and the code?”
“Yes.”
“If the sitter’s here introduce yourself.”
“Hope to be a bit later,” Jules said.
“Good luck.”
“I’ll need all you can give me and more.” Jules shrugged into his coat and grabbed his briefcase.
* * *
Grace wiped sweat from her forehead with a wet paper towel. She’d finished the final batch of cupcakes an hour ago. She sprayed the oven and set trays of finished cupcakes in the industrial freezer. Once she finished the oven she would mot the floor. As she worked she hummed a random series of notes. At five thirty she emptied the mop water in the utility room and entered the shop to collect the accumulated cash and charge slips.
Bonnie pointed to the nearly empty cases. “Been a good day. Oh, Joe from the diner wants to increase his daily order from one dozen to two at the usual price.”
Grace frowned. “When did he start an account?” There were several restaurants who ordered cupcakes every week. The diner wasn’t one.
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll look into this on Monday.”
“Is Mr. Hottie coming this evening?”
Grace nodded. “We’re going out to dinner and discuss that Good Eatin’ thing.” That really wasn’t the reason. Jules had explained the terms last night. If Tony thought the article would be good for the business she would sign.
One thing bothered her. Could she trust Jules? Last night she’d agreed with his view of the contract. She had slept with him and done things she had only imagined. Things she wanted to repeat and feel the shocking sensations again.
She carried the case, credit card slips and checks to the office where she opened the computer. She counted and entered the totals and then prepared the bag for the bank deposit.
The bell above the shop door jangled loud enough for her to hear. Charlene’s nasal twang and two lighter voices called greetings. Moments later the bleached blonde started screaming. Grace hurried into the front.
Two girls from the group home sat at a table. Charlene’s son was with them. His shaggy blond hair inched below his cap.
Grace checked the hot chocolate pot, filled a cup and placed the beverage on the table in front of the boy. She turned to the girls. “There’s more if you want to finish the pot.”
“Thanks.”
Charlene strode to Grace and stabbed a blood-red fingernail into Grace’s chest. “Is eight all you have?”
Bonnie stepped from behind the case. She held a box in her hand. “Busy day.” She returned to her station and stacked the empty trays on the glass case.
Charlene grabbed Grace’s arm. “Go to the back. I need twelve more and make them the special ones. Mama wouldn’t be happy with just eight.”
“I can’t give you more,” Grace said. “No new stock until Monday.”
“Mama’s gonna be disappointed. You owe her big time for all she’s done for you. If she didn’t teach you how to cook you would never got that scholarship to the fancy cooking school. Mama should be your partner.”
Grace clenched her hands. By showing skill and knowledge she had earned the scholarship. “Sorry. The kitchen is closed, cleaned and locked. I’ll explain tomorrow when I stop by to help with Sunday dinner.”
“Don’t bother making excuses. Tomorrow will be too late.” Charlene stalked away.
“Yell her I can’t stay all day. I’ve a business meeting with Lauren about a cupcake tower for her wedding rather than a cake.”
Charlene glared. “She ran away, lived on the streets doing who knows what and snags a rich man. I could have found my own but with a baby in my belly I was trapped. Some people have all the luck.”
Grace drew a deep breath. Things she wanted to say flashed in her thoughts. Lauren had run away. Charlene had been part of the reason. Her “borrowing” clothes, jewelry and money plus her catty remarks had driven Lauren to run. Once she found her sister Lauren had worked hard to change her life.
The bell jingled. Jules stepped inside.
“Yes.”
“If the sitter’s here introduce yourself.”
“Hope to be a bit later,” Jules said.
“Good luck.”
“I’ll need all you can give me and more.” Jules shrugged into his coat and grabbed his briefcase.
* * *
Grace wiped sweat from her forehead with a wet paper towel. She’d finished the final batch of cupcakes an hour ago. She sprayed the oven and set trays of finished cupcakes in the industrial freezer. Once she finished the oven she would mot the floor. As she worked she hummed a random series of notes. At five thirty she emptied the mop water in the utility room and entered the shop to collect the accumulated cash and charge slips.
Bonnie pointed to the nearly empty cases. “Been a good day. Oh, Joe from the diner wants to increase his daily order from one dozen to two at the usual price.”
Grace frowned. “When did he start an account?” There were several restaurants who ordered cupcakes every week. The diner wasn’t one.
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll look into this on Monday.”
“Is Mr. Hottie coming this evening?”
Grace nodded. “We’re going out to dinner and discuss that Good Eatin’ thing.” That really wasn’t the reason. Jules had explained the terms last night. If Tony thought the article would be good for the business she would sign.
One thing bothered her. Could she trust Jules? Last night she’d agreed with his view of the contract. She had slept with him and done things she had only imagined. Things she wanted to repeat and feel the shocking sensations again.
She carried the case, credit card slips and checks to the office where she opened the computer. She counted and entered the totals and then prepared the bag for the bank deposit.
The bell above the shop door jangled loud enough for her to hear. Charlene’s nasal twang and two lighter voices called greetings. Moments later the bleached blonde started screaming. Grace hurried into the front.
Two girls from the group home sat at a table. Charlene’s son was with them. His shaggy blond hair inched below his cap.
Grace checked the hot chocolate pot, filled a cup and placed the beverage on the table in front of the boy. She turned to the girls. “There’s more if you want to finish the pot.”
“Thanks.”
Charlene strode to Grace and stabbed a blood-red fingernail into Grace’s chest. “Is eight all you have?”
Bonnie stepped from behind the case. She held a box in her hand. “Busy day.” She returned to her station and stacked the empty trays on the glass case.
Charlene grabbed Grace’s arm. “Go to the back. I need twelve more and make them the special ones. Mama wouldn’t be happy with just eight.”
“I can’t give you more,” Grace said. “No new stock until Monday.”
“Mama’s gonna be disappointed. You owe her big time for all she’s done for you. If she didn’t teach you how to cook you would never got that scholarship to the fancy cooking school. Mama should be your partner.”
Grace clenched her hands. By showing skill and knowledge she had earned the scholarship. “Sorry. The kitchen is closed, cleaned and locked. I’ll explain tomorrow when I stop by to help with Sunday dinner.”
“Don’t bother making excuses. Tomorrow will be too late.” Charlene stalked away.
“Yell her I can’t stay all day. I’ve a business meeting with Lauren about a cupcake tower for her wedding rather than a cake.”
Charlene glared. “She ran away, lived on the streets doing who knows what and snags a rich man. I could have found my own but with a baby in my belly I was trapped. Some people have all the luck.”
Grace drew a deep breath. Things she wanted to say flashed in her thoughts. Lauren had run away. Charlene had been part of the reason. Her “borrowing” clothes, jewelry and money plus her catty remarks had driven Lauren to run. Once she found her sister Lauren had worked hard to change her life.
The bell jingled. Jules stepped inside.
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