Shades Of Chocolate (The Bakery Romance Series Book 2)

by Cecelia Dowdy

  After Hank’s hasty exit, he’d sat with Toni all day, refusing to leave her. They’d pondered Eva’s evil deeds, hoping the police would capture her soon. They needed to be confident that she was the person who’d been harassing Toni.

  Toni had complained about the terrible hospital food, and he’d offered to sneak in burgers, fries and shakes for their dinner. When they shared dinner this evening, he really needed to have a serious talk with her about—

  His phone buzzed. Trina. He stepped out of Henderson’s, outside onto the sidewalk, to take the call. “Hey, Trina, what’s up?”

  The muddled sound of tears came over the wire. “Trina, what’s wrong?”

  “Jason, Antoine’s gotten in trouble again! He’s been caught shoplifting.”

  Jason’s heart skipped. “Shoplifting?” Antoine had always been such a clean-cut, nice kid. Sure, Trina had mentioned he’d gotten in trouble at school a few months ago, but Jason had forgotten all about that. He figured everything was fine now.

  “Jason, the last week has been horrible. Twice, Antoine’s father hasn’t been showing up to spend time with him. He’s getting married, and we ran into him with his fiancée. Apparently, he refused to spend time with his son just so that he could spend the day with his future wife.” She paused, continuing to cry. “Antoine’s been so upset since his father hardly speaks to him anymore. Jason, you’ve always been a good influence on my son. You need to come home and spend time with him.”

  Go home? Now? Toni was supposed to be getting out of the hospital tomorrow, and he couldn’t leave her until they caught Eva. He really wanted to be there for his nephew, but it was impossible to be two places at once. “Trina, so much is going on right now. Let me talk to Antoine—”

  “Jason! You need to come home! I talked to Dad, and your vacation time is up! You need to return home and take care of your house and your dog and help me with my son! Learn to deal with Dad and stop running away from your problems!”

  He winced.

  That’s exactly what he’d been doing since his mom died, running. He’d settled into Blue Spring, almost coming to think of the town like a second home. Now he needed to return to Chicago to help his sister and to work with his dad again. He’d agreed to take over the Main Street location. But taking it over no longer excited him. What about Toni? He’d miss her.

  Trina’s teary voice broke into his thoughts. “Please help me with Antoine.”

  He rushed to gather his thoughts, but before he could speak, Trina hung up on him.

  This was the first time she’d hung up on him in years. But she was right. He really needed to figure out what to do. He needed to go back home – but could he go back home without Toni?

  *

  On the day of Toni’s release from the hospital, Jason placed his hand in the small of her back, gently leading her to his BMW. His comforting touch made her smile. She eased into the vehicle, admiring the leather seats and fancy dashboard. “You know, this is the first time I’ve been inside your car.”

  His chiseled jaw tense, he didn’t respond, just started the engine.

  Something was wrong. Toni could feel it. Last night, he’d come to her room bearing bags of burgers, hot salty fries and thick creamy milkshakes from Henderson’s. Toni had been famished, and, in spite of her sadness, she’d been able to finish her meal, grateful that Jason had brought the food.

  He’d barely touched his meal. He’d claimed he wasn’t hungry, but Toni sensed that his lack of hunger was due to his being upset about something. She’d never known Jason to lose his appetite. Perhaps he was still worried about her. Could that possibly be?

  She glanced out the window, eying the leaves blowing in the hot July wind. The sun blazed. It was supposed to be over one hundred degrees that day. She blinked, pressed her hands together, tried to calm herself down. The police station was just up the road, and they’d be there soon.

  The police had taken Eva into custody that morning, and they were allowing Jason and Toni to visit her. After seeing Eva, Jason was going to take Toni over to her bakery so that she could assess the damage to her place. She squeezed her hands together, took a deep breath. Running that bakery had been such a huge part of her life, and now her fingers ached to mix dough for donuts. She’d agreed to stay with Sheila until the repairs had been done.

  Jason continued to drive, grabbing her hand. “Don’t worry, Sweetheart. Everything will be okay. You have to have some faith.”

  They pulled into the parking lot. Jason rushed to Toni’s side, opened her door for her. She got out of the car, and he took her hand as they entered the police station.

  The desk officer recognized them. He shook hands with Jason, leading them to the back of the station. “She’s still in her holding cell.”

  Toni couldn’t resist asking. “Where did you find her?”

  “At the bus station. She’d tried to steal a woman’s wallet and was caught by the security guard. He called the police, and they recognized her.”

  Toni squeezed Jason’s hand while the officer led them down the hall. They stopped in front of Eva’s cell.

  Goodness, what had happened? Her bright orange dress hung on her gaunt frame. Deep scratches marred her skinny arms. Toni’s breath caught, and she placed her fingers over her quivering lips, dropping into Jason’s warm embrace. “What’s wrong with her arms?”

  The officer shrugged. “The fight got pretty ugly. The person she was trying to rob scratched her up pretty bad. The victim was carrying a knife.”

  Eva’s dark eyes sparked with malice. She cursed, spitting on the floor. “What are you doing here?”

  “Eva.” Toni scrutinized her cousin, her mind filled with questions. “Why did you do it?”

  “I burned your bakery down because you make me sick. I hate you.” Her lips curled. Spittle ran down the side of her mouth. Toni’s stomach churned. “I hated you before I burned down your bakery, and I hate you even more now.”

  What was wrong with this deranged woman? “Why do you hate me more now?”

  “Because of you, I don’t have a husband. Hank just told me this morning that he’s leaving me.”

  This was the craziest thing Toni had ever heard. Eva had set fire to her bakery, burned it down, and her husband left her. Now she was blaming Toni for Hank’s abandonment? This woman was really deranged. She needed help, bad. Standing at this jail cell talking to Eva was a waste of time. Good thing she’d been captured. Now at least Toni could have a bit of peace in her life. She recalled how good her aunt and uncle had always been to her, how they’d adopted Eva, doted on their daughter. “Think of your parents. Eva, they’d be so sad and ashamed of you right now.”

  Eva narrowed her eyes, cursing. “They’re dead. So what difference does it make? They made their feelings clear when they left the bakery to you in their will.”

  “Have you been making prank phone calls to my bakery? Did you leave me a weird note?”

  “No, I can’t call you because I ain’t got a phone. Why would I write you a note? I hate you, I’m telling you that to your face. Don’t need a note to say that!”

  Toni’s stomach clenched with disgust. “Jason, let’s go.”

  Eva cursed again, grabbing the jail cell bars. “Get out of here. I don’t want to look at you.” She then spat, and it landed on Toni’s face. Toni glared at Eva. After witnessing Eva’s behavior, she figured there was no reasoning with her.

  Her stomach churned again. Good grief, she was going to puke. Jason sensed her distress. He led her out of the jail cells toward the ladies’ bathroom in the lobby.

  Chapter 36

  Jason remained by Toni’s side while she assessed the charred remains of her bakery. The windows were shattered. All of the work that the Blue Spring residents had put into repairing her bakery had been for nothing. Seeing that she’d returned to assess the damage, a few people from Blue Spring had come to see her, asking if she needed help.

  She’d kindly told them that she’d let them know if
she needed help later. She figured she’d decide what to do after the insurance company had told her the amount of her settlement. Jason held her hand as they entered the kitchen. Her appliances were covered with soot, and the tile floor had been partially burned beyond repair.

  Her lips quivered, and she covered her mouth.

  “Toni…are you okay?” Jason held her hand, his dark eyes full of tenderness and concern.

  “Just give me a minute. I need some time alone.”

  He respectfully left her in the kitchen by herself.

  Memories flooded her brain. She saw the three pegs on the wall where she hung extra aprons. When she’d started working in the bakery as a teen, her aunt and uncle had added a third peg to the wall to hold Toni’s apron. Being with them that summer had made her feel loved and important. It’d been an exciting reprieve from spending the summer alone with her alcoholic dad and passive mom.

  Running her finger over the chopping block, she sniffed, imagining she could smell the exotic imported chocolate they used to make the flaky, tender chocolate tarts that summer. Her aunt and uncle had shown her the magical way to work dough, making flaky layers of crust. They’d also listen to her when she spoke of how much she hated living at home, gently guiding her to give the Lord a chance. When they’d died, Toni knew that her never-ending struggles with God had bothered her aunt and uncle. Their faith had remained solid, in spite of having a juvenile delinquent adopted daughter who was always getting into trouble.

  She sighed, tears slipping from her cheeks. She stood up straight, took a tissue, blew her nose. No sense in crying. She needed to be strong. She’d build this bakery back up. She’d redo everything, make it into an establishment that would make her aunt and uncle proud, proud that they’d made the right decision in willing her their family business.

  She returned to the sitting area where Jason paced, his cute brow furrowed with worry. “Are you okay?”

  “Honestly, I feel rotten. But I think it’ll take some time for me to feel like my normal self.”

  “That’s understandable. You’ve been through a lot.”

  Her display case had been shattered by the heat, and her display trays were burned to a crisp. The tables had also been charred, but the front window sporting her Shades of Chocolate sign had not been damaged. Jason held her hand while they slowly walked up the stairs. Due to the smoke alarm, the firemen were able to get to her building quickly. Upstairs, the only damage to her apartment had been done by the smoke. The acrid scent of smoke permeated all of the clothes in her closet.

  Jason and Toni finally made their way downstairs. Brian peeked into the window, obviously searching for her. She just didn’t have the energy to speak to him now but knew she must. She moved toward the door.

  “Toni, don’t let him in here.”

  “I need to talk to him. He’ll just return if I ignore him. Anyway, I want to see what he wants.” She knew that Jason was concerned about her welfare. But it was a bit unnerving the way he commanded her about what she should do. She had a brain, and she could think for herself, even if her life had been in danger.

  She opened the door, and Brian stepped into the bakery, surveying the damage. “Toni, I’m so sorry about all that happened. I came to see if you were okay.”

  She clutched Jason’s hand. “Jason has been with me. We know that Eva set the fire, and we’re glad that she’s in custody now.”

  Brian refused to look at her. Something was wrong. Brian always refused to look at her when he felt guilty about something. “I know you didn’t just come here to see if I’m okay.”

  He pressed his hands together. The guilt seemed to ooze out of his pores. She recalled Eva’s hateful words, denying the scary phone calls. “Brian, were you the person who was making scary phone calls to my house?”

  His nut-brown skin reddened.

  Jason grunted, balling his hands into fists. “I ought to knock the daylights out of you.”

  Brian backed away from him. She’d never seen Jason so angry.

  Toni’s anger flared to life. She folded her arms in front of her, glaring at Brian. “Why on earth would you want to make those phone calls to me?”

  “Baby—”

  “Don’t call me baby!”

  “Well, remember that time about a year ago there was a rapist in Blue Spring. He attacked three women before the policemen caught him? The attacks happened right near your bakery.”

  Toni swallowed, barely nodding. It had been such a horrifying time in Blue Spring. “Go on.”

  “You were scared, vulnerable. You leaned on me, reached out to me, and I offered you comfort. I’d wanted you to need me again, reach out to me again.” He then took a quick peek at Jason, who still stood beside her. She now rested in his arms, finding comfort from his embrace. “I figured if you needed me, and you saw how much I took care of you and protected you, you might forgive me.”

  Forgiveness was something that Toni still struggled with. Heck, she highly doubted that she would be forgiving Brian right now. When she did find it in her heart to forgive him, she highly doubted she’d ever forget the pain and anger he’d caused in her life. “What about the note that was left on the Fourth of July. Did you leave that too?”

  He nodded. “I didn’t leave it, but I found a kid and paid him to leave the note for you. I did that, since the phone calls didn’t seem to work. I figured you might still give me a chance. I’d thought that after our conversation at the grocery store…” he glanced at Jason. “Well, I thought you’d get the point about…you know what I mean.”

  So he gave her that information about Jason’s family, hoping she wouldn’t rely on Jason for support. From what she could gather, he figured Jason would be out of the picture by the Fourth of July. He’d left the note, hoping she’d come running to him, scared. Well, she was tired of fear. She was tired of Brian. She was tired of Eva’s threats. She was just plain tired. She needed a bit of peace in her life, and if Brian was out of the picture, then that was at least another step toward finding her peace.

  “Brian, I want you to turn around, leave my bakery, and I never want to hear from you again.”

  “No, not yet.”

  Jason stomped over to Brian. “You heard her. Leave, already.”

  Brian backed up a few steps. His dark eyes widened while he held his hands up. “Don’t get so riled up. Calm down.” He focused on Toni again. “Remember we have unfinished business.”

  Jason focused on Toni. “What’s he talking about?”

  He could only be referring to one thing. The money.

  Brian cleared his throat, stood a bit taller. “I have something for you, Toni. But I have to give it to you in private.”

  “You’re not talking to her in private.” Jason got into Brian’s face, and his deep voice filled the room.

  “Jason, stop. I have to talk to him for a few minutes.”

  She grabbed Brian’s elbow, led him into her office. Half burned papers scattered around the floor. Brian pulled his wallet out, peeled off some bills. “Here’s your two thousand dollars back. I know you didn’t think I’d pay you back, but now that I have, maybe you won’t hate me so much.”

  She grabbed the money, stuffed it into her pocket. She didn’t have anything else to say to Brian. She wasn’t thanking him for paying back the money he owed her.

  “Toni, you’re still hurting right now. Take some time to think about this. Can’t we at least be friends?” His voice had taken on a whiny tone, and Toni stiffened. When Brian got desperate, he whined, and right now, it made her sick.

  “No. Leave. Now.” She left her office, marched over to the front door and opened it. She waited until Brian exited her bakery, his shoulders slumped. He plodded to his car, got inside, before slowly driving away.

  Toni dropped into a chair, exhausted. Her head hurt, her stomach hurt, and it was time for her to take her pain medicine that she’d gotten from the hospital. “I feel rotten. I just want to go to bed and fall asleep for a year.”
>
  He pulled up a chair, took her into his arms. She breathed in his clean, masculine scent, relished his embrace. “Actually, I’d wanted to talk to you about something.”

  “Now?” She figured something had been bothering Jason, but she honestly didn’t know if she had the energy to discuss anything now.

  He shook his head. “Not now. We never did go out for our dinner date at Pedro’s. How about I drop you off at Sheila’s and tonight at six, I’ll pick you up so that we can go out to eat.”

  Sadness consumed her, and she turned her face away, making sure Jason could not see the tear slipping down her cheek. Without a doubt in her mind, she knew he was leaving. After tonight, she would probably never see Jason Matthews again.

  *

  Jason pulled into Sheila’s driveway. He swallowed several times, trying to calm his frazzled nerves. He loved Toni. He loved her so much that it ached, just knowing all that she’d gone through. It also made him upset, knowing what he’d have to say to her tonight. He took deep breaths, about to get out of the car, when the front door opened. Toni stepped outside.

  She looked beautiful.

  He blinked, got out of the car, wiped his sweaty hands on his slacks. Toni slowly strolled toward him. Her light brown hair had been styled into an elegant twist, and she wore a fetching orange sundress and leather sandals. Her cute toenails were painted with red nail polish. Her fingernails were also painted.

  Sadness swam in her caramel colored eyes. He needed to cheer her up. When she approached him, he took her chin, forced her to peer into his eyes. “Stop frowning. Let me see you smile.”

  She gave him a tiny smile. He led her to the passenger side, opened her car door. They remained silent during the short drive to the restaurant. Jason had so many things he wanted to ask Toni, that he didn’t even know where to start. He glanced at Toni while driving. Her knee jiggled. She was probably more nervous than he was.

  They finally arrived at the restaurant. They exited the car, entering the busy place. He’d already called ahead, reserving a small room in the back. They had to enjoy their meal uninterrupted. Their server seated them without leaving a menu. Toni frowned, her cute brow puckered. “The server didn’t leave our menus.”