them drive away, Tracy peered over at Sophie's thoughtful expression. "Tell me this,my dazzled friend, how is it possible for a man to put that much heat into 'see you, Soph'?"
Sophie sat back down and continued to stare out the window. She didn't know how he did it either, but she was sure glad that heat wave was headed her way.
* * * *
“ So I assume this job takes priority now?”
Reed took his eyes off the road long enough to glance at Ben before answering him.
“ I wouldn'tsay it takes priority. It's more of a side trip. Keith can handle the crew over there for a few days. Besides, being in charge will be good for him. Worst-case scenario and all hell breaks loose, we go to the site and do damage control. We'll have to work around the bakery's business hours anyway.”
“ So.” Ben smirked. “Think you can keep your hands off Sophie's…”
Reed glared at Ben in warning.
He didn't even try to keep a straight face. “…cookies? Think you can keep your hands off Sophie's cookies long enough to actually get the job done?”
"Yes, damn it! I'm a professional.”
There was no response to his declaration. Reed assumed that Ben had used up his daily allotment of words.
Reed pushed the issue. “I mean it.”
Looking far from convinced, Ben gave a slight nod.
He was goingto argue some more but gave up. Who was he kidding? Ben was right. Reed wanted to get his hands on Sophie's "cookies" as soon as possible.
Chapter 6
Sophie's cookies were ready to come out of the oven. She'd brought Lucy over to her house for a visit so Sarah could get some time to herself. The bickering was reaching a boiling point. The more time her mom and sister spent together, the more they argued like an old married couple.
Lucy had a sweet tooth so Sophie brought some iced coffee and a plate of cookies out to where she wassitting on the deck. Her mom had needed a change of scenery. Staying in the house all the time wasn't helping with the squabbling.
Too much stress could cause her to start smoking again. After much pleading from her daughters, Lucy had downgraded from regular cigarettes to vapor or e-cigarettes. Sophie didn't know if they were any better for her, but it was a step in the right direction.
Itwas a beautiful day and Lucy seemed to be relaxing and admiring the scenery. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the black-eyed Susans were starting to bloom. There was a light breeze and the shade from the patio umbrella kept any heat from the sun off her. Seeming content, she drank her coffee and petted Max.
Her mom put her vaporizer down to eat a peanut butter cookie. Max satobediently at her feet, doing his best to look pitiful and hopelessly hungry. His big brown eyes were trained on every bite her mom took. She was an easy mark and gave up a cookie in no time. Max snapped up the treat, panted, and then smiled adoringly at Lucy. His expression changed back to pitiful quickly when he saw that there were more cookies to be had.
Lucy patted him on the head. “Are youmy good boy?”
He maniacally swished his tail back and forth as if to say that he was indeed her good boy and let's have another cookie down here.
Smiling at his antics, Lucy turned to Sophie. “As much as I love Max, when am I going to get a grandchild?” Sophie almost choked on a bite of cookie. She coughed, swallowed, then coughed again.
“ Grandchild? Mom, where did that come from? You've neversaid anything about grandchildren before.”
Lucy gave an expression so pitiful Max could take lessons from it. “Well, honey, I'm getting up in years you know.”
Sophie was baffled. “Mom, you're not that old.”
Her mom's bobbed hair was still suspiciously nutmeg brown without a hint of gray. There were laugh lines around her green eyes and a few around her mouth due to her years of smoking. Despitethat, her face was soft, round and quite attractive. She wore a pink floral peasant blouse with long denim shorts. If anything, the bright
Sophie sat back down and continued to stare out the window. She didn't know how he did it either, but she was sure glad that heat wave was headed her way.
* * * *
“ So I assume this job takes priority now?”
Reed took his eyes off the road long enough to glance at Ben before answering him.
“ I wouldn'tsay it takes priority. It's more of a side trip. Keith can handle the crew over there for a few days. Besides, being in charge will be good for him. Worst-case scenario and all hell breaks loose, we go to the site and do damage control. We'll have to work around the bakery's business hours anyway.”
“ So.” Ben smirked. “Think you can keep your hands off Sophie's…”
Reed glared at Ben in warning.
He didn't even try to keep a straight face. “…cookies? Think you can keep your hands off Sophie's cookies long enough to actually get the job done?”
"Yes, damn it! I'm a professional.”
There was no response to his declaration. Reed assumed that Ben had used up his daily allotment of words.
Reed pushed the issue. “I mean it.”
Looking far from convinced, Ben gave a slight nod.
He was goingto argue some more but gave up. Who was he kidding? Ben was right. Reed wanted to get his hands on Sophie's "cookies" as soon as possible.
Chapter 6
Sophie's cookies were ready to come out of the oven. She'd brought Lucy over to her house for a visit so Sarah could get some time to herself. The bickering was reaching a boiling point. The more time her mom and sister spent together, the more they argued like an old married couple.
Lucy had a sweet tooth so Sophie brought some iced coffee and a plate of cookies out to where she wassitting on the deck. Her mom had needed a change of scenery. Staying in the house all the time wasn't helping with the squabbling.
Too much stress could cause her to start smoking again. After much pleading from her daughters, Lucy had downgraded from regular cigarettes to vapor or e-cigarettes. Sophie didn't know if they were any better for her, but it was a step in the right direction.
Itwas a beautiful day and Lucy seemed to be relaxing and admiring the scenery. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the black-eyed Susans were starting to bloom. There was a light breeze and the shade from the patio umbrella kept any heat from the sun off her. Seeming content, she drank her coffee and petted Max.
Her mom put her vaporizer down to eat a peanut butter cookie. Max satobediently at her feet, doing his best to look pitiful and hopelessly hungry. His big brown eyes were trained on every bite her mom took. She was an easy mark and gave up a cookie in no time. Max snapped up the treat, panted, and then smiled adoringly at Lucy. His expression changed back to pitiful quickly when he saw that there were more cookies to be had.
Lucy patted him on the head. “Are youmy good boy?”
He maniacally swished his tail back and forth as if to say that he was indeed her good boy and let's have another cookie down here.
Smiling at his antics, Lucy turned to Sophie. “As much as I love Max, when am I going to get a grandchild?” Sophie almost choked on a bite of cookie. She coughed, swallowed, then coughed again.
“ Grandchild? Mom, where did that come from? You've neversaid anything about grandchildren before.”
Lucy gave an expression so pitiful Max could take lessons from it. “Well, honey, I'm getting up in years you know.”
Sophie was baffled. “Mom, you're not that old.”
Her mom's bobbed hair was still suspiciously nutmeg brown without a hint of gray. There were laugh lines around her green eyes and a few around her mouth due to her years of smoking. Despitethat, her face was soft, round and quite attractive. She wore a pink floral peasant blouse with long denim shorts. If anything, the bright
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