Nate found Jessie herself standing by his shoulder. He hadn’t even heard her come in. Jessie McNichol looked more like a defensive lineman than a baker. She was six feet tall and broad-shouldered. Everyone in her family claimed giant status, from her father Big Ben, who towered over everyone at six-six, to her mother and three brothers. Jessie had never been athletic, but fortunately she’d discovered a gift for creating sinful desserts at an early age.
    â€œShe can’t be that bad,” Nate said.
    â€œIf there’s something here she hasn’t burned, it’s only because she hasn’t had time yet,” Jessie replied. “I probably wouldn’t have hired her, but she kept babbling something about signs and seemed desperate for a chance.”
    â€œYou couldn’t resist,” Nate said, knowing exactly what Jessie meant about Emily’s endearing charm, not to mention her off-the-wall babbling.
    â€œI happened to get two customers when Emily came in to apply. A mother and daughter. The girl took one look at E.J. Sinclair and started hyperventilating. I figured I could teach Emily anything she needed to know, if it meant more customers.”
    Nate understood Jessie’s bottom-line reasoning, but what about Emily? What in the world was she still doing here? He’d have thought she’d be long gone by now. Humming along in her little convertible, her evil white cat hissing the entire way.
    Emily didn’t belong behind a counter in a bakery. Nate