Sweet Love (NG5)

23 - Double agent

Lana called Will when he was driving home from the gym. He had to pull off the road because the old car didn't have hands free ability. "What's up?"

"You have social media!" Her excitement pinged off every tower between Virginia and Maine.

"Yeah, so? My assistant takes care of it, but it's been quiet during the off season."

"No, I mean The Landing! You're selling cupcakes today for a limited time."

"It's Thursday." He searched The Landing on his phone and found two platforms.

"So?"

"Your friend Oliver is letting her use his kitchen on Thursday and Monday mornings."

"That's nice of him." Lana calmed down. "This girl is trying to get more business. That's a good thing. Let me know how the cupcakes are."

Will had to stop by but he needed to go for a run first. By the time he had his protein shake and showered it was after one. As he pulled the car into the parking lot, he thought he stepped into a time warp. It was too early in the season for long lines. Alex's pickup parked next to him.

The two men met shaking their heads. "This could be every day. I don't have time to waste in the line. Come on."

Following him around back, Will expected the door to be slammed in his face. Kat wasn't happy with him when she found out the truth about his career. She liked him even less when he was her boss.

Nick answered the door and didn't hesitate to serve them. Alex ribbed him about building a porch. Will had to concede the cupcakes were professionally baked and perfectly frosted. When he bit into the red velvet with cream cheese frosting, he erased any doubts he had about Kat.

"Jen would have been first in line, if she wasn't working today."

"Don't eat them all. Your kids are lucky."

"They have great parents!" Alex laughed. Nick came back with coffee. Alex thanked him. "I have an estimate to do."

"Don't remind me. I have no choice do I?"

"Not if you know what's good for you."

At home Will sat to review his investments, and then he moved to The Landing. Sales had been up all week. When an email came from Kat, he wanted to scream. One minute, he was warming up to the need for an oven and the next she asked him for an expensive latte machine. They sold coffee and only coffee. He didn't mince words when he told her no.

Tired from paperwork and staring at figures, like a murderer, Will circled back to the crime scene. Nick greeted him when he entered. He was a good kid. Will had watched him grow up on Plover Way.

"Are you here to try one of the new sandwiches?"

Will had always been an excellent poker player. "What sandwiches?"

Nick laughed. "Not following our new accounts. Ivy has been keeping them up to date with Sophie's help. We've been really busy."

Kat stepped forward. "Will was the first to have the one with secret sauce."

"I'll have the old chicken pesto panini." New sandwiches were fine as long as she didn't mess with the old ones.

"The pesto is homemade now. Did you like the cupcake?"

"Delicious but I'm really trying to cut out processed sugar."

She smiled. "Sorry. I'm a baker."

Nick said, "Remember our poll."

"Poll?" Will looked from Nick to Kat.

Nick chuckled. "Kat received some disappointing news, so it's Kat versus invisaboss."