Cupcake Club 04 - Honey Pie by Donna Kauffman Page B

too pink, her smile too forced. “No, it’s not—I spend my days elbow deep in clay, so I’m the last one to . . .” She trailed off, wondering how in the world this had gone so far off her planned track. The women of Sugarberry—and the men, for that matter—were nothing like the folks back in Juniper Hollow, who were quite happy to let a person be if that’s how the person wanted it. Here, according to Bea, they lived inside each other’s pockets. Honey hadn’t realized how smoothly and swiftly—and happily—they’d work their way into hers.
    Alva stepped forward with a very determined look on her face until Honey was forced by the sheer pull of it to look back. “You’ve got it, too, haven’t you?” Alva tilted her head and squinted a little as her sharp gaze probed Honey’s face. “Bea had a knack for knowin’ things.”
    Honey swallowed against a suddenly dry throat, and had absolutely no idea what to say to that. If Bea had been telling them stories about her niece, she apparently hadn’t included that little tidbit.
    â€œBea Chantrell was a toucher, she was,” Alva went on, still looking straight into Honey’s eyes like she could see all her inner workings.
    And, maybe she could. It was unnerving, to say the least. Especially since Alva didn’t seem too disturbed by the idea. More . . . inquisitive, hopeful, even, which was a first for Honey. A shocking first.
    â€œShe always had a smile,” Alva added, “a pat on the arm, and a way of lettin’ folks know that perhaps they needed to keep an eye on this going on, or that.”
    Honey merely nodded, then forced words past the knot in her throat. “She . . . she was, yes. A toucher.” She left it at that.
    â€œYou’re not so comfortable with it, though, are you?”
    â€œNo, I wasn’t . . . am not.” Honey shook her head, still in complete disbelief they were even having this conversation . . . and that she was the only one who seemed freaked out by it. She’d come into the bakery to talk only about her inheritance. She hadn’t been prepared to deal with her “knack for knowing things” as Alva had called it. She hadn’t been prepared for anything that had happened to her since she’d crossed the causeway. “And neither was anyone else where I came from.”
    To Honey’s continued shock and awe, Alva’s face split into a wide smile, and she laughed, delight in her eyes. “Well, Honey Pie, that’ll change here in Sugarberry, you can bet on it. We all came to depend on Bea, and, I’ve a feeling, once folks know about you, they’ll find their way to talking to you as well.”
    Honey didn’t know whether to be terrified by the idea, or just—
    No, she was terrified.
    Lani had been a silent bystander to the conversation, but spoke up now. “Honey, don’t let her talk get you worried. We know how to respect a person’s privacy, the same as anywhere else.”
    Alva simply snorted at that, but at Lani’s warning glance, said nothing else. Her expression, however, remained lively . . . and interested.
    â€œWhat was it you came to talk to me about?” Lani asked Honey. “Why don’t you come back to my office and we’ll sit, have something cold to drink, and chat.”
    I’m well down the rabbit hole now, was all Honey could think.
    Somehow, she had landed square in her own little Sugarberry Wonderland. Only it didn’t feel all that wonderful. It felt scary, unknown, and completely out of her control.
    â€œHave a cupcake,” Lani called out as she led the way to what Honey assumed was her office, motioning to the rack of richly frosted chocolate cupcakes on one of the metal topped work tables. “New flavor I’m testing. Ginger chocolate fudge. I’d love to get your opinion. I’ll brew us some coffee.”
    Not