The Love at First Sight Box Set

bake that morning (pecan rolls and banana cake), she made a casual mention of something Cletus did for her, and Joy melted like a stick of butter.
"That's so romantic," she breathed.
Jennifer smiled sweetly, tucking a piece of brown hair behind her ear. "Replacing the brake pads on my car?"
Joy nodded, her eyes wide and serious. I rolled my lips between my teeth to keep from laughing at her.
"I don't have anyone who can do that for me," she said. "And without needing to be asked, too? He just knew it was something you needed, and he took care of it."
"Yes," Jennifer said, voice sincere, "he does recognize the importance of working brake pads in my life."
"So romantic," Joy repeated, pushing a flour-coated wooden rolling pin over the pecan roll dough until it was sufficiently smooth.
I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped under my breath. Jennifer gave me a tiny wink.
"Anyone special in your life to replace your brake pads, Jocelyn?" Jennifer asked, leaning her elbows on the counter while we worked.
Laughter burst out of me before I could stop it. "Not in the way you're talking. I have to pay someone like the rest of us."
They both giggled.
Joy nudged me with her elbow. "Oh, come on now. She had a customer buy her a cupcake yesterday just because she said she'd never tried the dill pickle, and he was ten kinds of handsome."
"He was just being nice because it was my first day," I interjected, desperate to change the subject. "The cupcake was delicious, by the way."
Jennifer and Joy shared a look, which made me roll my eyes.
"And," Joy continued, "when her shift was over, another man picked her up, and he was just as handsome as Cupcake Guy."
I scrunched my nose up. "That was just Levi."
"Just Levi?" Jennifer asked.
"Levi Buchanan," Joy supplied helpfully, which made Jennifer nod in recognition.
I waved a hand. "He's my best friend."
Jennifer raised an eyebrow, and I didn't like the gleam in her eyes.
"Listen, when you're sitting on the kind of throne I'm sitting on, men falling over themselves to date you is not a common occurrence. Even if I had any desire to date, the thought of having to one, explain the chair so they're mentally prepared for it, and two, have to sit there and wait for them to ask whether I can have sex is not an evening I really look forward to."
"You're so beautiful, though," Joy said, almost sadly. "And funny. You're so funny, Joss. You should have men falling over themselves to date you."
I smiled down at my lap. The downturn in her voice was also something I was used to. It was the recognition that my being in the chair came before any other possible first impression I could make. Heidi Klum could be sitting where I was, and if you came across her at the grocery store, you'd notice her chair first. You'd judge her on that without even meaning to. I didn't hold that against anyone because before I got sick, I probably would've done the same thing.
"Thank you, Joy," I told her.
Jennifer clapped her hands. "Well, you ladies have this under control. I'll let you get back to work since I've got payroll to do. Holler if you need anything, okay?"
I nodded, giving her a grateful smile at the subject change.
We got back to work, assembling the pecan rolls, then mixing the batter for the banana cake until it was ready to go in the waiting ovens. I didn't need to do much talking because Joy took care of that for me. She told me all about her years at the bakery. That she started in high school, working Saturday mornings, and now that she was taking some business classes at the community college, she hoped one day Jennifer would make her assistant manager or something.
She knew almost every customer as they walked in, and they all greeted her by name when they saw her smiling face. A couple of minutes later, she was mid-pecan sprinkle when her hand froze.
"What?" I asked.
"He's back," she whispered excitedly.
I wiped my flour-covered hands on the front of my apron. "Who is?"
"Cupcake Guy," Joy hissed, her cheeks instantly red and flushed. "Go out there and help him!"
"No way," I said firmly. "They don't need my help up there, and you know it."
Joy's face morphed.
Gone was the sweet, ebullient young woman who'd been my co-worker for the past couple of hours.
Gone was the happiest person in the world.
In her place was determined, scheming Joy. She narrowed her eyes, and I actually sat back in my chair from the force of it.
"Mikey, can I get your help back here?" she yelled to the person who was working the register. "Joss will be right up to cover you."
I gasped. "I'm not ready to work the register by myself."
"Get up there right now, young lady."
Gawking at her for a second, I only started moving when she pointed a finger at the front. "Git," she said firmly.
"Geez, fine," I muttered, wheeling past Mikey, a sweet kid from Green Valley High School who nodded as I begrudgingly took his place behind the counter.
Brad/Chris hadn't seen me yet since he was peering behind the glass case at the daily offerings. No dill pickle and fortunately for me, there was nothing in that case that I hadn't tried yet. Casual as can be, I got behind the register and made a show of straightening the pens and the tip jar, none of which needed to be straightened. Over my shoulder, I looked into the kitchen and saw Joy peeking around the corner.
I really, really wanted to flip her my middle finger, but I was afraid I'd crush some piece of her effervescent soul if I did.
Brad/Chris straightened, and my stomach did an actual backflip when his handsome face transformed from polite interest to a pleased smile.
Oh my Lord, was this what it felt like to have a crush based on little to no information?
He could be a serial