Wedding Cake Wishes Read Free

don’t both need to lose time at our jobs during Mom’s recovery.”
    â€œThat won’t be a problem.” Trina glanced sidelong at her daughter. “You didn’t tell him, did you?”
    With heat scaling her neck and face, Caroline shook her head.
    Her always matter-of-fact mother took a step toward Logan. “Because of the current economic downturn, investors pulled the financial backing on the Ultimate Center, and the whole project for the mega-mall that Caroline managed folded.”
    â€œYou lost your job?”
    Caroline looked up to find Logan watching her. She pressed her lips together and nodded.
    â€œI’m sorry to hear that.”
    â€œThanks.” His compassionate tone made her shift where she stood. Vulnerability was a new feeling for her, and she doubted she would ever wear it well.
    â€œAs soon as Caroline told me what had happened at work, I knew this would be perfect. God definitely has a plan here.”
    â€œGod wanted your daughter to lose her job?” The side of Logan’s mouth lifted.
    â€œOh, you know what I mean.” Trina waved away his usual attempt to be a class clown with a brush of her hand. “So it appears that you’re both available to work here, at least for a while. And it’s going to take both of you.”
    He appeared to consider what she’d said. “Go on.”
    â€œOkay, Logan, your heart was in the right place when you volunteered to run the bakery, but you don’t have any business experience. Caroline has that, so it’s a blessing that she also has an abundance of free time right now.”
    â€œThanks, Mom.” Caroline slid a glance Logan’s way and was relieved he wasn’t watching her now. Hermother had managed to praise and offend both of them at the same time.
    â€œJust telling it like it is.” Trina held her hands wide. “And, Caroline, though you have more business experience than he does, Logan is more invested in this business than you are. He’ll do whatever it takes to make sure the bakery survives.”
    â€œShe’s right,” Logan said. “I will.”
    â€œEven if that means putting up with my daughter being here to do it.”
    Logan opened his mouth, but he must not have been able to argue with that logic because he closed it and nodded. “Mom needs to have something to return to when she recovers. No matter what, we have to make this work…for her,” he said after a moment.
    â€œYes, we do,” Caroline agreed. The vehemence in her voice startled her, but she couldn’t help it. His determination was contagious. Strange, the compassionate and purposeful man she’d faced today didn’t fit with the image she’d had of Logan any more than his broad shoulders and toned, tanned arms, clearly of a man who worked with his hands, matched those of the boy she used to know.
    She smiled to herself as she realized that maybe she didn’t know him as well as she’d thought. But when he grinned back at her, his trademark dimples popping on his cheeks, Caroline’s breath caught, and a ticklish feeling settled inside her belly.
    â€œAre you all right, sweetheart?”
    â€œWhat?” Caroline jerked, caught daydreaming for the second time in a single conversation.
    â€œAre you going to be okay to handle this project?”
    â€œOf course I will.”
    But was she really okay? Something had to be wrong with her if she was reacting so strangely to Logan. She usually didn’t let any man faze her. Certainly not a guy who was four years younger than she was. Absolutely not a player with boyish charm and movie-star good looks. Hadn’t she learned her lesson about men like Logan Warren a long time ago?
    She pushed away painful, private memories with a shake of her head. Whatever was going on inside her, it had to stop right now. She’d just promised to help Logan learn to run his mother’s business, and