Imagine That Read Online Free PDF Page B

didn’t read much, but even he knew about J.K. Rowling, and if Emily was being compared to her, she must be a big deal. So, what was she doing here? Even as he wondered, he told himself to let it go. He didn’t have time to think about why she would choose to take a minimum wage job in a nowhere town like Covington Falls.
    If only she didn’t make him smile.
    ****
    As Emily finished ringing up the sale, she hoped she wouldn’t do something stupid like trip and fall into the display case. She could picture cakes flying in the air and tart goo all over her face. Normally, she wasn’t clumsy, but for some reason, putting her anywhere near a kitchen turned her into Calamity Jane. To top it off, Nate was standing across the room with Jessie. She wondered if they were having a good laugh while Jessie told him about the flour incident that morning — she’d managed to repeat her childhood mistake within minutes — or the great chocolate raspberry muffin disaster.
    As she served her young customers, Emily covertly studied him. His pants were splattered in paint, and he had some kind of brown smear across his shirt. His hair could only be described as unkempt, and a faint shadow of a beard covered his jaw.
    He looked scruffy. Scruffy and delicious.
    Oh yeah, her mind had gone bye-bye. She didn’t go for scruffy. At least not anymore. Her scruffy loser phase had gone out with the last of her post-teenage rebellion.
    Emily finished up with her preadolescent fans, and they left the shop on a wave of excited chatter and laughter.
    Jessie clomped over to the counter as soon as they’d left. “You do all right while I was gone?”
    â€œPerfect.”
    Coffee-colored eyes gleamed with silent laughter. “Nothing’s been destroyed at least, right?”
    Emily bit her lip and shook her head.
    â€œI’ll go start another batch of cookies,” Jessie said with a sigh of resignation.
    â€œI could help—”
    â€œWhy don’t you stick to the customers for now?” she tilted her head toward Nate. “Like our handsome painter over there? I’ve got a feeling he’d much rather have you serve him.”
    Jessie disappeared into the kitchen, and Emily had no choice but to turn back to Nate. He was watching her with an ain ’ t-she-cute grin, which she was coming to recognize. She swallowed as he approached. The closer he got, the more she fought not to back up.
    â€œWhat are you—”
    â€œWhy are you—”
    They both sputtered to a halt.
    â€œYou first,” Emily said, waving him on.
    A smile ghosted across his lips. “I thought you’d be halfway across the state by now.”
    â€œMe too. I don’t know what happened. I had to wait for Cletus to get Bessie out of the drink and—”
    His head tilted like the old RCA dog. “Huh?”
    Emily fought a shiver. Why was his every action so sexy? He’d only tilted his head.
    To distract herself, she started rearranging the goodies in the display shelf. “The tow truck driver was out rescuing a stuck cow, so I went to the little diner up the street. I took a walk after lunch, and t hen I saw the sign and ended up in here.”
    â€œA sign?”
    Her head bobbed as she lined up the key lime tarts in a neat row. “A Help Wanted sign. A baker’s assistant seemed like fun, so I applied.”
    â€œJust like that?” His brows furrowed. “Don’t you have someplace you need to be?”
    Mini-strawberry shortcakes spaced evenly. So far the task wasn’t helping to distract her much. “I told you, I’m traveling, hoping to find something to spark my imagination so I can write again.”
    â€œWhen did you tell me that?”
    â€œYesterday when you stopped to help me out. Although maybe you didn’t understand me, since I wasn’t exactly coherent. You made me so nervous.”
    â€œWhy would I make you