So Much More (Made for Love #3) Read Free

creating the perfect scone. It was the last experiment he and I endeavored to conquer together. It took me years before I was able to craft a whole wheat, blueberry scone recipe that was delicious enough to call my own—and I picked up more than a few tricks along the way.
    The kitchen is the place where I miss my dad the most, but it’s also where I feel closest to him. By the time I was eighteen, I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted my own coffee shop/bakery—a bakery that specialized in unique and original breakfast pastries. I had no clue how I was going to make it all come together. I didn’t really have any money. I didn’t want my mom’s. I wanted to make it on my own, and I wouldn’t let my lack of know-how stop me.
    It’s been eight years since I left home. For a while, I worked odd jobs, saving every spare dollar. I stuck around the Fort Collins area because here is where I’ll always belong and I didn’t have the heart to leave. I took a few college courses here and there, when I could afford them, and managed to get as far as an associates degree. When I started working for Lori full-time, I knew I had found a place where I could gain some real hands-on experience. Little Bird was her baby and she ran it well and taught me all kinds of things about owning a small business. I never, in my wildest dreams, imagined that it would one day be mine.
    The coffee shop might have been her baby, but photography is her passion. When she was offered the opportunity to take two years to travel the world, snapping pictures of anything and everything, collaborating with a videographer she met on a random trip, she couldn’t say no. She’s a nomad at heart, which is why she trained me so well in the first place—so she could leave someone she trusted at the shop while she pursued her art. Even when she was here, we’d only ever see her a couple times a week. When she decided to leave Little Bird, she told me that I was the reason she was willing and ready to say goodbye.
    Even though I’ve been saving up for years, I didn’t have enough money to buy the establishment from her outright. I got a business loan as well, but that still wasn't enough. She wasn’t deterred. She told me to spend the money I had on the necessary renovation and we struck a deal for me to buy it from her in monthly installments. It’ll take me a few years, but we agreed on the terms and now—now I’m standing in front of Little Bird Cafe. Home of Brandon’s Bakery.
    “Hey,” Daphne murmurs, gently squeezing my elbow to catch my attention. “How about a latte? And whatever pastry you have on special this morning.”
    “You bet. Come on in,” I say, opening the door for her.
    Rachael is my barista behind the counter this morning. Sage will be in a little later. As I rattle off Daphne’s usual for her to prepare, I reach into the pastry case for the fresh citrus loaf I made this morning. I’m getting used to the early starts, my days beginning at four a.m., but that doesn’t stop me from pouring myself a black coffee of my own to suck down while I sit with Daphne for a minute.
    “So, how goes the hunt for replacing me?” she asks, a smile in her eyes as she sips at her beverage.
    I shake my head. “You joke, but it’s not funny. I’m dying for some dependable full-time help. Someone I can trust.” I’ve got a pretty decent staff of about five people—but all of them are college kids, save one, and they all work part-time. Seeing as how we’re a hot spot for CSU students, I can’t say I’m surprised. Plus, I’ve been here long enough to know what the turnover rate is with the kids that come and go. I’ve had a few people interested in the position, but I’m hesitant to give it to just anyone.
    “I’m irreplaceable,” she says with a playful shrug. “Stop looking for another partner-in-crime and just settle for someone who will get the job done. Don’t kill yourself while on the hunt for the perfect fit . I know that