The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice

by Donna Kauffman

PUMPKIN BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

  3 to 3½ cups confectioners’ sugar

  1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

  ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

  ⅓ cup pumpkin purée

  In a medium bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon and set aside.

  Using an electric mixer, combine butter and pumpkin until combined. Gradually add in confectioners’ sugar mixture.

  If frosting is too thick, add more pumpkin purée, milk, or water until desired consistency is reached. If frosting is too thin, add in a little more confectioners’ sugar.

  Frost cookies and set aside for frosting to dry.

  Read on for excerpts from the latest stories by

  DONNA KAUFFMAN,

  KATE ANGELL,

  and

  ALLYSON CHARLES!

  LAVENDER & MISTLETOE

  by Donna Kauffman

  This Christmas, small-town Blue Hollow Falls will work big holiday magic for two people who have researched everything but love....

  Avery Kent needs a project. The busy brain that earned her two PhDs before the age of eighteen is fascinated by the home she’s created with her three friends in Blue Hollow Falls, but the farm and the tearoom are running like clockwork now. As the holiday season approaches, it’s time for Avery to dive into one of her last uncharted research topics: love. Not for herself, of course; for her friend, Chey! But a closer look at the handsome young veterinarian Avery has chosen for this romantic equation has her wishing for gifts she never thought she wanted....

  Another former child prodigy, Ben Chandler is more like Avery than she ever imagined. His intellect is a perfect match for hers—and everything else about him attracts her in ways that send delicious tingles down her spine. But a relationship? That’s something Avery will need to analyze—unless her friends can help Ben convince her that romance is more magic than science, and that a good old-fashioned kiss under the mistletoe is the perfect way to open her heart to the possibility of the greatest gift of all . . .

  Chapter 1

  “Don’t you even think about dying on me,” Avery Kent warned the muddy, wet bundle in her arms. She turned and very carefully picked her way through the snow and ice, heading back toward Chey’s pickup truck. “The one time I’m not wearing sensible footwear,” she went on, “and then you happen. I knew I should have worn my snow boots. ‘Dress up,’ they said. ‘It’s a party.’ Well, now you know why I don’t do parties. Not in the winter, at any rate.” The bundle in her arms didn’t so much as budge at her mini lecture, not even a pitiful little bleat. She tried not to let that discourage her. “Looks like we’d both have been better off staying at home,” she went on, trying to modulate her voice to something more soothing. She tended to lecture when she was scared. Family trait. Thanks, Mom.

  “What on earth are you doing?” Chey called from the side of the road. She’d dressed up, too, which was an even more unlikely event. Chey spent most of her time in the stables or out in the lavender fields. Her idea of dressing up was putting on clean jeans and knocking the barn off her boots.

  “Now, don’t let her scare you,” Avery continued, keeping her eye on the path she was picking out through the snow and ice and not on her injured passenger. “I tend to lecture when I’m nervous. Chey goes straight to yelling. Not that I’m nervous,” she hurried on. “I mean, I am, but just about the snow and ice. Not about you. You’re a champ. You’re going to be fine.”

  “For God’s sake, what was so important that you had to suddenly scream at me to stop the truck?” Chey yelled from her position at the top of the short embankment. “It took everything I had to keep from ending up in a ditch, and given I’ve spent the past hour trying like hell not to do that very thing, I really didn’t need any additional obstacles, you know?”

  Avery arrived at the base of the little slope that led up to the side of the road. She’d made her way down said slope fairly well, using her arms for balance. If you could call waving them wildly as she slipped and slid her way down, barely managing to keep from falling on her backside, a smoothly executed transition. Unfortunately, from her current standpoint, she didn’t see how she was going make her way back up the incline, especially with her arms now full.

  She looked up at Chey, and the snow that was now pelting down in tiny particles clung to her lashes and stung her eyes. “Help?”

  “Where on earth is your coat? You’ll freeze to—?” Then Chey saw the bundle in Avery’s arms and her stern expression vanished. “Oh! Oh no. Okay. Stay right there.” Without skipping a beat, Chey shifted from annoyed friend to team leader, moving as quickly to the rear of her big, dual-wheeled truck as was possible in her own high-heeled boots. Once there, she hoisted herself up into the truck bed, dress slacks, boots, and leather coat be damned.

  Avery gasped, but it was done before she could stop Chey. “See?” Avery said softly to her bundle, “she can be gruff on the outside, but she’s a big, gooey marshmallow on the inside. She’ll get us out of here and to help pronto, I promise you.” Just hold on long enough for us to do that, okay?

  Chey popped open the big storage bin that was bolted just behind the cab and slid out a thick, padded moving blanket. A minute later she was back at the side of the road. She shook the blanket out, then held on to two corners as she flung it open and outward, letting it blanket the wet, snowy, muddy embankment. “Climb on,” she directed Avery, having to raise her voice a bit. The wind had picked up and the snow was getting heavier by the minute.

  “I don’t want to put him down,” Avery called back.

  “Neither do I,” Chey said, the sternness back in her voice now. “Both of you, climb on. Then sit down and hold him. I’ll drag you up.”

  Avery did a quick mental calculation and said, “Given the angle of the slope and the height of your heels, the slippery ground and your upper body—”

  “Do it!”

  With no other solution readily available, Avery followed orders. She shouldn’t have been surprised to find herself and her muddy bundle roadside less than thirty seconds later. “Thank you,” she said, then carefully got to her feet with an assist from Chey. “Sorry about the blanket.”

  “What have you got there?” Chey said, her voice instantly calmer, almost soothing as she moved close and bent down to look.

  “Goat,” they both said at the same time.

  “Of course it is,” Chey said, shaking her head. “What is it with Blue Hollow Falls and goats?”

  Avery smiled briefly then, even though her heart was still thumping a mile a minute. She lifted one slim shoulder. “We’re just lucky like that, I guess?”

  “Come on, let’s get this guy to Dr. Campbell.”

  “Dr. Campbell? Why not Dr. Forrester? I didn’t even know we had a Dr. Campbell,” Avery said, as Chey bundled up the now-wet and muck-covered moving blanket and stowed it in the back. “Dr. Forrester takes care of your horses. Wouldn’t he take care of a goat?”

  “Doc Forrester is out of town through the new year. Seminar in South America, then home to see his family for Christmas, then some conference in San Francisco. Haven’t met Campbell yet, but Doc says he’s worked with animals all over the world, including wild animals and exotics. I trust Doc’s judgment.”

  “Wow. How did I miss all of that?” Shivering now, her thin sweater damp and providing little protection, Avery led the way around the truck to the passenger door as Chey followed.

  “You don’t have a pet, a stable full of animals, or an exotic snake,” Chey said dryly, “so it’s not surprising.” Chey motioned for Avery to hand her the still-dazed and quiet pygmy goat, bundled in Avery’s jacket.

  “But your nice coat—”

  Chey motioned to her now mud- and snow-splattered pants. “Seriously?”

  “Right,” Avery said, and handed her the bundle.

  “Climb on up and get buckled in before you catch pneumonia and I’m making two hospital stop
s,” Chey told her, but she said it in a hushed tone now, as she peered down at the baby goat. “What are you doing out in this storm?” she asked the little one. “Don’t you have a barn somewhere to crash in?”

  Avery climbed in and hooked the seatbelt, then cautiously took the goat back from Chey. “Still,” she said, her voice sounding loud with the sudden absence of wind inside the cab. “In a town this size,” she went on, quieting her tone, “you’d think there wouldn’t be anything I didn’t know.”

  “This is why you need to come out of your mad scientist lab now and then,” Chey said, teasing now that the hardest part of the rescue was over. She shut the cab door as quietly as was possible and walked back around the truck.

  Avery peered down at her little rescue for the first time since she’d very carefully lifted him onto her once-pretty white winter coat and gently wrapped him up. “I’m not a mad scientist,” she told him. “I do have a lab, yes, but I’m experimenting with lavender, for the products we make. Nothing freaky. We grow lavender on our farm, me and Chey. We have two other friends who own and run the farm with us. I’ll introduce you the moment you’re better.”

  The goat didn’t stir and Avery sighed, trying to ignore the little stab in her heart. She could feel the animal’s rapid little heartbeat, so she knew he was still alive. There were no external injuries that she could see. No blood and no limbs at odd angles or anything, but that didn’t mean there weren’t internal injuries. She’d been so careful moving him, but she knew she might have made things worse. Still, she couldn’t just leave him out there half-buried in the snow. At least this way he’d have a chance.

  Chey climbed in and quickly settled herself in her seat, not bothering to dust off the snowflakes that covered her hair and a good portion of her jacket. She sent a concerned glance toward the goat, then a worried look at the rapidly diminishing visibility outside the windshield. “Hold on,” she said directly, “we’re outta here.”

  She pulled the big truck back onto the narrow roadway. They were up in the hills above Blue Hollow Falls proper, which was already high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. They were fortunate in that the road was paved, but like most of the roads up here, there were no lines painted on it, and it was barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other safely, especially when one of them was a dually.

  Chey flipped on the wipers and cranked up the defrosters, and carefully, but determinedly, got the truck turned around and made her way back toward town, rather than on out to their farm. “How did you even spot him?” she asked, once they were under way. “I mean, I can barely see past the hood of the truck.”

  “Side view,” Avery said. “Much clearer than yours since it’s not forward facing and being bombarded with snowflakes. Actually, first I saw the tracks and swerve marks in front of us, but as we passed, I looked out the side window and realized what had happened.”

  “Swerve marks? What swerve marks?” Chey shot her a quick look, then turned her attention straight back to the road ahead.

  “They were off to the right, big tires, wide wheel base, so likely a pickup truck. Hemi, or something like it, I’d say. Looks like the driver lost traction on the curve in the road. You could see where the truck went over the gravel on the side of the road, then regained control and kept going. The tracks looked fresh, had little snow in them, so it couldn’t have happened more than ten or fifteen minutes earlier. I noticed the snow on the side of the road just beyond the swerve marks was oddly disturbed, and then I saw something had been thrown into it, probably from the bed of the truck, given the trajectory. I don’t know why, maybe it was gut instinct, but I just knew we had to stop and at least check it out.” She glanced down, her expression worried. “I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this little guy.”

  “You put all that together from a split-second glance at swerve marks?” Chey immediately lifted her hand from the steering wheel. “Never mind. It was a big brain thing, right?”

  Avery looked at Chey, the corner of her mouth lifting. “It was an observation thing.” But yeah, she knew it was also a big brain thing. Her fellow lavender farmers and best friends in the world, Chey, Hannah, and Vivi, teased her about her unique abilities all the time, and she didn’t mind. They were family, the fearsome foursome, and they’d become that close because they accepted and loved each other for who and what they were. Teasing came with the territory. It was affectionate, never meanspirited, and made them feel even more like a real family to her.

  On the face of it, it was a fact that Avery Kent was a genius. She’d gotten her second PhD at eighteen. It was also true that she was something of a freak of nature, given she’d been born with an eidetic memory, near-perfect recall of everything she’d ever seen, heard, or read. In her case that meant truly everything. Down to the tiniest detail. It wasn’t something she had to try to do; it was simply how she was hardwired. She understood quite well her peculiar skill set could be a little intimidating to people. Or a lot intimidating. Particularly where members of the opposite sex were concerned. Chey, Vivian, and Hannah, however, weren’t remotely intimidated by her, and she loved them for that, too.

  “Sometimes, big brains find tiny treasures,” she said softly.

  Whether it was the heat blasting in the truck cab or simply time passing, her whispered words roused the tiny goat from its stupor. He blinked his eyes open, then looked right up at her. Avery’s heart fell, right at his little hooved feet. “Shh,” she whispered, “you’re okay. You’re safe and warm. Or getting that way.” Her coat was damp from the snow and the wet goat. Despite the heat blowing, she was still chilled and damp herself.

  “He’s awake?” Chey said, not sparing a look this time. The conditions outside were worsening and the light was getting dimmer by the minute.

  “Looks that way,” Avery said, keeping her voice low. The baby did try to move then, its survival instincts kicking in, which Avery took as a good sign. The movements were weak and sluggish, and she was careful not to tighten her hold too much to contain the movement. “Shh,” she whispered. “We’re getting you some help. We’ll get you all checked out. Just stay calm.” She realized she was rocking him but didn’t stop. The movement seemed to soothe the little one, and it helped to soothe her, too. “How much farther?” she asked Chey.

  “Just a few miles, but visibility is crap, so I’m taking it very slow. Ten minutes or so.”

  “See?” Avery crooned, “No time at all.”

  The goat’s chin dipped, then his eyes closed, and he let his head drop against her chest. Avery felt a moment of panic, but she shifted her hand under him a little until she could feel his little heart going. It was still racing, but that wasn’t too surprising, she thought. At least it proved his heart was strong. She wondered if she should try to keep him awake. She didn’t know anything about shock and small farm animals.

  “Hold on,” Chey told her as they finally slowed to take the last turn. “The road back in to Doc’s place is a bit bumpy.”

  A few bouncy minutes later, they pulled up in front of a large, beautifully restored barn. Even in the fading light, the bright red paint and white trim shone through the falling snow, looking cheerful and welcoming. The big pine wreaths hanging on the double doors at one end, and the smaller pinecone wreath hanging on the office door on the side, added a festive touch. There was a house about fifty yards away from the barn, but it was mostly hidden by a copse of trees and the falling snow, and hard to make out as much more than a farmhouse-style building. Fenced-in paddocks and snow-covered pastures rolling in gentle slopes and valleys completed the scenic layout.

  “Wow, this place is beautiful. That barn is gorgeous. I love the old-fashioned gambrel roof, the hayloft doors with the white cross planks.”

  Chey smiled as she pulled in and parked the truck right next to the office door. It was the only vehicle in the snow-covered lot. “This is why I love you,” she said. “Barns can indeed be gorgeous. Most people don’t get that.” She unbuck
led and opened her door. “Wait till you see the interior. Stay there and I’ll come around and help you two down.”

  Avery nodded, waiting for Chey to open the side door and take the goat before unbuckling and climbing down herself. She immediately wrapped her arms around herself. “I swear it’s gotten even colder.”

  “Jeez, you’re half-soaked. I didn’t realize. I didn’t have another blanket in back, but I should have given you my coat.” Looking worried now, Chey turned toward the office door. “Let’s get inside. I’m sure Dr. Campbell will have something you can put on.”

  “I’m fine. I’m just worried about our little hitchhiker.” In truth, she’d begun shivering so hard her teeth were clacking, but she could remedy that once she was sure the goat was going to be okay.

  Chey opened the office door without knocking and ushered them all swiftly inside, closing the door behind her, mercifully blocking out the wind and snow.

  It was toasty warm in the small waiting room, but Avery couldn’t seem to stop shivering. Her clothes were wetter than she’d realized.

  “Here,” Chey said, scooping the coat and baby goat from her arms. “You don’t need to be holding all that cold, wet wool.”

  Her teeth were chattering so hard she just nodded. “Do-do-you-think—” she started, then shook her head and tried harder to keep her teeth from clacking. “Is the doc-doctor in? There-there’s-no-one-he-here.”

  “I couldn’t call, no signal,” Chey said, looking more concerned now that she could plainly see and hear how cold Avery was. “It’s after five, so I’m guessing Louise—Doc’s desk sergeant, as he calls her—has gone home. But if Campbell is anything like Doc, he’s always—”

  “Here,” came a deep voice from behind them.