Red Velvet

He's passing through. I'm staying put. So why does everything about him feel like home?

I didn't come to Faraday Island looking for a distraction. I came to open a bakery, recruit a legendary pastry chef, and prove I'm exactly as capable as everyone seems to doubt. The last thing I needed was a broad-shouldered Alabama lumberjack showing up at the bar, arguing about red velvet cake, and making me forget every sensible rule I've ever lived by.

James doesn't live here. He's fixing up a house to sell and heading back to his real life. I know better than to want someone I can't keep. But he shows up everywhere, learns my coffee order, fixes things I didn't know were broken, and looks at me like I'm the most interesting thing on this island.

But he's hiding something. And the closer I get, the more I realize his secrets aren't just his to keep.

Some recipes can't be rushed. Some risks can't be taken back.