Seattle that they will enjoy the same high-quality baked goods as I make in my own kitchen, and that any customer would find in my flagship location on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. That’s what puts us a notch up over the rest.”
Jackson stepped forward into the crowd and clapped loudly. “That about does it for the speeches, folks. Please come over and sample the delicious offerings we’ve laid out today, as I think our products will speak for themselves.” He ushered everyone toward the tables.
“Well said, Jackson.” Aunt Lillian gave him a wink as her husband, Great-Uncle Henry, helped her off the podium. “Come on over here. And Chase, Mariah, you come up here, too, for some photos.” She beckoned them all forward.
Mariah smiled at the command in the older woman’s voice. She placed the half-eaten cupcake on a nearby counter and blotted her mouth with a napkin. She wished she could touch up her lipstick, but had to comfort herself with the fact that at least she wouldn’t have icing all over her mouth. “Coming...” She put on a bright smile and walked over in her brown peep-toe pumps toward the group.
After all the baking she’d done during the last three days, her smudged attire wouldn’t do, so Mariah had gone home for a quick shower and change of clothes. She hadn’t known what to wear for such a grand event and had erred on the side of chic elegance. She’d slid into a tailored denim pocket skirt and coral shirt teamed with a brown belt, and put a cream blazer over her outfit before rushing back to the bakery.
She’d arrived just in time to see her parents’ noses wrinkle as they walked into bakery. Graham and Nadia Drayson were ultraconservative, especially her mother, and they didn’t understand why she, Chase and Jackson had agreed to waste their money on such a foolish investment. Her father was a traditionalist who had made much of his sizable wealth in real estate, and fully expected one of her brothers to follow in his footsteps, but they’d chosen their own path.
Lillian’s of Seattle wasn’t some harebrained scheme. It was a family business, and with Aunt Lillian’s seal of approval, they would steadily build on the brand. And why shouldn’t they? Their cousins Carter and Drake, with their best friend, Malik, Belinda’s husband, had already successfully branched off from the family business with their Brothers Who Bake blog and successful cookbooks. They’d even gone on tours and there was discussion of a potential television series.
Why shouldn’t the Seattle Draysons get in on the action? When Mariah had presented the idea to Jackson, he was on board immediately. Chase had taken a little more convincing. He’d been working for a successful accounting firm and wasn’t all that eager to give up that hefty paycheck, but eventually she and Jack had convinced him that with their aunt’s support, it was a sound investment.
Mariah smiled as she, Lillian, Chase and Jackson posed for multiple pictures. Some were taken of them behind the display and a few others were outside in front of the stenciled Lillian’s of Seattle sign. Mariah was trying her best to grin from ear to ear, even though her cheeks hurt, when she saw a sexy fine man strolling up the sidewalk toward them. He was clean-shaven, with a short haircut, and was nearly as tall as Chase. He wore a tailored gray suit with a checkered dress shirt and blue tie. Everything about him screamed money, which only enhanced his sex appeal. It was definitely the man who made the clothes, not the other way around.
Mariah didn’t know who he was and wasn’t altogether sure she wanted to, because the torrid sensations he was causing to flow through her body to the place between her thighs was making her feel flush all over.
He stopped when he reached them and paused for several seconds as he surveyed Mariah up and down, before opening the glass storefront door and walking inside Lillian’s.
“Mariah!” Jackson called.
“What?” she asked, exasperated by the interruption.
“One more picture,” the photographer said, when she turned back around after staring at the sexy stranger. Mariah forced herself to focus on the task at hand, and smiled buoyantly.
When the session was over, Jackson whispered in her ear as she quickly headed to the front door. “What’s wrong with you?”
She glanced back at him. “Nothing. Why?”
“You just look funny, is all,” he commented as he followed her inside.
“Well, I’m fine,” Mariah replied. Or so she hoped. She glanced around the bakery for the mystery man. It was easy to find him in the crowd, because he commanded attention. She gulped. Her breath hitched and heart lurched into an excited rhythm. Damn! From across the room he was openly admiring her, and she didn’t like the way he made her feel with just one hungry gaze. Her entire being yearned for something she couldn’t quite name, didn’t want to name. Why was this man having such a profound effect on her?
* * *
Everett Myers was intrigued. Not just by the new pastry shop that had just opened, but by the beautiful siren he’d seen standing outside by the sign. Who was she? And how could he meet her?
He’d come to find out if Lillian’s was as good as the critics claimed, but as soon as he’d walked toward the group and photographer standing outside, he’d liked what he’d seen. Smooth caramel-toned skin, a pert little nose and straight honey-blond hair had Everett licking his lips. It wasn’t as if she was dressed provocatively, either. She was stylish and classic in a cream blazer over a coral top, but it was the sexy blue jean skirt hugging her behind, allowing him to make out her curves, that had him standing at attention. She had to be in the neighborhood of mid-twenties, which suited him just fine. God, what’s wrong with me? he wondered.
Deep down, he knew what. It had been a long time, too long, since he’d felt this way. Sure, she’d seen him when he approached, but since she’d reentered the establishment, she’d been doing her best to ignore him.
Everett wasn’t used to being ignored. With him being six foot two, it was impossible not to see him coming. Plus, everyone in Seattle knew who he was. The Myers Hotel chain was synonymous with luxury and class, and had been a staple in the urban community for nearly thirty years. If people didn’t know him personally, they knew of him or knew his name. He supposed that’s why he was irked that the young woman who’d caught his eye was doing her best to feign ignorance at his blatant appreciation of her.
Just at that moment, the beautiful siren turned and glanced toward him. He flashed her a smile, but she quickly looked away. Damn, had he really lost his charm? He had been off the market the last nine years. He’d married Sara, his college sweetheart, when he was only twenty-one, and their son, Everett Jr.—EJ for short—was born soon after. But five years ago a tragic accident had taken Sara’s life.
It wasn’t easy being a widowed father at the grand old age of thirty, but he was doing his best to provide a loving, stable home for EJ. Up until now, he hadn’t been eager to give EJ a new mom. Had he had opportunities? Heck, yeah! When he’d been single, Everett had often had women propositioning him, but as soon as he’d been widowed it got worse. They were all too eager to find out exactly how many zeros were in his bank account.
Or was he being too cynical? Maybe they just pitied him and felt his then three-year-old son needed a mother. And maybe EJ did back then, but Everett hadn’t had it in him to even think about marrying again. He wasn’t sure he could stand losing someone else he loved. And so he’d remained a bachelor the last five years, and quite frankly, had been content with the single life. Until now.
Determinedly, he strode over to where the gorgeous woman stood, speaking to a small group of people. She glanced up when he approached,
