The Marriage Recipe by Michele Dunaway

usage.”
    Her mom leaned her hip against the doorjamb. “If you’re a little strapped for cash, we could do an exchange. You give us some desserts to sell during our business hours and I’ll give you use of the kitchen. That’s probably a fair trade. I doubt Kim will mind.”
    â€œMind what? I’m hearing my name. Is this a meeting?” Kim slid by Adrienne and entered Rachel’s bedroom. It always amazed Rachel how thin and spry her grandmother was. Turning seventy hadn’t slowed her down at all. Her grandmother still did yoga and tai chi to keep her five-foot-four body flexible.
    â€œRachel wants to use the diner’s kitchen in exchange for giving us some goodies to sell in the front display case,” Adrienne said.
    â€œCan you make my bear claws?” Kim said, peering at her granddaughter.
    â€œActually, yes,” Rachel confirmed. “And cakes, pies and other pastries. I thought I’d test some new recipes, and look into what it would take to open a cyber bakery.”
    â€œDon’t know what the world’s coming to.” Kim shook her head in disbelief. “Still don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t just go to their local store for something fresh baked. Heck, you can get cakes decorated in Wal-Mart and they’re quite tasty. The girls at the diner bought me one for my last birthday. Not as good as mine, but not half-bad, either.”
    â€œSo can she use the kitchen or not?” Adrienne asked, bringing Kim back to the real subject.
    Kim nodded. “Of course. It’s a great idea. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of orders. Closest Wal-Mart is in Greensburg and closest supermarket is in Batesville. The way the price of gas is, if your desserts are any good, you’ll be swarmed with buyers.”
    â€œI hope so,” Rachel said. “I could use the money. This will also give me a chance to develop some new recipes if Marco does end up winning.”
    â€œHe won’t,” her mother reassured her. “Rachel saw Colin Morris about Marco’s demand letter,” she explained to Kim. “He’s going to let her know tomorrow whether he can take the case. He probably has to discuss it with the partners.”
    â€œIf Reginald says no, I’ll go next door and give him a piece of my mind. Loretta will let me, too. Either that or I’ll add hot-pepper sauce to his prime rib tomorrow.”
    Rachel laughed. She loved her feisty grandmother. “There won’t be any need to poison Mr. Morris. Colin just wanted to discuss fees with him. I’m sure everything will be fine.”
    â€œOf course it will. Colin’s turning into quite a good lawyer,” her mother said.
    â€œNot that anyone but him doubted he would,” Kim interjected. “The boy has to believe in himself more. He’s always had to play second fiddle to Bruce. Now, that boy was smart. Highest bar score in the state.”
    â€œI asked for Bruce, but he’s on vacation with his wife,” Rachel said.
    â€œOh, she’s a pretty thing, too,” Kim said. “I told you that story already, right?”
    â€œYes,” Rachel said. Kim knew everything that went down in Morrisville.
    â€œI’m sure Colin will do a good job on your case,” Adrienne said.
    Kim blinked rapidly—she was still all fired up. “Why wouldn’t he? Heck, you’ll probably get more personal attention having Colin as your lawyer. That boy had a crush on you for years. And you certainly didn’t turn into an ugly duckling in New York.”
    â€œWhat?” Rachel asked, not sure she’d heard her grandmother correctly.
    â€œI said you didn’t get ugly when you moved to New York,” Kim replied, shifting her weight.
    â€œNo, before that. That Colin had a crush on me,” Rachel said.
    â€œHe did,” Kim replied with a nod. “We all thought you had to be crazy to pass him