I had promised myself I wouldn’t settle for anything less than my own happiness, and I wouldn’t be happy in Muffin. Not without having explored everywhere else first.
“It will be all right. You’ll have a great time in the new place, wherever it is you guys are planning to go,” Lucy said, patting Bee on the back. She drew out of the hug and produced a glittery handkerchief from her cleavage. “Here.”
“I’m good thanks,” Bee said, gesturing with her crumpled tissue.
“Where are you headed anyway?” Lucy asked. “Where’s the next town?”
“We’ve decided on a small town in Vermont.” Bee’s tears had dried up thanks to Lucy’s gross cleavage handkerchief. Miracles did happen.
“Prattlebark Village,” I said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
“Well the people there are super lucky because they’re about to eat the best cakes and treats imaginable.”
“Bee,” I said, checking my phone. “We’d better get going. Bye, Mrs. Rickleston. Thanks for everything.” It was a polite thing to say. I wasn’t her biggest fan. How a woman behaved in the difficult times said a lot about who they were as a person.
Bee waved goodbye to Mrs. Rickleston and we carried our bags out to the food truck. Hanson’s Porsche pulled up just after we’d finished packing, and my heart did a pitter-patter double-skip and a flip.
He got out of it, his blond hair glinting and his sharp gaze fixed on me. He walked over, carrying a neatly wrapped box in his hands.
“Ruby,” he said.
“I’ll give you two some space, shall I?” Bee hopped into the passenger seat of the truck, while Lucy stood next to the window. The pair whispered and giggled.
Jamie drew me off to the side. “This is for you,” he said, handing me the box. “But don’t open it until you’re on the road, OK? It’s nothing big. Just something to remember me by.”
“Thank you,” I said, looking down at the gift rather than meeting his gaze. The box had a big silver bow on it, and my name scrawled across the pink and black polka dot wrap.
“Ruby, I’m going to miss you,” he said. “But I never expected you to stay, if that’s what you’re worried about. Both of us have a lot of things to work out before we’re anywhere near ready to commit to anyone.”
I smiled and finally met his eye. “Exactly.”
“But I will never forget you. And I don’t want you to forget me. That’s what the gift is for.” He cleared his throat twice, lifting his fist to his mouth. “And that’s what this is for.” Jamie pulled me into his arms and planted a kiss on my lips.
My toes curled in my shoes and a combination of joy and nerves exploded in my chest.
The kiss lasted only a few minutes, but when Jamie let go of me, I was a little out of breath.
Bee and Lucy cheered and clapped.
“Stay safe, Ruby Holmes. I’ll be in touch.” Jamie sauntered back to his Porsche, gave me one last look filled with broken promises, then got inside and sped off.
It was my turn to clear my throat.
“Good heavens,” Bee said. “What a kiss. What a man.”
“Nice car too. You sure you don’t want to stay here?” Lucy asked.
I laughed, my happiness spilling over. “I’m sure.”
Inside the food truck, I placed the gift on the seat between Bee and I, then clipped on my seatbelt. “Ready to go?”
Bee sniffled. “Yes, I’m ready. But what about your gift? Aren’t you going to open it?”
“That will have to wait until our first stop,” I said. “We need to get on the road if we’re going to make it to the hotel in time. Bye Lucy. Stay safe.”
“Oh, I will. Trust me.” Lucy blew us both a kiss and waved at us, her long purple nails one of my last views of Muffin.
And then we were off, heading toward our next adventure. This time, I’d be ready for whatever the town brought, whether it was murder, mayhem, handsome detectives or plain old good times.
I couldn’t wait.
Ruby and Bee’s adventures continue in book 11 of the Bite-sized Bakery Cozy Mystery series, Cake Pops n’ Murder, coming in September 2020!
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Bite-Sized Bakery Cozy Mysteries Box Set 2 Page 41