will be to push the
number of your one call for bail.”
“On what charge?” Pat demanded.
Officer Lockwell leaned in. “Battery on a police officer.”
“My mother died with a box of triple chocolate gourmet cupcakes sitting in her lap,”
Pat informed him. “People have a right to know an unhealthy diet can be lethal.”
“Then educate the public someplace else.”
“We will,” Pat said, her face smug. “My Zumba class is leading the opening exercises
at the Relay for Life fundraiser this weekend.”
With a signal from Pat, the Zumba dancers dropped their picket signs and stepped aside
to let Creative Cupcakes customers pass by.
Andi was relieved, but the smiles that she, Rachel, and Kim exchanged with Officer
Lockwell quickly faded. They’d gained a new friend, but they’d also gained a new enemy.
“I’m not going to give up,” Pat hissed over her shoulder as she walked away, “not
until Creative Cupcakes closes for business.”
“I think she means it,” Rachel said, her voice raw.
“Doesn’t she have anything better to do?” Kim complained.
“No, but we do.” Andi picked up an orange half-page flyer one of the women had dropped
on the ground. “The Relay for Life fundraiser for cancer research draws hundreds of
people each year.”
Rachel’s mouth popped open. “The perfect venue for a new cupcake shop to advertise.”
“And help the community at the same time,” Kim added.
“Who says cupcakes can’t be healthy?” Andi asked, handing them the flyer. “We can
bake low-calorie, low-sugar, gluten-free, and even fruit and vegetable cupcakes. We
can promote health awareness. But even more important,” she said, balling her fists,
“we’re going to prove Creative Cupcakes has a place in this town.”
Chapter Seven
----
Relay for Life Fundraiser Checklist
800 mini cupcakes, each color frosting representing a different type of cancer
Plastic stackable trays to transport cupcakes in back of car
Calculator and pouch with small change
Napkins (lots of napkins!)
O N F RIDAY NIGHT Andi, Rachel, and Kim closed Creative Cupcakes at five o’clock and set up their tented
booth at the Relay for Life fundraiser. The event, usually held in June, had been
moved up to mid-March to accommodate needed repairs to both the high school track
and the encircling football field.
“We look like Easter eggs,” Kim complained, tying on her purple apron. “Whose idea
was it to wear purple?”
“Mine,” Rachel informed her. “Purple represents pancreatic cancer. In memory of my
grandmother.”
“The scarves can also help keep us warm,” Andi said, taking the purple scarf Rachel
handed her. “The spring chill will make people walk even faster this evening.”
Andi had no history of cancer in her family and had never fully understood why people
walked to raise money for cancer research. But as she watched a young mother pushing
her daughter around in a wheelchair, a cancer victim no older than Mia, she realized
it was because they could. What an amazing gift it was to have the ability to walk.
To live life. And to help others.
The stories she overheard of hardship and survival made her want to hug her child
more, laugh with Rachel and Kim more, spend more time with Jake . . .
She missed Jake. Despite her reluctance to allow herself to commit to a serious relationship,
she couldn’t stop thinking about him. He worked at the newspaper during the day and
helped out at the cupcake shop every night, but she hadn’t spent time alone with him
since the previous weekend. And five days seemed like an eternity. She kept her eye
on the crowd, hoping to see him.
Instead, Pat, accompanied by twenty other women, all wearing pink tassels for breast
cancer, visited their multicolored cupcake display.
Pat gave a smile too fake to be real. “We just wanted to stop by and wish you luck.”
“Wish us luck?” Rachel grumbled as the Zumba dancers
number of your one call for bail.”
“On what charge?” Pat demanded.
Officer Lockwell leaned in. “Battery on a police officer.”
“My mother died with a box of triple chocolate gourmet cupcakes sitting in her lap,”
Pat informed him. “People have a right to know an unhealthy diet can be lethal.”
“Then educate the public someplace else.”
“We will,” Pat said, her face smug. “My Zumba class is leading the opening exercises
at the Relay for Life fundraiser this weekend.”
With a signal from Pat, the Zumba dancers dropped their picket signs and stepped aside
to let Creative Cupcakes customers pass by.
Andi was relieved, but the smiles that she, Rachel, and Kim exchanged with Officer
Lockwell quickly faded. They’d gained a new friend, but they’d also gained a new enemy.
“I’m not going to give up,” Pat hissed over her shoulder as she walked away, “not
until Creative Cupcakes closes for business.”
“I think she means it,” Rachel said, her voice raw.
“Doesn’t she have anything better to do?” Kim complained.
“No, but we do.” Andi picked up an orange half-page flyer one of the women had dropped
on the ground. “The Relay for Life fundraiser for cancer research draws hundreds of
people each year.”
Rachel’s mouth popped open. “The perfect venue for a new cupcake shop to advertise.”
“And help the community at the same time,” Kim added.
“Who says cupcakes can’t be healthy?” Andi asked, handing them the flyer. “We can
bake low-calorie, low-sugar, gluten-free, and even fruit and vegetable cupcakes. We
can promote health awareness. But even more important,” she said, balling her fists,
“we’re going to prove Creative Cupcakes has a place in this town.”
Chapter Seven
----
Relay for Life Fundraiser Checklist
800 mini cupcakes, each color frosting representing a different type of cancer
Plastic stackable trays to transport cupcakes in back of car
Calculator and pouch with small change
Napkins (lots of napkins!)
O N F RIDAY NIGHT Andi, Rachel, and Kim closed Creative Cupcakes at five o’clock and set up their tented
booth at the Relay for Life fundraiser. The event, usually held in June, had been
moved up to mid-March to accommodate needed repairs to both the high school track
and the encircling football field.
“We look like Easter eggs,” Kim complained, tying on her purple apron. “Whose idea
was it to wear purple?”
“Mine,” Rachel informed her. “Purple represents pancreatic cancer. In memory of my
grandmother.”
“The scarves can also help keep us warm,” Andi said, taking the purple scarf Rachel
handed her. “The spring chill will make people walk even faster this evening.”
Andi had no history of cancer in her family and had never fully understood why people
walked to raise money for cancer research. But as she watched a young mother pushing
her daughter around in a wheelchair, a cancer victim no older than Mia, she realized
it was because they could. What an amazing gift it was to have the ability to walk.
To live life. And to help others.
The stories she overheard of hardship and survival made her want to hug her child
more, laugh with Rachel and Kim more, spend more time with Jake . . .
She missed Jake. Despite her reluctance to allow herself to commit to a serious relationship,
she couldn’t stop thinking about him. He worked at the newspaper during the day and
helped out at the cupcake shop every night, but she hadn’t spent time alone with him
since the previous weekend. And five days seemed like an eternity. She kept her eye
on the crowd, hoping to see him.
Instead, Pat, accompanied by twenty other women, all wearing pink tassels for breast
cancer, visited their multicolored cupcake display.
Pat gave a smile too fake to be real. “We just wanted to stop by and wish you luck.”
“Wish us luck?” Rachel grumbled as the Zumba dancers
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