by Amber Crewes
Will Meghan’s attempt to give her assistant a second chance at restoring their relationship backfire or will a determination not to harbor unforgiveness in her heart lead her to the true murderer?
Donuts and Disaster
1
“IT’S A HUGE PROMOTION!” Jack Irvin exclaimed as Meghan Truman beamed back at him. The pair stood in the dining area of Truly Sweet, Meghan’s bakery, and Meghan could hardly believe Jack’s good news.
“Being moved up from a police officer to a detective is serious business, and I can’t believe it just happened to me.” Jack explained, his face filled with pride.
Meghan could see the excitement in Jack’s blue eyes, and she felt butterflies in her stomach as he grinned at her. She could hardly contain her crush on Jack; they had been on several dates together over the last few weeks, and as she stared up at his enormous smile and deep dimples, Meghan hoped she wasn’t blushing too hard.
“I’m so excited for you,” she said. “This is cause for celebration. How about I bake a nice black forest cake for you? You could take it in to work to celebrate. I’m sure the folks at the station would love some treats.”
Jack nodded enthusiastically. “That’s truly sweet of you to offer,” he replied, winking at Meghan as the heat rose to her cheeks. “I love your cakes so much, but you know what would be great, Meghan? Donuts!”
Meghan’s dark eyes widened. “Donuts?” she answered weakly. “Are you sure?”
Jack bobbed his head affirmatively. “Yeah! Chief Nunan was just talking about how badly she wanted donuts, and this is the perfect occasion. I know that cakes, pies, and cookies are your specialty here at the bakery, but could you swing some homemade donuts for me? That would be so awesome.”
Meghan brushed a stray dark hair from her forehead and wrinkled her nose. “Come on, Jack! Let me make some brownies for you, or even a pie! Isn’t it a big cliché for police officers to love donuts?”
“Guilty as charged! I’m just a big cliché, but humor me here, Meghan. Pretty please make some donuts for me? Please? I would be the most popular officer at the station if I walked in with some homemade donuts.”
Meghan forced herself to smile. She ran a hand through her long, dark hair, and looked up at Jack. “Of course, Detective Irvin” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I would be happy to make homemade donuts for you.”
Jack gathered Meghan into a hug. “Thank you,” he said. “You are truly the sweetest.”
After Jack left, Meghan raced upstairs to retrieve her cell phone from the little apartment just above the bakery. She rifled through her purse, throwing aside gum wrappers, her sunglasses case, and her wallet. “Where is it?” she groaned, tossing the contents of her purse onto the wooden floor.
When she finally found her cell phone, she dialed the number of Karen Denton, one of her best friends. While at twenty-seven, Meghan was several decades younger than Karen, there had always been a strong connection between the two women, and whenever Meghan had any trouble, Karen was her first phone call.
“Come on, Karen, pick up!” Meghan muttered as the phone rang and rang.
Finally, Karen answered. “Meghan! How are you, sweetie?”
“Karen, I have a problem,” she whispered, her stomach churning. “I need your help.”
“What’s that sweetie? So sorry! I’m on mile fifteen of my twenty-mile run and the reception out here is just awful.”
Meghan couldn’t help but laugh. At seventy-three years old, Karen Denton was the fittest, healthiest person Meghan had ever known, and Karen was always training for something.
“My marathon is coming up next month, you know, and these back roads aren’t going to run themselves! Meghan? Meghan? Are you there?” Karen asked, her voice cutting in and out. The call suddenly dropped, and all Meghan heard was the dial tone.
“Shoot,” Meghan said. She thought for a moment, and then called Lori, her trusted assistant. Lori had been working as an assistant in the bakery for several months, and Meghan adored her company; Lori was like the little sister Meghan never had, and Meghan knew she could always rely on her.
“Meghan!” Lori squealed as she answered Meghan’s call. “How are you?”
Meghan smiled. Lori was unfailingly friendly and energetic, and Meghan loved having her around.
“I have a little problem, Lori,” she said, her voice serious. “Jack came over earlier and had something important to ask me….”
“Finally!” Lori exclaimed. “Finally! It’s about time.”
Meghan cocked her head to the side. “Finally? What are you talking about, Lori?”
“He came over and asked you to be his girlfriend! It’s about time! You’ve been on a handful of dates with him, and even your dogs get along well together! I’m so happy to hear this news, Meghan! Jack is such a cutie. I can’t believe he asked you to be his girlfriend at last.”
Meghan sighed. She had been thinking a lot about their budding relationship; Meghan had moved to town and met Jack only a few months ago, and while she hadn’t been fond of him at first, she had developed strong feelings for him. She hoped that perhaps someday, their relationship would turn into something more than just dates at the dog park and the occasional dinner together, but for now, she had bigger donuts to fry.
“That’s not what he asked me, Lori,” she said. “He asked if I could make donuts for him. Donuts, Lori!”
Lori paused. “Wait, what? I don’t get it, Meghan.”
Meghan took a long breath. “I don’t know how to make donuts, Lori,” her voice tinged with sadness. “I never trained formally to become a baker! I went to college, and then moved to Los Angeles to become an actress, and when that didn’t work out, I ended up here in Sandy Bay.”
“But your treats are so good, Meghan! Who cares about formal training? Lots of people don’t train for things and are successful.”
“Lori,” Meghan said slowly. “You don’t get it. I have no idea how to make donuts! I tried once, and it was a total failure! I couldn’t get the filling right, I burnt them in the fryer, and the sugar melted into a big mess when I tried to sprinkle it on top. I don’t know what to do. I told Jack I would make him three dozen homemade donuts to celebrate his promotion at work, and I don’t know how to make homemade donuts! What do I do?”
Lori giggled, and Meghan felt the sharp tug of rage in her belly. “Lori!” Meghan said sternly. “Why are you laughing at me? This is serious.”
Lori giggled again. “I have good news for you, boss.” Lori said. “When I was a little girl, my father taught me how to make donuts; it was one of our traditions, and each Saturday morning, we would spend time together making donuts for the whole family.”
Meghan’s spirits immediately lifted. “Lori, are you saying….”
“I’ll help you, Meghan. You know I’ll help you make the donuts for Jack. It’s my pleasure, boss!”
The next two days were a flurry of activity in the bakery. Meghan waited on customers and filled her corporate orders, and Lori worked away on several types of homemade donuts. She and Meghan taste-tested each batch, and after making several hundred different donuts, the pair agreed on the best three flavors.
“My favorite is the toasted coconut mocha dream.” Lori sighed, as she bit into a warm donut.
Meghan nodded. “Yes,” she said. “That’s one of the best flavors. My two favorites were the blueberry lemon and the chocolate chai. I think we have some winners here, Lori. You have been such an angel to help me. Thank you so much for your help.”
Lori blushed, her small, elfin face aglow with Meghan’s compliment. “I was happy to do it, Meghan. Anything for you.”
“We’ll have to introduce these to our customers at the bakery, Lori. They’re wonderful. You’ve been so helpful, and I want everyone in Sandy Bay to see how wonderful the donuts are.”
Two days later, Meghan wanted to eat her words. Jack had been thrilled with the donuts; he raved about them to Meghan, and he even sent a thank you car
d and a bouquet of red roses to the bakery. The residents of Sandy Bay had also been thrilled with the newest addition to the bakery, and after several hundred compliments, Lori’s ego had exploded in a way Meghan had never experienced.
“They’re saying my donuts are the best thing to happen to this town in years!” Lori bragged to Meghan as they loaded a tray of fresh donuts into one of the display cases. “Mrs. Sheridan told me that she wishes that I had started baking them earlier. People are begging for my donuts. Begging!”
Meghan nodded politely. Lori’s excitement over her success had been endearing at first, but after enduring Lori’s endless boasting over the last few hours, Meghan was ready to scream.
“Kirsty Fisher told me that my donuts are so good that I should open my own shop. I knew my donuts were good, but now, I just know they’re fantastic.”
Meghan rolled her eyes. “Lori,” she said gently. “I’m thankful you helped with the donuts; you really came through for me, and you know how much I appreciate your help! I just think that we should focus on work right now and maybe chat a bit less about the donuts? They were a great team effort, but we have a lot on our plate right now. Let’s focus on the task at hand.”
Lori narrowed her eyes at Meghan, and she angrily placed the tray of donuts on the counter beside her. “I knew it,” Lori said quietly. “I knew this would happen.”
Meghan raised an eyebrow. “What, Lori?”
Lori frowned. “You’re just jealous,” she said. “Mrs. Sheridan said you would be jealous, and I can just tell. You’re jealous that I made such amazing donuts and that everyone is obsessed with them.”
Meghan laughed aloud. “Lori, don’t be silly,” she said. “You helped make the donuts, but I created the flavors and picked the ingredients. This was a team effort, Lori. Let’s not lose sight of that….”
Lori crossed her arms across her chest and glared at Meghan, her eyes flashing with anger. “A team effort? Meghan, come on. You may have helped, but I made these donuts with my own two hands. I have so much potential. Everyone in Sandy Bay has been telling me that after tasting my donuts. Don’t kid yourself!”
Meghan stared at her assistant, her lips turning downward. “Lori,” Meghan advised. “Please don’t speak to me like that. I don’t appreciate the attitude.”
Lori tore off her yellow apron and threw it on the wooden floor in front of Meghan’s feet. “Fine,” Lori said. “I’ll take my attitude somewhere else!”
Lori turned on her heel and stomped out of the bakery, slamming the door as she left. Meghan sighed. “That wasn’t truly sweet of her, was it?” Meghan muttered to herself. She was familiar with the saying that all good things must come to an end but she never in her wildest dreams foresaw her relationship with Lori ending this way.
2
“AND THEN SHE WALKED OUT! It was so rude, Karen. I’ve never seen Lori act like that. She’s usually such a sweetie, and she was just awful to me!” Meghan later ranted to Karen on the telephone, feeling the frustration bubbling in her chest.
“She called me later to apologize, but it didn’t feel very genuine; she mentioned that the courts have given her full access to her late father’s estate, and she’s thinking about selling their family business to attend college. I just don’t know how invested she is in my business anymore, Karen! Her little show today at the bakery was too much, and such a hasty apology didn’t feel nice, either.”
Karen sighed. “Pride can make the prettiest girl ugly,” she replied. “I remember when I won my first triathlon. I broke a Sandy Bay record that had been standing for over fifty years, but Meghan, that victory made me too big for my own britches. I marched around this town for days with my head held higher than a queen. Looking back, I wish I had been more humble, but like little Lori, I was just a young, naive girl. I didn’t understand how silly I made myself look.”
Meghan groaned. “I just want things to go back to normal, Karen! Lori has been such a good assistant to me, and while I love having the donuts in the bakery, I don’t want any more trouble between the two of us. I just want things to be relaxed and easy again.”
“Well,” Karen said. “You said Lori offered an apology earlier. I know you weren’t pleased with it, but sweetie, I think you’re going to have to accept it, at least for your own sanity. The girl lost her way for a day or two, but Lori isn’t a bad person. It sounds like she’s just happy to have something to be proud of. She hasn’t had it easy, that Lori, and I’m even glad that she had the opportunity to do something big.”
Meghan took a long, deep breath. “You’re right, as always,” she said to Karen. “I know it’s been difficult for Lori; her father was never nice to her, and when he died unexpectedly, I know she was very upset. I’m glad she’s had something of her own to smile about with those donuts of hers.”
“Fabulous! That’s the spirit!” Karen cheered. “That’s my Meghan. Just be patient and kind with her, and everything will work out. Just let Lori do her thing, Meghan, and eventually, it will all work out. I know you, and I know Lori, and I know that the two of you will be fine come tomorrow.”
Karen could not have been more mistaken. The next morning, Lori sauntered into the bakery, her chin tilted upward as she strolled inside.
“Hey, Lori!” Meghan said cheerfully, hoping their day would be less eventful. “How’s it going?”
Lori smoothed down her pixie cut and sashayed across the wooden floor, her hips swaying and her shoulders moving in sync. “Oh, hey,” Lori said dismissively. “‘Sup?”
Meghan pursed her lips. “‘Sup? Umm…..?”
Lori rolled her eyes. “It’s a way of saying ‘what’s up’.”
Meghan nodded. “Yeah, I know. Anyway, how are you? All okay, today?”
Lori flashed a brilliant smile at Meghan and daintily sat down at one of the white iron tables in the dining area. “We need to talk, Meghan,” Lori said matter-of-factly. “Have a seat.”
Meghan slowly lowered herself into one of the little white chairs, annoyed that Lori was inviting her to sit in her own bakery. “Okay?”
“Look,” Lori said, leaning back into her chair and draping one leg over the other. “It’s been fun to work here, Meghan, but after everything this week, I just don’t know about my future at Truly Sweet.”
Meghan inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth, willing herself to remain calm. “What do you mean, Lori? I thought things were okay between us? You called yesterday and apologized for your outburst, and I accepted your apology. I thought we were good?”
Lori rolled her eyes and gave Meghan a pitying look. “Meghan,” Lori said. “I’ve done a lot of thinking, and if I sell my father’s business, I won’t really need this job anymore. So many people have been complimenting my donuts and talking to me about my potential, and I just think I have more to offer than the average person! I think I can do amazing things, and I just don’t think amazing things can be done here.”
Meghan bit her bottom lip, feelings of rage and hurt swelling in her chest. She was immensely proud of her bakery; Meghan had built Truly Sweet from the ground up, and it was one of the most successful bakeries in all of the Pacific Northwest! Lori’s attitude was hurtful, and Meghan fought back tears as she looked Lori in the eye.
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” she said flatly. “What are your plans, then?”
“I want to duck out of Truly Sweet in two weeks,” Lori informed Meghan. “I think I can be great somewhere else, or on my own.”
Meghan nodded. “Fine, then,” she said quietly. “I guess I’ll consider this your official two weeks’ notice?”
Lori nodded emphatically. “Yep. This is it. Well, I had a week of vacation time saved up too, so I want to take that next week. Friday is really my last day here. I just wanted to let you know.”
Meghan stared at Lori, clenching her hands into fists under the table. “So you have three days left here. Got it. Thanks for letting me know, I guess….”
Lori shrugged.
“You’re welcome. I guess we should get to work now. I saw the order sheet in the back when I came in, and we have a few hundred donuts to make. I guess I should show you how to make them yourself since I’ll be gone after Friday, right?”
Meghan gritted her teeth. “Right,” she said. “Let’s get to work, Lori. Like you said, we have several hundred donuts to make, and I guess I’ll be making them all by myself come next week...”
3
The next morning, Meghan awoke to three missed calls from Lori. She glared at the phone as she opened her voicemails, still angry from Lori’s unexpected departure the day before. Meghan took a long breath, but before she could listen to the messages, Lori called again. Meghan answered on the second ring.