Well, damn it.

“Amazing what?” I ask Hazel Eyes. “Shakes?” I look pointedly at the words on his shirt pocket.

He grins. “Yeah, those too. But I mean jelly doughnuts, which we also make. Sorry, I felt like I had to say something since you were just talking about them.”

He’s got the kind of smile that really spills over into the eyes, and before I can help it, I’m grinning back at his dangerously cute face. “Can you beat the ones Peak Dough made, though? That’s the real question.”

“They used premade jelly they bought in boxes from Costco.”

Whatever my expression, it makes him burst out laughing.

It’s a good laugh, deep and kind of husky. I feel it somewhere in my stomach, swimming and fluttering and utterly pleasant, as I pay the Batter Up! server and take the bag of doughnuts.

Not a good sign.

Holly, you’re taking a break! You’re tired of explaining that kung fu, karate, and tae kwon do are actually different things, remember? And how if one more person thinks you’re lying about having never been to China, you swear you’re going to scream?

“Help you?” The bored-as-ever server asks Hazel Eyes now that I’m done. I slide away from the counter to make room.

Instead, Hazel Eyes slides away with me.

“Right, well, I’m kidding about Peak Dough,” he says, clearly not caring that he’s lost his spot in line. “But I’m not kidding about our jelly doughnuts being better. Earl of Shake, right upstairs.”

Now I am smiling back, and I kind of hate myself for it. But oh, he’s totally flirting, his cheekbones are fine, and all the sugar that I’m breathing in definitely isn’t helping.

“See, that’s a challenge,” I say.

“You challenged first, don’t forget.”

I laugh. “Fair enough.”

“A mutual challenge, then?”

“Impossible, since Peak Dough’s gone.”

“Come by, anyway? Food will be on me.”

“I don’t know . . .”

Hazel Eyes leans over Batter Up!’s counter and calls out to the server, “Hey, got a pen I can borrow?”

After he gets the pen, he fishes out a small card from the pocket of his tee, scribbles on it, and hands it to me.

“My mom’s the owner and it’s grand opening week, so everything’s still kind of chaotic. But come on by tomorrow and I’ll buy you lunch—shake, grilled cheese with cheese of choice, and the best jelly doughnut you’ve ever had.”

The Devil Is in the Design is on, and I’m sitting beside my mother on the couch, pretending I’m watching.