The Layers Of Love

ke cinnamon, warm but

tle heavy from lack of sleep. She'd been up late sketching recipe notes in the margins of h

rning? They

ers moved from memory, her brain already halfway into the oven. The recipe was untested, a

anym

e muttered under her breath. "It e

e slid it into the oven like she was load

ll over the bac

pecting Rosie

was A

jea

. "Are you...

ightly mussed from the wind, a paper cof

ised a

tchen. "I couldn't sleep. Figured I'd stop

me the air with generic regret

and held out the cof

ted. Took

ou're forgi

n ticked. The early light spilled in through the fr

o focused at five-thirty

e oven. "It's a test

's in

sso, cloves,

oked

ha

u always sound like a

, busying herself wit

no business b

king?"

stop

ver asked

wai

watching the sun catch the steam

y. "Just for a second. A bite of something warm, and the w

. "I can unde

anced

? Why br

d the surface. Seeing what makes people tick-wh

between them. Familiarity. A th

th

t bell r

h

yellow tulips, wrapped in paper an

he grinned, walking

ipped. "Theo, you

setting them down beside her. "Bri

flus

nd spotted Adrian, still holding his

"Didn't realize it w

ame early. Couldn't resis

together. This was goi

fins?" Theo asked, with a litt

casually. "But I hear the

narrowed, ju

ie said she had something important to

and Miss Gracie bustled in with a t

before sunrise!" she beamed. "I sho

n and clapped her hand

one t

dly, "has been invited to compete in

Rosie poked her head

it's time. We've got the talent. We've got the flavor

oze. "Wai

eezing her shoulder. "And don't worry-you

the oven wasn't the

ach flip. Adrian? Co

jaw c

ice smooth. "We'll work together to b

chirped. "Start brai

ntered, leaving the air charg

Lianna. "You

k so. I mean...

t his eyes said

Ad

t watc

a busines

ike a

out how a honey-and-coffee t