The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu

Author:Julie Tieu
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2021-08-18T00:00:00+00:00

I POURED A twenty-five-pound bag of powdered sugar into the commercial Hobart mixer, causing a cloud to puff up toward my face. My dad called, reminding me to make more vanilla glaze. I reassured him that I would do it. That was three hours ago, when my mom left to prepare for tonight’s dinner with Alex. She didn’t tell me what she had planned, but it must be elaborate because she sent Pat out to pick up more groceries.

Now it was an hour until closing and I had to haul ass if I wanted to get home before Alex arrived. I measured water and vanilla extract and added them to the mixing bowl, setting it at the lowest speed. Over the noise, I heard the door chime and rushed to the front counter from the back of the shop.

“Hi! How can I—” Alex’s smile stopped me in my tracks. I crossed my arms as if it would cover up my sugar-dusted clothes. “What are you doing here? I told you to meet at my house at six-thirty.”

“I wanted to come early. See if I could help out. I almost went to your house, but I figured you’d be here.” Alex didn’t look like he was here to wash grease off the trays. He was wearing a light gray button-down shirt and dark jeans. It projected a nice-boy image aimed to ease any concerns from my parents, but the fitted silhouette had a different effect on me.

I swung the door open to let him in behind the front counter. “And what did you think you’d help me with?”

“I can show you if you want.”

He crossed the threshold, angling his face toward mine, his hand on my waist. It was so smooth. So easy. So naive. Words couldn’t describe the delicious sensation of Alex’s parted lips pressed against my palm.

Alex’s eyes popped open over my hand, which held his face away from mine.

“There are cameras all over the shop. You behave yourself,” I warned. “This is a place of business.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He couldn’t hold back his lopsided smile as he mocked my serious tone. It was so annoyingly cute that all I could do was shake my head and return to the task at hand.

I picked up a clean apron for him as we made our way to the back of the shop. Alex lowered his head as I hung the strap around his neck, like I was giving him a gold medal. Before I could tie the straps around his waist, Alex wrapped his fingers around my wrists and held them in place until my hands rested on his shoulders. He folded me into a warm embrace for a slow, tender kiss.

“I’ve been waiting over a week to tell you that,” he said in a register that sounded like it was reserved only for me.

“Okay.” I took a deep breath as my heartbeat picked up. No, wait. That was the paddle whipping the glaze. I snapped out of my dreamy stupor and tied the apron around his waist.

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