Layla paused before opening the bright brass door knob and felt like she was on the edge of a cliff. She knew if she opened that door and walked through, her life was going to change irrevocably. She stared for a moment at the bright red painted door with the clear window and grinned as a slice of hope snuck up on her. She wanted and needed a change in her life. It was time to go through the door.
She pushed through the door and walked in, pulling Bubba along with her. She smiled as she saw Jane must have been busy all morning cleaning. The counters were spotless, the floor was swept and there was a distinct smell of chocolate and vanilla in the air. It was the best smell she’d ever been surrounded by. Aroma therapy at its finest, she thought with a grin, knowing if anyone was in need of therapy, it was her.
“Jane?” she called out, turning around in a circle to take in all the details of her grandmother’s one true love. The area she was in was the store part. There were glass cases with empty metal shelves and large windows with beautiful lace curtains. And on the wall, a picture of Belinda in a white apron, standing in front of the bakery, with a wide happy grin on her face. She looked to be about in her forties, so it was probably taken right after she’d started the bakery. Layla studied the face of her grandmother, hoping for some connection or similarity. She frowned in disappointment a moment later and turned away. Maybe working and living here she’d be able to find out more about Belinda.
Jane hurried through the doorway and jumped up and down excitedly when she saw her. “Layla!” she screamed and launched herself at her big sister.
Layla grinned and felt another weight lift off her heart. Unconditional love. It felt pretty good sometimes. “It looks like you’ve been working hard,” she said, hugging her sister one more time before letting go.
Jane laughed happily and leaned down to kiss Bubba on the head before petting his belly. Jane’s wide generous smile was the perfect setting for the two deep dimples on either side of her face. But it was her warm chocolate brown eyes that made people stop and stare. Layla grinned at the beautiful woman her little sister was becoming. Jane was now 22, but in the last couple years, she’d gone from girl to woman. Layla always thought of Jane as a young girl with her nose stuck in a book but Jane was changing, blossoming and become a dynamic, happy and kind-hearted woman. She was the one person who gave Layla hope for the human race.
“Actually no. I just got here an hour ago myself. It took me longer to pack than I thought it would and then my roommates insisted on taking me out to dinner one last time. But it looks good, huh?” she said turning around to gesture at the immaculate store.
Layla’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Wow. I wonder who’s been keeping the place up. Grandma died last month. This place should be dusty at the very least,” she murmured softly.
Jane shrugged and walked around the counter to glance through the empty cases that had once been filled with cakes, cookies, donuts and everything else in between. “Good question. Maybe we have a haunted bakery?” she asked, her eyes widening as she grinned hopefully. “How cool would that be? Grandma Belinda coming back from the grave to dust and keep an eye on things.”
Layla shook her head and laughed at her sister’s fanciful imagination. “I’m pretty sure that only happens in the realm of Harry Potter,” she said and then turned around as she heard the bell above the door and then watched as it opened.
Layla and Jane stared as a short, round woman roughly around the age of sixty walk through the door wearing a faded KISS t-shirt and looking at them suspiciously. The large Rosie the Riveter tattoo on her arm had Jane blinking nervously and Layla grinning appreciatively. The woman had maybe twelve small silver hoops in each ear and black spiky hair. Bubba stared at her pensively before flopping down on his stomach. He wasn’t the best guard dog.
“Well, well, well. You must be the prodigal granddaughters hmm?” she said and shut the door behind her as she put her hands on her hips and looked them up and down with a frown. “You look a little prissy. No offense, but you girls up for running a business? Belinda was a force of nature. You two look like pampered princesses who need their nails done every three days.”
Layla’s grin faded and she stepped forward so she could stand eye to eye with the woman. “We’re not pampered or princesses and we don’t need anyone’s approval to take over our grandmother’s bakery. Who exactly are you?” she asked using her court room voice.
The woman’s left eyebrow raised and she tilted her head to the side as she smiled slightly. “That’s more like it. I’m Max and I’m the baker here. Belinda’s lawyer told me you’d be showing up today so I came in last night to get things looking proper for you. I promised Belinda I’d get you girls started and show you what’s what. But after that, I’m retiring and heading to San Antonio to live near my grandkids. Unless of course you’re here just to put a for sale sign in the window,” she said frowning darkly at the two women.
Jane stepped forward, shaking her head firmly back and forth. “Oh no. We’re here to run the bakery. There’s no way we’d sell it,” she said, making Layla wince and look at her feet.
Max took in Layla’s reaction and Jane’s enthusiasm and sighed. “And where’s the other one. Belinda said there were three of you,” she said frowning at Bubba in disapproval as she bypassed the sisters to walk around the counter. She picked up a long white apron and tied it deftly around her large hips as she looked at them expectantly.
Layla stayed silent as Jane followed Max behind the counter and grabbed her own white apron. “Kit will be here soon,” she said, before throwing an apron at Layla.
Layla grimaced as she caught the apron one handed but obediently put it on, wrapping the long ties around her waist and then tying them in the front. “By the way, I’m Layla Kendall, this is my sister Jane and Kit is our other sister who will be joining us soon. Thanks for being willing to stick around and show us the ropes,” she said, smiling cautiously.
Max shrugged and grabbed a huge white binder from the top shelf of a cabinet by the phone. “After everything Belinda did for me, I’d be a bad friend if I didn’t help her granddaughters out. When she was at the end and knew she was going, she talked to me about you three. She felt so bad about that worthless son of hers abandoning you girls. She hoped giving you the bakery would make up for some of that. Not that it could make up for not having a dad, but that you’d know she cared about you. This bakery was her heart. That’s what she’s giving you. I hope you appreciate it,” she said, narrowing her eyes at Layla and Jane.
Layla’s generous wide mouth turned into a fierce line as her back straightened and her eyes went cold. “Rule number one Max. No emotional manipulation or guilt trips. You don’t know us and you have no right to pull that kind of crap. Rule number two, if you have a problem, you come to me. No intimidating my sisters or you can take your retirement right now,” she said in a cold hard voice she saved for child beaters.
Max stared at her with a grin and nodded her head. “Well now, and to think I thought I’d never see Belinda again. And here she is snapping at me in the body of a cute little blond. Fine then. I’ll accept your two rules as long as you agree to two of mine. Work hard and shut up,” she said and sailed past the girls through the doorway and into the kitchen.
Jane’s mouth had fallen open and Layla shook her head. Jane gulped and grabbed her sister’s hand. “She’s kind of scary Layla. But you’re tougher. I’m glad you’re here or I’d have to hide upstairs.”
Layla smiled gently at her little sister and pulled on a strand of glossy brown hair. “When have I ever let anyone pick on my sisters?” she said as she heard the bell above the door again.
They turned around as one and grinned as they saw Kit breeze through the door. Although all three sisters had been born with differing shades of brown hair, they now all had very different colors. Jane had opted to keep her dark, vibrant brown hair. Layla had begun adding blond highlights to her hair in college and enjoyed being a blond. Kit had decided to go
a little more dramatic. She’d been adding red to her hair since high school. Now, she had the same color and look as Jessica Chastain.
Kit’s face lit up as she saw her sisters and then they moved as one into a long, hard group hug. It had been over a month since they’d seen each other and Layla for one had missed them horribly.
When she pulled away, she was shocked to see a tear run down Kit’s cheek. Kit was the opposite of Jane in almost every way. Where Jane was romantic, Kit was a realist. Where Jane was light hearted and trusting, Kit was sarcastic and cynical. Emotion had never been Kit’s strong suit.
Layla put her hands on Kit’s shoulder and looked into her sister’s light hazel eyes. “Kitty, what’s wrong?” she asked softly as Jane held Kit’s hand, looking distressed at her sister’s pain.
Kit shook her head and took a deep breath, letting it out in a shaky burst. “Everything’s wrong Layla. But walking in here and seeing you two smile at me, I don’t know . . ., it just made me realize that this could be good. I could really use some good right now,” she said quietly, wiping a stray tear off her cheek.
Layla hugged Kit hard and rubbed her back before letting go. Maybe Kit was growing up too. It looked like it was about time she started seeing her sisters as mature women instead of the immature teenagers she’d known when they’d all lived together with their mom.
“You and me both Kit. Now leave your purse on the counter and come with me and Jane. I want to introduce you to your next best friend,” she said dryly as Kit looked at her with a raised brow.
Jane cleared her throat and put her arm around Kit’s waist as they walked through the doorway and into the kitchen. “She’s um, . . . really sweet.”
Kit grinned at Layla over her shoulder. “I am suitably warned.”
Layla watched for the next forty-five minutes as Max walked them through a typical day. She grinned when Kit groaned loudly after Max told them what time they started in the morning. Jane didn’t look thrilled about it either, but her determined smile stayed in place. Layla didn’t mind the early hours. She’d had problems sleeping for the last year and half and welcomed any excuse not to stare at the ceiling and escape from her thoughts and memories.
Twenty minutes later, Max left for a dentist appointment with instructions to read over the recipes and get familiar with the kitchen. As soon as the door shut, the three sisters stared at each other silently. Jane looked shell shocked. Her dream of baking cookies with her sisters was gone. In its place was reality. A lot of hard work. Kit looked better off. Of course she’d been born with a realistic streak. But even she looked a little dubious.
“Still want to make a go of this?” Layla asked gently, leaning up against the counter as she faced her sisters.
Jane blinked and focused on Layla’s face. “Yes,” she said simply and turned to look at Kit.
Kit glanced at Jane with a grin before turning back to Layla. “Well, let’s look at the facts. We have to get up as early as farmers. Work almost as hard as farmers. Go to bed early every night, so there goes any hope of a social life. Gain a minimum of twenty pounds since we’re going to have to taste everything. And in the end, if we’re lucky and make a success of this bakery, we’ll end up being three hundred pounds with tattoos and bad attitudes. Yeah, I’m in,” she said simply.
Layla laughed and shook her head. “You’re both crazy then. Max is going to teach us everything she knows, but in the end, it’ll just be us three. What if we can’t hack it? What if in the end, this is a bust up? I don’t want the harsh reality of working together every day and then failing at it to ruin our relationships with each other.”
Jane looked shocked that she’d even suggest it. Kit looked pensive for a moment and then shrugged. “Layla we shared the same bathroom all of our lives and survived. This will be cake. No pun intended.”
Jane nodded her head. “Layla, I know you’re the oldest and the voice of reason and everything, but let’s put the gloom and doom away for a day and just enjoy our new adventure. Okay?” she said pleadingly.
Kit grinned at Layla’s surprised expression. Layla shut her mouth and held up her hands. “Fine, no more gloom and doom. We’ll enjoy ourselves. For one day,” she said narrowing her eyes at Jane. “But tomorrow we’ve got to put our heads together and talk business. Let’s unpack and get settled and then find somewhere to eat lunch, okay?”
Jane and Kit smiled in relief and nodded. As Layla watched Jane and Kit run out of the room so they could pick out their bedrooms, upstairs she ran a hand through her blond hair and frowned. She’d seen what happened when people realized their fairy tales were nothing but smoke. Anger, blame, depression, drug use and addiction. Layla closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as she attempted to push the social worker aside. Her sister’s wanted this dream. They wanted this chance. Layla opened her eyes and followed her sisters upstairs. She’d do everything she could to keep them from disappointment.
Chapter 3 – A New Life
Layla blinked in surprise as she walked into the bedroom that would be hers. They had given her the best one. Her room had the only window that faced the Sound. She moved to the window and pushed it up, leaning out over the ledge. She felt the warm breeze on her face and saw the glistening water miles away and felt peaceful immediately. She could even see boats on the water. She felt her face lift into a smile and wondered why in the world one of her sisters hadn’t taken this room for themselves.
She turned around and looked at the room itself and sighed in pleasure. Pale cream walls and vaulted ceilings. On the walls were simple shelves filled with antiques. It was almost as if someone had designed the room with her in mind. There was a beautiful scrolled desk in the corner and a queen size four poster bed with an old fashioned white quilt. She walked over to a door expecting a closet and gasped when it turned out to be a sumptuous bathroom with a modern Jacuzzi tub. Oh my.
She walked slowly into the bathroom as if she moved to quickly it would all disappear. She touched the pale cream marble counter tops and stared into the large beveled mirror over the sink. She looked just as shocked as she felt. She was in heaven.
She turned and walked back out and went to the other door, almost nervous to open it. She opened it slowly and gasped again. A real walk in closet with shelves and shoe racks. Layla wrapped her arms around herself and grinned. Christmas had come early. She hurried out of her room and ran to the next one.
Kit was standing in the middle of the room with her eyes closed, her throat working up and down as if she were trying to control her emotions. Layla stood quietly in the doorway not wanting to intrude. She glanced around the room and her eyes widened in surprise. Kit had chosen a room painted in a soft icy blue. But it was the artwork on the walls that made her smile in wonder. Kit had been painting since she was three years old. All four walls had distinct pieces of art work. On one wall was a modern piece filled with bright splashes of color and passionate brush strokes. On the other wall was a more realistic piece of a woman washing her long brown hair in an old fashioned basin. The other two pictures were of the ocean. Layla smiled at the beautiful cherry wood sleigh bed placed at an angle in the corner and knew Kit would never want to trade her. It was almost as if this room had been designed with Kit in mind. But that couldn’t be. Their grandmother hadn’t even known them.
Layla turned and walked out into the hallway and toward the last bedroom at the back of the house. She walked in hoping Jane was just as happy as she and Kit were. Layla stopped and stared in surprise. Jane had picked the smallest room of the three. It was painted in a light butter yellow and had an old fashioned brass bed with a colorful patchwork quilt. There was no vaulted ceiling or exquisite artwork, but there were book shelves filled with hundreds of books and against the far wall was a window seat looking out onto the back yard. Layla walked over and straightened a large overstuffed cushion as she peeked out the window. Jane would never want to trade her. Jane’s window seat looked out onto their grandmother’s large back yar
d. There was a large weeping willow tree with a rope swing, bushes and more flowers than one yard should have. For a young romantic woman who loved to read, this room was perfect.
“Isn’t it amazing?” breathed out Jane from behind her. “It’s almost as if Grandma Belinda decorated all three rooms for us as if she knew us. It’s a gift,” she said wonderingly.
Layla turned to see her sister coming out of what must be a bathroom and nodded immediately with a puzzled smile. “I’ll admit the rooms are perfect. I wonder how she knew.”
Kit peeked her head in next, smiling now. “I love my room!” she yelled and walked over to Jane’s window seat. “This makes waking up at 4:30 almost worth it,” she said with a voice filled with pleasure.
Layla grinned as her sisters chattered and laughed going back and forth between all the rooms, as they wanted to point out their favorite features. Layla wandered further down the hall and into a small kitchen and nook area. A fourth bedroom had been converted into a small family room and the high tech flat screen TV on the wall that had Jane jumping up and down.
“I think we better celebrate,” Kit said, turning in a circle and lifting her arms up.
Jane nodded her head in agreement. Layla sighed happily and thought it was a great idea. “First, let’s get unpacked. Then we celebrate. Deal?”
The three sisters spent the next two hours moving in and getting settled. After returning Layla’s U-Haul, the first place they stopped was a small hardware store next to the dry cleaners. Layla wanted to make copies of the house keys for her sisters. They asked the older man at the cash register where a good restaurant was and he grinned and rubbed his white, whiskered chin.
“The best food in town is just down the street. It’s called The Iron Skillet. Their chowder will make you cry it’s so good,” he promised with a wink.
You Belong With Me (Book 1 in The Love and Dessert Trilogy) Page 2