Raspberry Kisses (The Bakery Romance Series Book 1)

by Cecelia Dowdy

  She tapped her gold watch. “I can’t talk about it now. I have to go, but, I’ll be in touch.” She hurried away, not giving Rhea a chance to respond.

  Chapter Nineteen

  When Rhea returned home from her lunch with Taylor, her cell phone buzzed. She opened it, finding a message from Raven.

  Rhea, I’m going to be out of touch for a few weeks. Everything is fine. I’m just working through some things. No need to stop by to check on me. You can snail mail your payments for your loan.

  What? She read the email twice before calling Raven. Her phone went straight to voicemail. Something was wrong with her twin. This note didn’t even sound like something she’d write.

  Rushing from her apartment, she ran to her car and drove over to Raven’s. What if Raven were really sick?

  What if her cancer had returned?

  Was Raven scared? Maybe that’s why she was acting so strange. She pushed her foot on the accelerator. She had to get there quickly to see if Raven really needed her.

  She pulled into Raven’s driveway, rushed to her door. She unlocked it and ran into the basement apartment, finding her sister sprawled on the couch, reading a book. “I got your message.”

  Raven rolled her eyes, closed her book. “I told you not to come and check on me. I’ve got to work through some things and I don’t want any company for a while.”

  Rhea eyed her sister. She seemed calm and the coffee table was littered with dirty dishes. Thank goodness, at least it appeared that she’d been eating properly and it looked like she was getting better. “I just need to make sure you’re okay.”

  “I’m fine,” she snapped.

  “Don’t get mad at me!” She narrowed her eyes. “I want to make sure you’re not sick.” She bowed her head for a few seconds. “I’m not talking about being injured in the accident.” Without explaining, she figured Raven would know she was talking about the cancer. Since she’d gone into remission when they were children, her cancer had not returned, and Rhea had been grateful for that. Now, Raven sends a cryptic message…something just wasn’t right. They rarely spoke about Raven’s cancer, but, with Raven’s recent email, she had to mention it, just to be sure.

  Raven’s eyes rounded, and she looked directly at her twin. “No, it’s not that.”

  Good, that was a relief. From Raven’s tone, and the way she looked right at her, Rhea knew she was telling the truth. So, if it wasn’t cancer, then, what was wrong? “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

  Raven pursed her lips. “Of course I know that. But, have you ever thought that there are some things that I don’t want to talk to you about?”

  Of course she didn’t think Raven would tell her everything about her life. However, if there was something that was bothering her so much that she didn’t want any contact for a few weeks, well, then Rhea wanted to know what it was. Leaving Raven’s question unanswered, she scanned the room. A huge cluster of daisies nestled in a vase on the kitchen table, and the living room window was open. A breeze blew into the room, and the flower petals danced in the light wind.

  Raven had never mentioned liking daisies, had she? She’d always preferred more expensive flowers like roses or orchids. “Where did you get the daisies?” The question slipped out before she could stop it. If she showed too much curiosity, then Raven would just get irritated without confiding to her.

  “Does it matter where I got them? Don’t they look nice?”

  Yes, they looked nice and simple, and totally opposite to what Raven preferred. Perhaps she was seeing a new man and he’d brought her flowers? Could that be? She studied Raven while she lifted her book, turning to the spot where she’d left off. No, there was no way she’d be dating somebody. How could she meet anybody since she couldn’t drive and she was still on medication, not yet healed from her accident?

  She started reading her book, ignoring Rhea. Well, it looked like she wasn’t going to be getting any more information from Raven, so she might as well leave. Raven looked fine, so, there wasn’t anything else that Rhea could do. “Well, I’m leaving now.”

  “Bye.” She didn’t even look up from her book. “Lock the door on your way out.”

  She grabbed Raven’s chin, forced her to look into her eyes. “If you need anything at all, you can call me. Okay.”

  Raven shrugged, pulled away, looked back at her book. “Okay.”

  Taking another glance through the room, she left Raven’s home, locking the door. She walked back to her car, got in. Now, what was that all about?

  *

  A week later, Rhea stood with Martin and Candy outside her restaurant, munching on one of the new sandwiches they were serving as part of her updated café menu. She took a large bite – the sourdough bread paired nicely with the fresh herbs, veggies and meat on the sandwich. She’d taken some to her Bible study group and they’d been amazed about how good the food tasted.

  Martin really knew how to revamp a food business. Finishing her sandwich, she focused on the work crew hoisting the new sign onto the top of her bakery. “Martin, it’s perfect.” Rhea grinned. The crew continued installing the sign with her logo of a cupcake, sandwich, and hot coffee on the top of her bakery. Using a drill, they attached the logo to the building. It looked beautiful, and she blinked, happiness sprouting through her like a geyser. She glanced at Martin, caught him staring at her. His dark eyes sparkled with warmth.

  “I’ve never seen you smile so much.” His tender, deep voice made her heart beat faster. She longed to be held in his arms, wishing she could kiss his full lips. Of course, that wasn’t going to happen.

  Since she’d told him over the phone weeks ago that there was no hope for a relationship between them, he’d kept his distance when they saw one another. Still, she often caught him staring at her, and she wondered what he was thinking.

  Candy clapped her hands, squealing. “Martin, I’m so glad you helped us. It looks great.” She glanced at Martin and Rhea, her eyes gleaming with pleasure. “Our grand opening is only one week away, and I can’t wait.” She strolled back into the bakery while Martin and Rhea remained outside, still admiring the sign and the new décor.

  “Rhea, I really hope your celebration goes well next week. I promise I’ll be here, but I have a church meeting that morning.”

  “How are things going at the church?”

  He sighed, still staring at the new sign. “Linda is still running around, still working to keep me out of the pulpit. I checked with the church secretary, and so far she hasn’t received the pastoral application from Linda’s grandnephew.”

  “So, he’s not a candidate for the pastorship? That’s good news, right?”

  “Well, he still has time to turn it in—the deadline is a couple of weeks away.”

  Why did Martin seem to be upset? What was the problem?

  “But, you don’t want him to turn it in, right? Do you think he’s going to?”

  “Yes, I think he will. Linda is acting as if her nephew is getting the job, even though the application is not turned in. I feel that she’s hiding something, but, I can’t figure out what it is.” He glanced at her. “The last time my group fed the homeless, Linda came along.”

  “Really? How’d that work out?”

  “It was okay, but, I feel like she’s trying to make herself look good to the rest of the congregation. I’m not one to judge, but, I think she was feeding the homeless because she’s alienated some of the long-standing congregation members with her attitude.”

  “You don’t know that. Maybe she’s changed. Maybe she feels bad about giving you a hard time, and she wants to show how her attitude has improved.”

  “Yeah, maybe, but, I just can’t shake the feeling that there’s something more to her actions.”

  A light breeze fluttered the leaves of a nearby maple tree. Rhea enjoyed the cool June wind, relishing the fragrant scent of nearby flowers. “Well, have you thought that maybe Linda was bluffing and her nephew is not interested in the job?�
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  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just have a feeling that my fight is not over. Linda is too stubborn and determined to just give up. She’ll do whatever she can to ensure her grandnephew gets this position.”

  “I hope things work out for you. I’ll keep it in prayer.”

  “Thanks.” He studied her, almost as if he were trying to see into her soul with his dark eyes.

  She touched her face. Did she have flour on her cheek? “Why are you staring at me?”

  “Rhea, I want to be more than just friends.”

  She looked away. This was no surprise. Lately, she’d kept her and Martin’s conversations strictly on business. He’d visited the bakery, showing them a recipe for sourdough bagels, giving insight on the kind of breakfast sandwiches they needed to offer on their menu. She’d had a hard time ignoring their attraction during their appointment. She swallowed, finally finding the courage to tell him the truth. Since her weird visit with Raven, she’d wondered if the Lord was giving her a sign that it was time to move on. Could Raven’s strange behavior mean that she no longer had feelings for Martin? “I’ve been giving that a lot of thought…you and I being more than friends.”

  “You have?” He raised his voice, eyeing her from head to toe. “You’d really go out with me?”

  She nodded. She still had doubts, but, since Raven claimed she needed some space, not wanting to talk to her, she figured her twin wouldn’t get upset if Rhea acted upon her feelings for Martin. Would she?

  Thoughts of Stan still littered her mind, especially since the anniversary of his death. But, she couldn’t sit and reminisce about Stan, wishing that he were here with her – he was gone, and until she reached the other side of heaven, she’d never see him again. She needed to accept that, and stop craving his company. She eyed Martin. No he’d never be a replacement for Stan, but, if she opened herself up, and dated him, maybe her grief would lessen, just a bit, and she could learn to love Martin.

  Whoa! She stepped back. Loving Martin? She didn’t know if she’d ever really love him. She still didn’t know him really well, but, maybe, in time, they could get to know one another better and see what happened after that. He took her hand, and her heart rate skittered. Sparks of warmth covered her fingers. This was the first time Martin had ever held her hand, and being this close to him made her want to close her eyes, lean into his chest, and let him hold her. Caressing her fingers, he looked directly into her eyes. “Raven has stopped calling me. I think you finally got through to her. Thanks for talking to her on my behalf when she threatened to go to the congregation with her false allegations.”

  “You’re welcome. But, it wasn’t my doing.”

  “Oh?” He raised his thick eyebrows.

  She didn’t want to tell him about her last conversation with Raven. “Raven’s attitude seems to be changing. I’ll tell you about it another time.” She wanted to focus on them right now, her and Martin. She didn’t want to talk about Raven.

  His dark eyes, still curious, seemed to pierce right into her soul. “Well, it sounds like you don’t have to worry about hurting your sister anymore.”

  She glanced at their joined hands. “I still have mixed feelings about your being a pastor, and…”

  “And you’re still grieving for your husband?”

  “Yes.” She shrugged. “I miss him.”

  Her heart soared when he kissed each of her fingers. Liquid warmth skittered across her skin from the touch of his lips. “I want you to do me a favor.”

  Swallowing, she tried to catch her breath. “What’s that?” Being so close to Martin was so amazing! She leaned toward him, and he pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to her forehead. Melting into his embrace, she resisted the urge to give a contented sigh.

  He gestured toward her shop. “Unless you need help with your business, let’s not talk to each other for a week. Let’s think and pray us. On your grand opening, after my church meeting, I’ll come and help you in the bakery and after you close we can talk.”

  She pulled away from him, squeezed his hand, and nodded. “Okay.”

  He grinned. Maybe there was hope for them after all.

  *

  Two days after her conversation with Martin, Rhea pulled into the parking lot of Mary’s employment agency. Her job at the law firm had ended, and she was ready to solely focus on her bakery. Since she’d recently opened a new bank account, she’d told Mary’s accountant that it’d be best to cut her a check for her last week’s pay, instead of using direct deposit.

  She walked into the agency and spotted Mary leaning against the receptionist’s desk. Her eyes widened when she saw Rhea. She gave Rhea a small smile. “Rhea, I’m so glad to see you.”

  Rhea wasn’t sure what to say. She approached her sister-in-law. “Hi, Mary. I just came to get my paycheck.”

  She dipped her head. “Of course.” She gestured toward her office. “My accountant left it with me. I wanted to be sure I saw you when you came by. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  Wow, what a change. She never thought she’d see the day when Mary was glad to see her. Maybe she’d started to think of Rhea as a friend since they’d had that conversation in the ladies’ room at the restaurant. Rhea followed Mary to her office, making herself comfortable in one of the chairs. Mary sat at her desk and bright sunlight streamed into the room, highlighting Mary’s pale skin and sunken cheekbones.

  Mary blinked. “Oh, that sun’s too bright.” She stood, closing the blinds, the muscles in her skinny arms flexing. After the blinds were shut, she leaned against the wall, placing her hand over her heart. “Oh, my.”

  Rhea stood, walked over to Mary, touching her bony shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m tired.”

  What could she say? Mary refused to see a doctor and Rhea didn’t want to make her angry by suggesting it again. She took Mary’s shaky hand. “Come, sit down, and rest. Can I get you something? Water?” She’d offer the granola bar in her purse if she thought Mary would take it. Clearly the woman needed some sustenance.

  Mary took a few steps and suddenly slumped to the floor, eyes closed.

  Rhea’s heart skipped. “Mary passed out! Somebody, help me!” She lifted the phone and dialed 9-1-1. Several of Mary’s coworkers entered, staring at Mary sprawled on the floor. Rhea didn’t want to move her, but she straightened her dress for the sake of the staff.

  Mary wasn’t moving, didn’t seem to be breathing. Why didn’t she ever learn CPR? Would Stan’s sister die because Rhea had never learned how to resuscitate someone who was unconscious? Mary couldn’t die now, she just couldn’t. She’d started forming a tiny bond with her sister-in-law. Perhaps that bond could grow into a meaningful relationship.

  Now, simply because she’d refused to eat, Mary could lose her life. Rhea whimpered, before speaking to Mary’s staff. “Does anyone know CPR?”

  The receptionist knelt beside Mary, feeling for a pulse, before she began administering CPR. When the dispatcher answered, Rhea spoke into the phone. “I need an ambulance. A young woman just passed out.”

  “An ambulance is on the way. Does she suffer from any illnesses?”

  She figured Mary would be angry if she told the dispatcher about her problem, but Rhea didn’t have a choice. “Yes, I believe she suffers from anorexia.”

  *

  What an exhausting day. She’d been in the emergency room for over two hours, fed up dealing with this hospital. She kept asking about Mary and they kept telling her the same thing—Mary told them not to release any information to Rhea about her condition.

  Rhea approached the triage nurse. “Are you sure you can’t tell me anything? I’m not sure if I should stick around and drive Mary home.”

  The nurse flipped through some papers. “We’re admitting her tonight.”

  “How long will she be staying?”

  “I don’t know. You’ll need to speak with the doctor.”

  The doctor probably wouldn’t tell her anything i
f Mary told him not to. Now what was she going to do? After waiting around for another half hour, the nurse finally told her Mary’s room number: 203.

  She got onto the elevator, pressed the button for the second floor. When she got off she swallowed, vivid memories of the time she’d spent in the hospital when Raven had been suffering from cancer played in her mind. She’d still not heard from her sister, so, she figured it best not to contact her until she was ready.

  Spotting room 203, she pushed the door open. Mary laid on the bed, an IV hooked up to her arm. Her gaunt face smeared with tears and her messy hair tangled on her head. She looked up at Rhea with red-rimmed eyes. “I want to go home.”

  Rhea pulled a chair up to the bed, sat down. “You probably need to get your strength back before they let you leave. You scared me when you passed out.”

  “Rhea, don’t be so dramatic. I just need to go off my diet for a while.” What diet? Starvation? Why couldn’t Mary understand she simply needed to eat? “Did you need me to call anybody? Maybe your parents?” Since Stan’s death, his parents had retired, moved to Florida. The only contact Rhea had with them was via the Christmas card they sent her each year.

  Mary’s blue eyes widened. “Good heavens, please don’t contact them. They’d be coming down here, hovering over me. I hate when people pity me. It makes me sick.” Her voice hardened, and she glared at the IV, as if the contraption were the cause for her illness.

  “Well, what about…your…friend, Ron.”

  She focused on Rhea, her mouth dropping open. “That’s even worse than contacting my parents! I’m not letting anybody know about this. It’s highly embarrassing.”

  But, people already knew. Didn’t Mary realize that her staff had seen her passed out on the floor, not breathing? Her coworkers had probably noticed her barely eating, losing weight. “What can I do to help?”

  Mary turned her head toward the wall, her pale skin reddening. What was wrong with her? Was she upset because Rhea had offered to help?