Ooey Gooey Bakery Mystery Box Set

by Katherine H Brown

  “She heard from a friend of a friend or a rumor, who really knows, that I took Kendra to lunch. Not having the full story, she latched on to the idea that she could secure a match with an up-and-coming lawyer for me.”

  “And unaware that I had left behind the law career. Too ugly.” Kendra frowned. “Too stressful. I want to create an oasis of fun for people who need to unwind. Somewhere to bring your kids for a playdate without having to eat a greasy over-processed kid’s meal.”

  “That’s going to be amazing.” Impressed by her passion and goal, I felt myself warming up to Kendra. The little green monster retreated back to the dark corners of my mind, realizing she wasn’t a threat, just another target of Deidra’s scheming.

  “Thanks. And I plan to make an elegant and unique menu for adults plus a really special menu for the kids. Theirs will include lots of sea creatures and mermaids. What do you think of The Seaweed Sandwich as a choice?”

  “Kids will eat it up.” Sam winked. “Really, that is a fantastic idea. We can theme our desserts in a similar fashion.”

  I jumped in, too, ideas popping into my head like crazy. “Madeleines with little sugar pearls inside. Starfish cookies. It’ll be a blast.”

  Kendra clapped her hands. “I’m so excited! Even more so, now that I’ve tasted more of your delicious desserts.”

  “Where’s Gladys?” Griff asked after Kendra left.

  I slapped my forehead. “We forgot to tell you? She got mystery flowers from Chef Fabio, I mean Frédéric, and asked for the next few days off.”

  “Are they really mystery flowers if you know who they’re from?” Griff raised an eyebrow.

  “The note was a mystery.” Sam smacked him on the arm. “And the need to take off for several days is odd; she’s already part-time help.”

  “I’m sure Gladys will tell you when she’s good and ready.” Griff stretched. “I think I’m going to go home and watch the ball game.” He kissed me on the cheek and hugged Sam.

  I didn’t even ask what ball game, who was playing or anything else. A sports fan I am not and I didn’t plan to start now; a fact I felt certain Griff knew. “See you tomorrow.”

  “You aren’t planning to come over tonight?” Sam followed me to the counter.

  “No. Victoria and I have work to do.” I filled Sam in on the partial game plan for Millie’s going away party.

  “What do you need me to do to help?”

  “You and BeeBee could shop for the party supplies, plates, cups, drinks and whatever. I think Victoria is almost done filling in the blanks on my list.” I pulled the notebook from my apron. “I’ll get her to finish it and you and BeeBee can shop sometime this week.”

  “Great. That’s right up my alley.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  CHAPTER 11

  Tuesday morning, a loud thud registered through my groggy dreams and I jerked awake. Images of bullets tearing through my home flashed through my mind. Shaking them off, I listened. Monday had passed in a monotonous drizzle, both at work and in weather. Today, wind and rain drummed outside. I shuffled to the curtained window and peeked out. An empty trash can slammed up against the wall, again and again, trapped between it and the air conditioning unit. Having identified the culprit responsible for my early wake-up call, I decided it was now time for breakfast.

  I realize many people would simply go back to bed at three in the morning, but there was a little dish I’d been wanting to try. Flipping on the light in the kitchen, I grabbed a stick of butter from the fridge. Walnuts and honey from the pantry, pears from the bowl on the table. Brown sugar from the canister on the counter and a little nutmeg from the spice cabinet completed my line of ingredients.

  I know. I know. Baked fruit is supposed to be for fall and winter. With the storm brewing outside, comfort food was calling my name. Using a food processor, I chopped the walnuts to a very small size, mixed them with melted butter, and pressed them into a miniature pie pan. See – sensible sized breakfast; it’s not like I was making an entire pie plate of Pear & Walnut Crumble. Slicing and coating the pears with the honey, brown sugar, and nutmeg was next. Then top it off with a little walnut and brown sugar, place foil over the top, and it would be ready to pop in the oven.

  I dressed while I waited for my breakfast to bake. Digging my raincoat from the back of my closet, I wondered briefly where my umbrella might be at. In the end, I decided against hunting for it. I always felt like I got more wet struggling to close it and get in the truck than when I just went without an umbrella.

  Beep.

  I started toward the kitchen then realized that sound was from my phone, not the oven timer. Reversing my steps to the bedroom, I picked up the phone and tapped over to my messages.

  Victoria: Can you give us a ride to work? Storm is supposed to get worse.

  Me: Absolutely!

  Victoria: TY

  Me: Send the address.

  The oven timer buzzed at last. While the crumble cooled, I plugged the address into my navigation then texted Sam to let her know I would be picking up Victoria and Millie for work. I didn’t want her to worry if we were a few minutes late.

  Deliciousness oozed from my Pear & Walnut Crumble as I cut into it with a fork. Tasty; too bad I didn’t have time to savor it. Victoria and Mille were at her aunt’s house a ways out near where Gladys lived. I needed to leave soon to make up for the extra time that driving there and back to the bakery in the heart of town would take.

  ~

  “Griff must have sent someone over yesterday afternoon to install a canopy for Flo.” No surprise that I hadn’t noticed. Yesterday might have been the busiest Monday we’d seen all summer. I walked into the kitchen and blinked in the bright lights. Sam had indeed beat us to work.

  “Yeah, I remember him mentioning it.” Sam closed the walk-in-fridge and placed several bowls of dough on the counter and island, juggling not to drop them before she got them settled.

  “I’ll go turn on the lights and make sure everything in the café is ready to open.” Millie squeezed past Sam and I to the swinging door.

  “Do you want me to mix new dough or bake the mixed dough?” Victoria slid into her apron and looked between the two of us for instructions.

  “Why don’t you mix? I’ll help Piper get cookies on pans.” Sam passed me a few sheet pans.

  Victoria fist-pumped the air. “Awesome.”

  “Did Landon find any houses or apartments he liked yesterday while you showed him around?” I knew they had spent several hours looking, trying to fit in as many viewings as possible in case the storm interfered with future tours today or tomorrow.

  “One or two. He wanted to look at them again before deciding.”

  “House or apartment?”

  “One of each.”

  I tried to picture Landon in a cozy little house. Failed. “Did y’all have a nice time?”

  Sam’s face lit with pleasure. “We did! Landon is so easy to talk to, funny; I really like him.” Her smile drooped slightly.

  “What’s that face for?” I paused from scooping dough, watching her face closely.

  “I hate that I have to go to the dinner at the country club with Garrett when I might’ve had a chance to enjoy myself if Landon were escorting me.” She groaned. “Now I’ll be doubly miserable.”

  “Sunday at lunch, was that the first time you met Garrett?”

  Sam rolled her eyes. “Yes, though from what I could tell he’s been a frequent guest at the house. It’s odd.”

  I laughed. “Odd that someone could be friends with your mother? Yes, yes, it is.”

  Sam smirked. “No. More than that. Garrett looks strangely familiar, but I know I’ve never met him until this weekend. I feel like I should be able to place him though.”

  “I’m sure you’ll think of it.” I shrugged. “You never know, maybe he just has one of those faces.”

  “Maybe.” Sam took one full tray to slip into the oven as I resumed scooping dough onto another. “Have you
taken care of your Thursday night wardrobe fitting yet?” She hip-bumped me as she returned to the island.

  “What do you need a wardrobe fitting for?” Victoria threw a quizzical look over her shoulder.

  “For the big schmoozing-dinner Mayor Lowe’s supporters are throwing on Thursday evening.” I turned back to Sam. “Speaking of, no I haven’t been fitted and you haven’t told me what we have to wear either.” I narrowed my eyes at Sam. She loved clothes. Granted, she preferred picking them out herself; still, the fact that she hadn’t described in any way the apparel chosen for this event smelled suspicious.

  “It’s one of those things that is indescribable; you’ll have to see it yourself.”

  “Fine. Where do I have this fitting?” I pursed my lips. “It seems unlikely your mother is going to welcome me to her house and call back her special tailor.”

  “I’ll call and set up the appointment with Vinny.”

  “Vinny?” I raised my brows.

  “Vincent Von Vaughn. Tailor extraordinaire, at least according to him.”

  Victoria snorted and I laughed out loud. “You’re kidding me, right?” I looked hard at Sam. “That can’t be his real name.”

  “I assure you; it is.”

  “And he likes to be called Vinny?”

  “Hates it.” Sam winked. My sides split with laughter. I couldn’t wait to meet this tailor, Vinny.

  When I stopped laughing, I told Sam to call him. “Set it up for tonight, unless you’re busy. You are definitely coming with me.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” Sam promised. She stepped out the back door to make the call. I caught a glimpse of the darkening sky.

  “I better check the weather report.” I rooted around in my pant pocket until I felt my phone. Pulling it out, I was surprised to see a message from Gladys.

  Gladys: Back at the bakery tomorrow if that is okay?

  Typing quickly, I responded.

  Me: Sounds good. Everything alright?

  Gladys: All is good. Been very busy.

  Me: Okay. We will see you tomorrow.

  Gladys: Will Sam be there tomorrow? And girls?

  Me: Yes. We should all be here.

  Gladys: Good.

  I frowned. Why would Gladys need to know we would all be here? Her rushed leave of absence and silence about the flowers had me worried. What if Chef Fabio, sorry Frédéric, had broken things off with her and she was too embarrassed to confide in us? What if she had been home with nobody but Jack and Drew for company. My phone beeped again.

  Gladys: One last favor?

  Me: Yes?

  Gladys: Almond Truffles.

  I grinned at the screen. That was a dessert, not a favor. And since she hadn’t requested something drowning chocolate in chocolate, I could safely assume she was not in emotional turmoil.

  Me: They will be awaiting your taste-testing skills.

  Back to business. I pulled up the local weather station and skimmed the radar map. And gulped. Hurricane Loretta had increased to a category 5 storm. Landfall in Florida was imminent. The wind and rain that Seashell Bay and other such towns up and down the coast could expect to get as part of the fallout was frightening.

  The back door rattled. Sam came back inside, shutting the door with a heave. “Things are really starting to pick up out there.”

  I turned the phone to face her. “Change of plans. You and BeeBee are staying at my place tonight. Griff too if he wants.”

  “Why?” Her eyes roamed the article, eyes widening.

  “Because I’d feel better without you on the edge of the ocean if it decides to roar up as part of the hurricane and come inland, that’s why.”

  “Sounds reasonable to me.” Victoria spoke from behind the stand-mixer. “I’m glad we are a little further inland during times like this. Is the storm really supposed to get bad?”

  I nodded grimly. “It may make the storm earlier this week look like mere mist.”

  “When should we expect it?”

  “The weather apps predict it will start by two this afternoon.” I looked over at Sam. “Do you need to go home and get clothes?”

  “Nah.”

  I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. My friend wasn’t the type of person to wear the same outfit two days in a row – even if all she did was sit on the couch in it – and yet she expected me to believe she would be fine to not have a change of clothes after baking and working all day in the ones she wore. Not buying it.

  Reading my mind, or perhaps the not-so-concealed doubt flashing across my face, Sam said, “I have a few clothes in the car. They should work and if I have to stay longer than a day,” she shrugged, “well, there is always shopping.”

  Shopping. How could I not have factored shopping into the equation?

  The oven timer buzzed and I moved to grab a couple of oven mitts.

  Sam surveyed the kitchen. She and I had successfully cleaned out the bowls of dough. Everything from them was either baking or awaiting its turn in the oven. “I’m going to help Millie out front.” She pushed through the swinging door.

  “Shoot!”

  “What’s wrong?” Victoria asked.

  “Nothing. I just forgot to tell Sam that Gladys would be back tomorrow.”

  “Oh, cool!”

  I smiled. “That reminds me, are you ready for your next baking challenge?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “How well do you know your way around a truffle?”

  CHAPTER 12

  After explaining the basics of a truffle – actually, several styles of truffle - to Victoria, I left her to handle capturing the almond flavors and truffle style in whatever way she saw fit. Finding Sam and Millie chatting in the café, I joined them.

  “Just the two people I needed to see.”

  “What’s up?” Sam leaned against the counter.

  “Gladys is coming in to work tomorrow. For whatever reason, she wanted to be sure we would all be here.”

  “Assuming the hurricane doesn’t blow us away.” Millie glanced out the front windows at the darkening sky.

  While we were all looking outside, in strolled one of our local firemen. His boyishly handsome face seemed to make him entirely too young for such a dangerous job. I’d guess eighteen or nineteen at best. I didn’t know him but soon gathered that Millie did.

  “Hiya, Millie.” The fireman winked and tugged on his suspenders as he approached.

  Sam waggled her eyebrows at me, turning her back to the strapping man making his way to the counter. “Millie, looks like this customer is all yours.”

  “O-kay.” Millie took Sam’s place at the register with a puzzled look on her face.

  Sam and I stepped back. I fiddled with the coffee pot. Sam folded napkins. And we listened. Shamelessly.

  “Good morning. What can I get for you?” Millie asked, polite as ever.

  “What do you recommend?”

  “Everything is good. What did you get last time?”

  I raised my eyebrows at Sam. So, he’d been in before. I didn’t recognize him.

  “I can’t remember. What’s your favorite?” The hunky firefighter smiled at Millie.

  Millie’s brows crinkled thoughtfully. “I guess this week my favorites are the Cinnamon Bun Cookies.”

  “Sounds great. I’ll take six.”

  Millie retrieved the cookies from the display case, long blonde ponytail bouncing. As she bagged them up, the fireman interrupted. “You can leave two of those out,” he held out cash to pay for his order.

  “Okay.” Millie placed two cookies on a napkin and accepted the wad of bills. She counted change back and handed it to him. “Have a nice day.”

  “I hope so.” He sent another drool-worthy smile Millie’s way before he left.

  “So?” I sidled up next to Mille.

  “Huh?” She met my grin with confusion.

  “Who’s the hunk?” Sam tossed a thumb over her shoulder toward the closing door.

  “The fireman?” Mille’s express
ion cleared. “Oh, he’s a customer that never seems to know what he wants.”

  “I think he knows what he wants.” I tapped my pointer finger on the counter beside the two cookies still sitting on a napkin.

  Millie looked down. “Oh no! He forgot his other cookies.” Panic washed over her face. The young fireman was nowhere in sight on the sidewalk.

  Sam leaned around me and slid the small rectangle from beneath the napkin. “I think Piper meant this.”

  Millie picked up the piece of paper and flipped it over.

  I waited. I did. An entire two seconds I waited before I peeked over her shoulder to read the hastily scrawled note.

  Sweet treats for a sweet girl. Enjoy. Davy.

  A phone number followed the signature. I shot Sam a thumbs up; she couldn’t see the note, but our instincts had been right. Mr. Handsome Fireman Davy was flirting with our little Millie.

  We waited for Millie to speak.

  Sam, nearly as impatient as me, finally prodded her. “Well? What’s it say?”

  Millie handed over the paper. Sam read it. “Are you going to call him?” she asked.

  “What?” Millie snapped out of her speechlessness.

  “Millie,” Sam placed both palms on the counter and leaned forward. “You can’t tell me you didn’t see that boy flirting with you.”

  “And he bought you cookies,” I added helpfully. A man who knows the value of keeping sugar in a woman’s life might be worth a closer look at. Lucky for me, I’d already found such a man.

  “Are you sure? I mean, he was probably just being nice.” Millie twirled a loose piece of blonde hair by her ear.

  “Honey.” Sam shook her head. “You said he comes in and never knows what he wants, right?”

  Millie nodded.

  “Let me guess: he always orders whatever you recommend?”

  “Yeah, now that I think about it, that sounds right.”

  I jumped in, taking over for Sam. “When was the first time he came in?”

  “The day I accidentally flipped the fire alarm and set off all of the sprinklers.” Millie ducked her head, face reddening in embarrassment over the time she snagged the fire alarm with the broom handle and didn’t realize it. “He didn’t buy any cookies that day.”