All She Wrote
Page 17
“Of course I heard you.” I turned around and looked at the high wooden beams ceiling, hardwood floors that created the echoing Zen den. “But so can everyone else.”
I pointed my finger in the air when my voice echoed.
It was really a cool concept Peaches had when she’d bought the old building. It was a two story mercantile store from when Sugar Creek Gap, Kentucky was a big mill town where we still had the very first mill wheel that worked as the very heart of downtown.
Like most towns, settlers had gone from land to land and built little communities along the way. Sugar Creek Gap had been built on generations of families. We were a small community, but through the years, the owners of big farms had sold off various acres and built several subdivisions along with big box stores built on the outskirts of town.
But I worked, lived and mainly stayed downtown Sugar Creek Gap, leading me back to Tranquility Spa. Peaches wasn’t going to be able to salvage the second floor of the building on the inside. She ended up gutting the entire inside where she had large wooden beams installed to create a very tall one-story shop. She was able to divide the large space in thirds. The larger room being her studio, another room had three separate massage beds along with appointments for her Reiki technique, which Peaches had tried to get me in there.
No way, no how. When I goggled it, the information popped up that having such a massage performed on me might make my soul open up and I’d cry. I’d done enough crying for three lifetimes; I certainly didn’t want to be a willing participant in anything that would make me cry.
The third section Peaches had built was the front reception where she had to conduct business transaction, open wooden storage shelves for clients, along with some clothing racks where she sold yoga apparel.
“That’s a wonderful fabric,” Peaches called from the counter where she and China Gordon, Peaches long time best friend were hanging out and sipping on some sort of green liquid. “You can always try it and if you don’t like it you can get your money back.”
Iris laughed.
“Are you seriously thinking about buying that?” She asked me when I held the very small as in the entire thing was smaller than my one leg.
“Mmm.” I shrugged. “Maybe.” I gulped when I took at the price tag. “Do you think this is sixty dollars’ worth of material?” I joked under my breath.
“I bet we can get Loetta Goldey to make us something for one-fourth of the price.” Iris was serious.
“She knits.” I let out a long sigh and looked at the yoga pants again.
“Or you can wait a few days and try the new line I’m representing,” China said. “Right Peaches?”
“We do need to have that meeting.” Peaches flipped open the calendar on her desk and China put her head down as they pointed to various dates.
China Gordon was a clothing representative for athletic wear. From all the times she’d stopped her mail, I knew she traveled a lot for work. No doubt she had to since Tranquility Spa would be on the only place in Sugar Creek Gap she’d be able to get her athletic line in to sell.
“I’d love to see the products you represent.” I made the decision to buy the yoga pants and placed them on the counter.
“Oh no, Bernie. China has finally decided to take my advice and come up with her own line to sell.” Peaches had so much pride on her face for her best friend. She rang up my pants and took my debit card from me. “Since she is almost finished getting her 300 hours of yoga training, so she can teach some classes, she knows the right fabrics that’ll help your body move and stretch to its fullest potential.”
“Congratulations China. That’s wonderful news.” I loved to see young people go for their dreams. “I’ll be the first customer.”
“And that’s why we need to get our little meeting on the books,” China told Peaches.
“We will.” Peaches held a finger up in the air to answer the ringing phone.
“I’ll see you Wednesday,” I mouthed and took the bag from Peaches so she didn’t have to stop her phone conversation.
“No. I’m the owner. I do not have to let her take yoga classes.” Peaches didn’t sound so happy with the person on the other end of the line. I couldn’t help myself to listen in while I waited on Iris to get her shoes on. “If she comes in here, she’ll regret it. And for that matter, don’t you ever step foot in here either.”
Iris couldn’t stop herself from lingering. Her big ears and eyes were taking it all in and Peaches knew it. Peaches slowly turned around and covered the phone with her hand as she continue to whisper with a very angry tone.
I tugged on Iris sweatshirt and nodded toward the door.
“Wonder what that was about?” Iris asked once we made it outside where the sun was still popping out before dusk which made me so happy so I could take little Clara outside when I went to visit them tonight. “Or who it was about?”
“Who knows. Somebody always has a beef with someone around here.” I signed knowing Peaches Partin was one of the gentlest of souls. When you were around her, she radiated calm and I swear there was a light that came right out of her soul and spread across the world through her eyes. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
Since I lived a street behind Main Street on Little Creek Road, I practically walked everywhere. According to Doctor Hunter, walking just wasn’t enough for a middle aged woman like myself. When did I become middle aged? I still thought of my mother as middle aged, not me.
Iris stopped dead in her tracks while I was in deep thought, knocking right into her.
“I don’t have a good feeling.” Iris had this funny look on her face. Her face clouded over like a thundercloud, making me get chilled to the bone.
Would you like to extend your visit in Sugar Creek Gap? Read on for a sneak peek of RETURN TO SENDER, book 4, in the Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery. It’s now available for preorder! Grab your copy here.
RECIPES
Southern Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes
Hummingbird Cake
Turtle Bars
Southern Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 box of yellow cake mix (15 oz)
Eggs
Water
1 ½ quarts of strawberries
½ cup of white chocolate chips
4 TBSP of heavy whipping cream
1 small box of cheesecake instant pudding mix
8 oz of strawberry spreadable cream cheese
1 ½ cups of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 container of whipped topping (frozen)
12 full strawberries to put on top of finished cupcake
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350*
2. line 12 standard muffin pan with cupcake liners
3. Make the box of yellow cake mix using the suggested ingredients on the box (eggs, oil, & water)
4. Fill the cupcake tins with the cake mix and bake.
5. Let the cupcakes cool.
Filling:
1. Take out 12 strawberries, then cut the remaining strawberries into small cubes.
2. Microwave the white chocolate and heavy cream together. Once they are married together, stir and set aside.
3. Whip together the cheesecake instant pudding, milk, and vanilla extract until they thicken up.
4. Add the cream cheese to the instant pudding mix, then add the white chocolate and heavy cream ganache until all of it is well blended.
5. Carefully fold in the cubed strawberries.
6. Chill this mixture for about 20 minutes.
Assemble cupcakes:
1. Use a sharp knife to cut out a center of the cupcake with about ½ inch border. Do not cut through the bottom of the cupcake.
2. Use a teaspoon to fill the cupcake hole with the filling mixture.
3. Spread the whip topping over the filled cupcakes and top each cupcake with one of the full strawberries for decoration.
Enjoy!
Hummingbird Cake
THIS IS A THREE LAYER MOIST CAKE
Ingredients
2 cups of chopped pecans
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1 ½ tsp of ground cinnamon
½ tsp of allspice
½ tsp of salt
4 ripe bananas mashed
8 oz can of crushed pineapple
3 large eggs
¾ cups of sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INGREDIENTS
2 packages of 8 oz cream cheese
¾ cup of unsalted butter
5 cups of confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp of milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 300*
2. Spread the pecans on a lined baking pan and toast for 8 minutes.
3. Move oven temperature up to 350*
4. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans
5. Whisk together: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a bowl.
6. Add and whisk together the rest of the cake ingredients into the bowl.
7. Pour all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.
8. Add 1 ½ cups of the chopped pecans into the mixture (save the rest of pecans for later).
9. Spread the batter over the three cake pans evenly.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes using a toothpick to stick in the middle to see if it’s baked through.
11. Allow the cakes to cool completely. Once they are cooled, take them out of the pans and cut off the tops of the cakes to make them flat on top so they are easy to stack.
FROSTING:
1. Whisk cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and salt.
ASSEMBLE THE FROSTED CAKE:
1. Place one cake layer on platter/stand and evenly cover the top of the cake with the frosting.
2. Add another cake on top of the frosted cake and evenly cover that cake with frosting. Do the same with the third cake.
3. Use the remaining frosting to cover the side of the assembled three cakes.
4. Sprinkle the remaining pecans on top of your three layer frosted cake.
5. Put the finished cake in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to help set the frosting and the cakes.
6. Slice and enjoy!
Turtle Bars
Ingredients
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups of brown sugar
1 2/3 cup of softened butter
1 ½ cup of pecans
1 cup of chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven 350*
2. Combine 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of brown sugar, and ½ cup of soften butter.
3. Pat the mixture into the 13 x 9 inch pan (ungreased) to create the crust.
4. Lay pecans over the crust in the pan.
5. Combine the remaining butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring the entire time.
6. Pour the mixture over the pecans and bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes. (golden and bubbly)
7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the chocolate chips.
8. Let the chocolate chips melt before you take the tip of a knife and swirl the melted chocolate chips, do not spread, just swirly.
9. Let cool for 2 hours before you cut them into bars. Enjoy!
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Also By Tonya Kappes
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About Tonya
Tonya has written over 85 novels, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists, including the USA Today. Best known for stories charged with emotion and humor and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and glowing critical reviews. She lives with her husband and a very spoiled rescue cat named Ro. Tonya grew up in the small southern Kentucky town of Nicholasville. Now that her four boys are grown men, Tonya writes full-time.
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This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The cover was made by Mariah Sinclair. Red Edit Publishing for edits.
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sp; Copyright © 2020 by Tonya Kappes. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information email Tonyakappes@tonyakappes.com