Sweet Love

Book excerpt: Falling for your best friend might be a recipe for disaster, but this small-town baker can't help jumping from her pie pan into the fire. Mila Bailey has always had a special talent for creating unique, show-stopping pies. But until her great-aunt leaves her the entry fee to the Pine Ridge Spring Bake-Off, she's only ever shared them with friends and family. Thrust into the spotlight, Mila is determined to prove to everyone—but mostly herself—that she has what it takes to compete with top-level bakers. There's only one flaw in her plan: The not-so-half-baked feelings she's starting to develop for her best friend, Jared Kirkland. Jared has always believed in Mila's gifts, but lately he's struggling not to fantasize about sampling more than just the spoon from the batter. No matter how much he tries to tell himself that Mila is not for him—his dreams have always reached beyond Pine Ridge—he can't deny this new spark between them. Mila embodies Pine Ridge, and Jared wants to break free. How can either of them move on knowing the loves of their lives have been right under their noses all along?