The Secret Ingredient Read online

  “Slow down, sport.” Eli said automatically. “Let me see those hands. You wash?”

  When his son held up grimy palms, Eli scooted a step stool in front of the kitchen sink. Bash hopped up on it, turned on both taps, and pumped soap onto his palms. After rinsing and drying he held them up once more for inspection.

  “A-O.K.”

  It had been a long time since Eli had cooked for anyone other than customers or family. Not only did he want to impress her man to woman but also on a professional level.

  “Mmm.” Her eyes closed. “The texture is amazing. Everything is perfect.”

  When she opened her eyes, he grinned and toasted her. “Thank you.”

  They ate in silence for a few minutes. Becca spoke. “You mentioned a business proposition. I’m curious. It seems like such an about face.”

  Eli set his glass down. “I didn’t leave your place right away. I took a few minutes to look around and realized you weren’t trying to take away my business, you were aiming for a different niche.” She nodded, so he continued, “The more I thought about it, the more I realized we could benefit each other.” He blew out a puff of air, realizing he was more nervous than he might have thought. “I’m revamping my menu. I’d like to use some of your breads and desserts. I thought maybe we could do some cross-promotion and you could wholesale me what I buy.”

  He’d surprised her. She set her fork on her plate and wiped her face with her napkin. Shit. She was going to turn him down flat.

  “Never mind,” he hurried gruffly. “Bad idea.”

  “No. It’s a good idea,” she murmured.

  His gaze jerked back to hers. The nerves she always showed in their personal discussions were gone. She met his gaze. “I guess I’m just surprised—no shocked really—that you would propose it. You were pretty dead set against me being here.”

  He grimaced. “We got off to a bad start. My fault. I sure didn’t show it, but I’m a good businessman. We could both capitalize on what we do. If you drive the food business to me, it gives you more time to concentrate on your specialty—the baking. In return, you get a steady customer and I get the foundation for a new and more unique menu.

  “Mercer’s is in a rut. I’m not dissing my family or the restaurant, but it’s time to update what we’re doing.”

  “Please tell me you aren’t getting rid of your cheeseburgers...”

  Eli grinned at her alarmed expression. “No way. But it’s time to let a few others die, like the fried bologna sandwiches and the liver mush.”

  When she wrinkled her nose, he laughed. “Your reaction says it all.”

  She shrugged. “Just be careful. My dad always liked the fried bologna. Said Mercer’s was the only place around that understood bologna should be sliced about an inch thick.” He saw her glance at the clock. “I should go. I get up at four.”

  He didn’t want her to leave but had no reason to ask her to stay. Bash watched them with an interested expression.

  “We’ll walk you home.”

  She flushed. “No. It’s not far, and this is Mountain Meadow after all.”

  Damn. Eli wanted to push. Her hesitancy made him want to push. But somehow he knew that would be a mistake.

  “To the end of the block then. Me and Bash.”

  She glanced at the boy who grinned back at her. “Okay.”

  When they reached the corner, Bash gave her a big hug, pressing his face against her stomach as he squeezed his arms around her thighs. Eli swallowed, feeling a sudden flash of envy for his five-year-old. Awkward again, he propped his hands in his back pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Good luck tomorrow morning. We’ll stop by at some point.”

  She smiled. “Thanks. And thanks for dinner, Eli. Let me think about your proposal, okay? I never make snap decisions when it comes to business. Right now, I just need to get the doors open.”

  “Sure thing.”

  He watched her walk away. The sway of her hips fascinated him.

  “She’s pretty.”

  Eli stroked Bash’s curls. “She sure is.”

  He should stay a million miles away. He had compelling reasons to do just that, the most important standing right next to him. It was difficult to forget Becca had always fascinated him—or how completely oblivious she’d been to him.

  * * * *

  From the moment the doors opened, a steady stream of customers flowed in and out of The Secret Ingredient. Mostly locals, but a fair number of out-of-towners as well. Becca manned the counter and the cash register and plugged in zip codes as she handled checks. She wanted a good idea of where their customers were coming from because ultimately that would guide her in what she offered.

  Her family showed up in force. Her parents sent flowers. Jake and Holly brought all the kids in, including Holly’s younger brother Tyler who was Jared’s age. The peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwiches were a big hit with Noelle and the twins. A few minutes later, Luke and Rachel came in with Emma. Elijah slept peacefully in his baby carrier, oblivious to what was going on around him. When the whole Richardson clan trooped in next, Becca laughed.

  “Between family and adopted family, y’all are going to take up the whole dining area.”

  Catherine Richardson smiled and winked. “And if folks have to line up outside, then it will give you some cachet as the place to be.”

  Even more than the lunch customers, Becca was pleased by the people purchasing bread. The apple cinnamon walnut bread sold out first, but the rosemary and olive oil wasn’t far behind. She’d also made sure there was plenty of plain wheat and white bread along with some flaky croissants. Jared grinned when he saw what a hit those were since he’d made them.

  They were only open until two. A few minutes before closing, Eli and Bash wandered in.

  “Any chance we can get a peanut butter, banana, and honey to go? Dad’s picking Bash up in a few minutes. He’s spending the night with them.”

  Becca puffed at a stray curl and smiled at Bash. “Sure!”

  “Can I help make it like last time?”

  Becca looked up. No other customers were there, and it looked like they were done for the day. “Sure. Duck on under the walkthrough and I’ll take you back. Jared can help you while I keep your dad company and watch for any more customers.”

  “Cool!”

  Bash zipped underneath and stuck his hand in hers. Jared had just finished removing some of the loaves for tomorrow morning.

  “This guy would like the Sebastian Special. Can you help him make it?”

  Jared grinned. “Sure. Come on big guy. Let’s get your hands washed.”

  When she came back out, Eli was helping himself to some of the samples on top of the counter. “Damn, Becca! This cranberry orange is fantastic. Slap some of our chicken salad on this, and folks would be eating it like nobody’s business.” He turned to look at her with his velvety eyes. “Have you thought anymore about my suggestion?”

  Becca swallowed. “I have. I have some questions. Are you...are you busy tonight? I thought maybe I could fix dinner and we could talk about it.”

  She smoothed her hands over her apron. Keep it simple, Allred. Business. This was just business.

  Eli tugged at one of his earrings. “Seven?”

  She nodded. “Ring the bell. I’ll come down and let you in.”

  Bash came back out at that point, carefully carrying a box with his sandwich inside. When Eli leaned to one side to get his wallet, she put a hand on his arm to stop him. As she made contact with his bare forearm, their eyes met. She saw her own surprise mirrored in his. Maybe he felt that same tingle she did.

  “It’s on me, Eli. After all, Bash made it.”

  He grinned at her. “Thanks, Becca. Come on, Bash. Let’s hit the road, buddy.”

  By the time the bell rang that evening, Becca had worked herself into a state of extreme nerves. Even though she kept reminding herself they were only discussing business, she kept remembering back to the night Eli and her brothers, Caleb
and Noah, graduated from high school. They’d thrown a big party on the back of the farm, down near the river. Becca had sneaked out and crept down to where they were. Her parents thought the boys were just camping out, but Becca knew a lot more was going on.

  She hiked to their campground and slipped up on them as quietly as she could. Just about everyone had paired off. Caleb and Noah were both kissing their girlfriends in the shadows near the campfire, but she couldn’t see Eli...and that’s who she wanted to see. Becca had the worst crush on him. But he didn’t even know she existed other than as Caleb and Noah’s kid sister. Hearing a noise closer to the river, she’d headed that way.

  Eli was there with the girl he had casually dated throughout his senior year, but they were doing a whole lot more than kissing. Like a mouse held in thrall by a snake, she watched, unable to look away. Eli had been beautiful, bare from the waist up and his pants sagging just below his taut buttocks. For what seemed like hours, she had watched him moving. Finally, Becca had slunk back home, her crush wiped away by the knowledge that Eli was way out of her league.

  It was silly. Thinking about that. It was half a lifetime ago. They weren’t kids anymore. She certainly wasn’t a naïve fourteen year old. There’d been men. Becca liked sex. Or she had.

  Her steps slowed as she descended the stairs. There was no reason to think he would be anything like Mark. This was business. That was all. Putting on her best professional smile, Becca nodded at Eli through the glass and unlocked the deadbolt.

  “Hi.”

  “Same to you.” When she continued to stare at him, Eli tilted his head slightly. “You gonna let me in or not?”

  “Oh. Sorry. Come in.”

  She had to look up at him as he walked past, and it struck her once again just how big he was. He’d played defensive end on the high school football team and had sacked plenty of quarterbacks. She’d always wondered why he hadn’t gone on to play in college.

  “Everything’s upstairs.”

  He stood to one side. “I’ll follow you.”

  It made her nervous, knowing he was right behind her.

  You should be flattered I want you. It’s not exactly like men are lined up to take out a woman as tall as they are who’s built like a milkmaid.

  She swallowed as Mark’s words came back. Anger had sparked them, but they had stuck in Becca’s mind, feeding her own self-doubts. She closed her eyes and stumbled on one of the steps. Eli’s strong hand steadied her elbow.

  “Okay?” his deep voice tickled along her nerves.

  “Yeah. Just a klutz.’

  “Tired.” He offered quietly. “You’ve had a long day. I should have taken you out, not let you cook.”

  His simple statement made her forget that her butt might be just a bit too big. He sounded concerned and sincere, not as if he were looking to pounce on her every weakness.

  “I wanted to cook,” she told him.

  * * * *

  They reached the top of the steps. Eli studied his surroundings. She’d done the same thing here that she had below, stripping the walls to the brick, but it was softened with a couple of large handmade quilts used as wall hangings. Hardwood floors gleamed. There wasn’t a lot of furniture and the area looked more like a loft than an apartment. As he looked around, he saw a wall had been added to separate the living area from what he assumed must be the bedroom and bath toward the back.

  In addition to the quilts, she had photographs he recognized as Noah’s, and some fabulous antiques. The interior was lit with several floor lamps.

  “This is a great space, Becca.” Her invitation had surprised him from the beginning, so her nervousness now made him wonder if she regretted making it. “Anything I can do to help with dinner?”

  “No,” Her smile was a nervous flash. “I kept it simple. Steak and salad. I remember you used to like it rare. I hope you still do.”

  He smiled, unable to hide his surprise. “You remember how I like my steak?”

  She blushed. “You did spend a lot of time at our place with Caleb and Noah.”

  Her tone was defensive and embarrassed.

  “Hey! Don’t get mad. I’m flattered you remembered. That was so long ago, but yeah, I still like my steak rare.”

  As she plated the steaks and salad, he observed her. She’d left her thick hair loose tonight, and it tumbled down her back, nearly to her waist. Made a man think about wrapping it around him. She wore a colorful sundress with a V neckline that showed off some of her cleavage, a high waist and a long silky skirt alternately hid and revealed the curves he knew lay beneath it. God he’d like nothing more than to slip the straps off her shoulders and free those glorious breasts. When his cock twitched, Eli forced himself to look at the table.

  Set for two with a bottle of wine already open.

  “Would you like me to pour?”

  She glanced up. “Sure. Thank you.”

  So polite. Like strangers. But then wasn’t that what they were? As he poured, she carried the plates to the table. It would be so much better if they stayed that way. Kept things strictly business. He couldn’t afford to get involved with a woman because of Bash. And simply being fuck buddies in a town as small as Mountain Meadow was hardly feasible, particularly when Bash was in the picture.

  Still. He wondered what she’d say if he suggested it?

  She was watching him. He smiled. “Ready?”

  He seated her. He could tell it surprised her. Good. Once they sat across from each other, he picked up his wine glass. “To a lovely woman and a lovely meal.”

  “Thank you.”

  Deliberately keeping the discussion during dinner off of his business proposal, Eli instead asked her about what she had done since leaving Mountain Meadow, hoping he would find some clue to her nervousness around him. They had known each other most of their lives. She shouldn’t be nervous. Sure, she’d always been Caleb and Noah’s kid sister—and therefore officially off limits—but they still knew more about each other than a lot of husbands and wives. Maybe too much. He vividly remembered her laughing her ass off the first time he and the twins had gotten drunk and barfed out behind the Allred’s barn.

  As Becca talked about culinary school, she was completely at ease. Even discussing her job in D.C. didn’t bother her. When she mentioned her boss, though, tension tightened her voice. The faintest tremble vibrated through the fingers that reached for her wine glass. Eli decided to change the subject. He’d found out what he wanted to know. Her boss figured into her nervousness in some way.

  “I hear you did all the catering for Luke and Rachel’s wedding,” he tossed out.

  She smiled as if he’d tossed a lifeline. The sparkle returned to her pale green eyes. “I did. The wedding was small, mostly family and close friends, but it was one of the factors in my decision to come back here. I had so much fun doing it.”

  “So are you thinking about that kind of catering too?”

  “We’ll see. It seems like a natural extension of providing cakes, but I need to build the bakery business first.”

  Eli set his glass down. “You know. I feel like I should apologize again for being such an asshole. I think we’ll make much better allies. You mentioned you had a few questions about my business proposal?”

  “I don’t want to be locked into baking the exact same breads every day. I mean, I will always have fresh wheat and white bread, but I’m also planning on two sweeter breads and two savory ones every day—just not the same ones. Is that variety something you can live with?”

  Eli sipped his wine and leaned back in his chair while he thought it over. “Yeah. It will keep our menu from becoming stale—and as you say—you’ll always have white and wheat for those folks who don’t want the variety. Are you willing to provide bread and a selection of desserts to me wholesale in return for the promotion and a steady client?”

  She nodded. “Do we need to draw up a contract?”

  Eli arched one dark brow. “We could just kiss on it.”

 
; He’d meant it as a joke. Then he saw the flash of hurt on her face an instant before she stood and began clearing the table. He was instantly sorry. He got to his feet and took the rest of the dishes to the sink before reaching out to lightly touch her arm. She eased away from him.

  “Bad joke. Okay? I just meant. Hell. Becca, we’ve known each other for years. I know your whole family. You know mine. I just meant our word’s enough. We could shake hands.”

  She had her back to him. He saw her shoulders slump.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just really nervous, you know? I—I haven’t been alone with a guy in a while and well, to be honest, Eli, I had a horrible crush on you when I was a kid. You were this golden, smart-alecky jock...”

  Eli heard the embarrassment in her voice and knew he had to give her something to help ease it. “Kind of like I used to watch you every chance I got?”

  She gazed at him with startled eyes. “Huh?”

  Eli chuckled. “Oh yeah. From the moment you hit puberty. Hell, every time I spent the night with Caleb and Noah, I would sneak around hoping to get a glimpse of you. Any glimpse was good, but I really hoped to score the big one...you naked.”

  Becca laughed at that, her cheeks flushing. “Come on!”

  He smiled. “Seriously. Jake caught me once lurking outside your room and nearly pounded the shit out of me.” He paused, his face and his voice sobering. “I always thought you were gorgeous. You still are.”

  She looked uncomfortable again. “Don’t...”

  His fingers stroked the back of her hand. “What’s made you so skittish, Becca? So wary and cynical?”

  “Couldn’t I ask you the same thing?”

  He leaned his hips back against the counter next to the sink. With his hands crossed over his broad chest, he responded, “Yeah. You could. And I’ll answer. Sebastian’s mother, Heather, my ex. She’s given me good reason to be cautious, especially where Bash is concerned. Now, what about you?” He hardly dared breathe, wondering if she would actually answer.

  “My ex-boss.” Her voice was hardly more than a whisper. “He pressured me into going out with him, took me back to his place. When I said I didn’t want to go to bed with him, he got insulting and rough.”