Tart (The Fluffy Cupcake Book 2)

by Katie Mettner

  He swung his body toward me and lifted a brow. “Is that what you got from that whole statement? I wasn’t implying that. Not even a little bit.”

  I finished my beer, setting the bottle down next to my cane, which I glared at with hatred. “Doesn’t mean it’s not true. I can’t take care of myself. That’s how I got here.”

  He tipped his head at me. “I’m confused.”

  I waved my hand at my throat to indicate he should forget it. “And I’ve had too much to drink.”

  We stared at the fire for several minutes, the uncomfortable silence stretching out before us. A flash of light caught my eye, and I glanced up at the sky sharply.

  “Just heat lightning,” he assured me almost like he knew my secret, which I was sure he didn’t. I couldn’t say for sure, since everyone else in town knew, but what were the chances that someone had told him? It’s not likely that came up in general conversation.

  I settled back against the chair and watched the last of the wooden posts burn down to ash. “Wow, there goes a piece of my childhood right there,” I whispered, the red coals bright as they burned down to nothing. “I don’t remember a time that fence wasn’t a constant marker for every season of my life. If the grass grew past the first wire, it was time to cut it. The snow piling up along it marked how many feet fell throughout the winter. In the fall, the leaves would get caught in the wires, and we’d have to rake them out without damaging the fence. The crocus always sprouted in the spring to make it festive at Easter. The burning of the fence feels like an end of an era. Maybe it’s time I accept it.”

  “What does that mean?” he asked, poking at the fire until it sparked to life again to throw more light on the yard.

  “The end of my childhood. It’s time to move out and get my own place. I know I should, but I also have my reasons for staying. I’m warring with it right now.”

  He leaned back against his chair and nodded. “And I don’t think you need to explain those reasons to anyone, Amber. You can live wherever you want to live without justifying it. I haven’t lived here long, but I can tell that your parents rely on you to take care of the place when they’re gone, too.”

  “That’s true,” I agreed. “The question is, what do I do when I’m starting to justify it to myself? I’ll tell you what the therapist told me as a kid.”

  He rubbed his hands on his thighs until he grasped his knees. Almost as if he was trying to keep his hands to himself. “The therapist doesn’t have to live your life or war with your emotions. They can say what they want, but that doesn’t mean you can implement it into your life just because they say it should be so.”

  I nodded and kept my eyes focused on the fire rather than him. “You make a good point. It’s a lot to think about for me right now. I’m sorry for being a Debbie Downer. Alcohol does that to me, I guess. I’m questioning a lot of things in my life, probably spurred by almost losing Haylee last summer and now with her being married.”

  He swung his head back and forth. “You aren’t a Debbie Downer. I don’t think talking something out with a friend is a problem. You did promise to tell me the story behind the Berry Sinful cupcake, though. Does it have something to do with the woman who attacked Haylee?”

  Oh, thank God. He was throwing me a bone, and I was going to grab it and hold on for dear life.

  I turned my chair a bit so I could look at him without straining my neck. “Oh, that’s right! Let me explain.”

  He held up a finger, grabbed a piece of firewood off a pile by the deck, and added it to the fire before sitting back down. “Okay, ready.”

  “Every year we have the Lake Pendle Strawberry Fest. It started small but grew into this big event every year. It’s kind of like a county fair now.”

  “I’m familiar,” he said, nodding along.

  “Okay, so there’s an event every year called the cupcake bake-off. No rule says professionals can’t enter, so every year, Haylee and Brady team up to bake the best cupcake. The only caveat is, you have to incorporate strawberries into your recipe.”

  “I have to say that the berry sinful was berry good.”

  I chuckled and winked, wishing I wasn’t flirting with him as much as I was, but also not able to make myself stop. “I think it’s the best one they’ve ever come up with, to be honest. That filled strawberry on the top...” I rubbed my belly and licked my lips with vigor. “Anyway, as you know, Berry Sinful won, but she beat out a woman named Darla McFinkle. Haylee and Darla have had a hate-hate relationship for their entire lives. Darla was extremely vocal about her hatred for Haylee, but my bestie was smart enough to just stay out of her way as much as possible.”

  “Which, from what I’m hearing, wasn’t easy. What was her beef with Haylee?”

  “No one knows. It was just hate at first sight for Darla. As for trying to avoid Darla, that was like trying to nail down Jell-O. She hated that Haylee was successful, and she was angry that The Fluffy Cupcake won the competition every year. Darla argued that professionals shouldn’t be allowed to compete.”

  He made the so-so hand. “I guess I kind of agree. It feels like an unfair advantage to me.”

  “And Haylee agrees, too. The problem was, everyone kind of expected her to participate, you know?” He nodded, and I sighed, wishing this story had a better ending than it did. “Hay-Hay decided it was going to be our last year to compete, but she had committed to the competition already, so she showed up and baked. When Darla got second place, to say she wasn’t happy was an understatement. She said some nasty things to Haylee and Brady at the competition about Haylee’s body and how she didn’t deserve to be dating Brady.”

  Bishop grimaced and shook his head. “Darla sounds like a prime example of a bully.”

  “Oh, yeah,” I said, nodding with exaggeration. “Darla has been a thorn in our side for our entire lives. You could never prove that she was a bully, though. She had all of the adults snowed. They believed she was wonderful, and everyone else was the problem.”

  “As is typical with bullies.”

  “I suppose you have plenty of experience with them as a teacher.”

  He laughed, but it was mirthless. “And as a father. More than I care to admit. Anyway, continue.”

  “Every time you mention being a father, I do a doubletake. I have to remind myself that you’re not old, and you’re extremely hot to boot.” This time his laughter was filled with humor. I buried my head in my hand out of embarrassment. “Cripes, you can’t trust me with alcohol.”

  “No, I think the exact opposite is true. You hold too much back when you’re sober. A little bit of alcohol helps you loosen up and stop being so afraid of saying something you think the other person doesn’t want to hear.”

  “That’s not untrue. I’ve always been that way. I tend only to speak when I know what I’m going to say. I’m sure the reasons are obvious to you now.”

  He shrugged with a grin on his face. “I don’t mind that you think I’m hot and not the least bit old. You’re way ahead of the curve with most women.”

  “But you aren’t old. You’re only a few years older than I am. You just had kids when you were young. We can look at it that way.”

  “It was more like a once and done kind of thing.”

  “Wait, you don’t want more kids?”

  He waved his hand in the air. “I do. What I meant was, I made a mistake once, and I wasn’t going to make it again. The next time I have a baby, if I ever do, it will be planned and what we both want. I will never put another woman in the position of having to decide between their future or a child’s future ever again.”

  I sat there, nodding as I thought about what he said. “You’re right. I’m sure Athena’s mom felt that way to a degree.”

  “Her name is Sam. She’s one of the strongest women I know. She grew up to be a social worker and is married to a super nice guy named Ken. He had as much to do with Athena being the kind of woman she is as I did.”

  “Sam got her happily ever after, but y
ou’re still waiting.”

  “I guess you could say that. What happened with Darla and Haylee?”

  I threw my hands up excitedly. “Oh, right, sorry! Anyway, no one knew that Haylee had left the recording app open on her phone after the judge got done announcing the winner, so every cruel and disgusting thing Darla said to Haylee was recorded. When Haylee found the recording the next day, she took it to the festival committee to let them listen. She wasn’t doing it to be vindictive, though.”

  “What did it matter? If Darla didn’t win the cupcake bake-off?”

  “She didn’t win that, but she did win Strawberry Fest Princess and was going to represent the city for a year.”

  “Oh, crap,” he said, his laughter evident. “I bet she wasn’t happy that Haylee had audio of their interaction.”

  My head shook back and forth with all seriousness. “Not even a little bit. Especially after they removed Darla as the princess and took her crown before she could even get on the float. She went on an all-day bender and then waited for Haylee outside her apartment. She pushed my best friend down the stairs and then stabbed her.”

  He reared back with his eyes wide. “I hadn’t heard that part of the story.”

  I nodded and tipped my head to the side. “Darla will be going to trial for attempted murder sometime next month.”

  “You have had a lot to deal with the last year. Not only is Haylee your best friend, but she’s your business partner. That must have been hard running the business with her injured.”

  “It was harder knowing that she was in pain for no fault of her own. Worse, knowing that she could have died before anyone found her. Thankfully, Brady had figured out that Haylee was upset with him and went into work early to talk to her that night. If he hadn’t, Haylee might not be with us. The police think Brady pulled up and scared Darla away before she could stab Haylee more than once. It was also good she was completely wasted and had a bad aim. Darla isn’t talking, of course, but they have the knife with Haylee’s blood on it, so it will be tough for her attorney to prove she’s innocent.”

  “That’s heavy, Amber. I’m sorry,” he said, leaning forward and taking my hand. He held it in his warm one, and I liked it way too much for where I was in my life. He was a professional. He was in charge of educating young minds. Hell, he’d already raised one. Here I was, still afraid of my own shadow.

  “I’m just glad that she’s okay and healed quickly. Brady has been a rock for both her and the business. Now that they’re married, it puts how we work together at the bakery in a weird place. We’re supposed to have dinner and talk about everything tomorrow night, and I’m nervous about it. I have to remind myself that we’ve navigated the changes thus far, so I know we can do it again.”

  “I know you can, too,” he said, squeezing my hand before he let it go. “Everything in life is about change. Every day brings about some kind of change. We either have to bend to it or break to it. I learned that very early on in life. My parents were killed by a drunk driver when I was six, which is why my grandparents raised me.”

  My hand went to my mouth as I gasped. “How awful, Bishop! I had no idea it was that type of situation. That’s tragic.”

  He nodded and pursed his lips. “I can’t say that I even remember much about them anymore, which is to be expected, but it is still hard for me to accept. My grandparents have both passed now, too, so there isn’t much left to the Halla name. It’s just Athena and me.”

  “Athena sounds like a badass warrior, though, so I know she’ll carry the name proudly for many years to come.”

  He laughed and winked, his long lashes coming down to brush his cheek. “Maybe forever unless she takes her wife’s last name in the future.”

  “Her wife’s?” My mind caught up to my mouth, and my lips made an O. “Her wife’s.”

  “She’s been out for years, and I know that all parents say that they always knew their child was gay, but her mother and I did. I swear we knew since the day she was born.”

  I chuckled and shook my head. “I don’t question any parent who says they know their child that well. I don’t have kids, but when I have one, I figure I’ll understand right quick what they’re talking about.”

  He pointed at me and smiled. “You can become a parent without even thinking about it, but you can’t raise a child without thinking about every single thing you do with and for them. It’s the hardest job in the world. That’s saying a lot when I take care of other people’s children for a living.”

  “I’ve heard that before—from my mother,” I said with laughter. “I suppose I better go to bed. I have to be at the bakery early tomorrow.”

  He stood and walked around my chair, picking up my cane for me and then steadying me by my elbow. “I’ll walk you home. It’s dark, and I don’t want you to trip.”

  “It’s okay. I left the light on,” I said, taking a step and almost falling into the fire.

  He grasped my arm and held it tightly until I righted myself. “You sure about that?”

  I sighed with resignation and hung my head. “I’m not sure about much anymore, Bishop, other than I had a nice evening. I’m glad we got the fence down with no one suffering any further splinters.”

  He smiled, and in the low light of the fire, my heart flared to life a little bit. I made sure to pour a bucket of cold water on that feeling instantly. I couldn’t fall for this guy. He was too hot, too educated, and way too out of my league to find me interesting for very long. Considering that he was helping me walk across the grass to my apartment, he would lose interest faster than most guys.

  We arrived at my apartment, and I was glad I’d left the light on over the door. It’s easy to pretend you don’t want to kiss someone when a harsh light is making you squint.

  “Thanks for the steaks and the company. We should do this again. I enjoy being able to sit outside and listen to the lake with a friend. There’s something to be said for nature and a nice campfire.”

  I nodded and slid the door open, ready to step into safety. “I agree. Thanks for helping with the fence. I can’t wait to show Haylee what it looks like tomorrow. She’ll be jazzed that the eyesore is gone.”

  He smiled and stuck his hands in his pockets, bouncing up on his toes. “Jazzed, huh. Well, I’m glad I could make her happy.”

  “You made me happy, too.”

  He laughed and shook his head, staring at his shoes. “Well, you could have fooled me, but if I brought even a little bit of a bright spot to your day, then it made my day worth living. Sleep well, Amber.”

  “Thanks, Bishop. Have a good night,” I said, stealing into the house before I kissed him like the fool I wanted to be. Thank God enough of the alcohol had left my system to keep me from making a bad decision.

  He waited until the door closed, and then he turned and walked back to his yard. While he busied himself putting out the fire, I stood in the darkness and watched him work. Bishop Halla was less of a mystery than he was eight hours ago. Unfortunately, what I knew about him now made me want to turn the next page even more.

  The truth was obvious. I was crushing on Bishop Halla. I shook my head as I limped to my bedroom. I was in so much trouble.

  Six

  I slid out the door of my apartment, and Haylee followed, carrying a salad and drinks for me, her, and Brady, who was manning the grill. We were cooking brats and having potato salad and cake for dinner. At this rate, all of Mom’s meat would be gone from the freezer by the time they got home. I felt terrible not inviting Bishop over for dinner, but we were talking business and nothing else. I’d save him a piece of Haylee’s famous orange creamsicle cake and wander across the driveway with it later.

  Sure, you’ll just wander over there, Amber. I rolled my eyes at myself. I would probably dart over there the second Haylee and Brady left tonight. I was dying to see him again, which honestly scared the crap out of me. After what happened back in February, I should want nothing to do with another man. Why did the guys you were inte
rested in dating always come along after a bad experience? It’s like the universe is testing you or something. Will she know a good guy when she sees one? Stay tuned to find out!

  I huffed, and Haylee snickered behind me. “Maybe you should just invite him over for dinner. We can send him home when we’re ready to talk shop.”

  I sat down at the table and took the drinks from her. “Invite who?” I asked innocently.

  My best friend rolled her eyes at me with massive precision. “The guy you’ve been obsessing about all day.”

  “You know, your neighbor,” Brady said from the grill.

  “Wow, you two have so many assumptions,” I said, biting my cheek, so I didn’t smile. “Is that meat almost done? I’m starving.”

  Brady swung over with the platter of brats, and we sat down to fill our buns and shovel in the food. “That was some kind of crazy today,” I said after I swallowed a bite of potato salad. “I can’t believe we didn’t lock the door until nearly five. That’s unheard of.”

  Haylee pointed at me while she chewed and swallowed. “It is, but I know if we stayed open until six during the summer, we’d always have customers.”

  I lowered my fork slowly and swallowed. “I’m sure we would, but I’d be dead in two weeks.”

  “Which brings us to another point,” Brady said immediately, setting his brat down. “You can’t keep up this pace any longer.”

  I chewed thoughtfully and forced the food down over the lump in my throat. “I’m thirty, not ninety,” I said, washing the meat down with a swallow of beer. “But if we’re thinking about having the storefront open twelve hours, even six days a week, we’re going to need more help. I can’t work four a.m. to six p.m. that many days in a row.”

  “We already need more help,” Haylee agreed, stabbing a potato. “We’re barely keeping our heads above water, which is great for the business, but not so great for us. Now that Brady and I are married, we’d rather not be there twenty-four seven if possible.”

  We all shoveled in more food, our thoughts on the business, and how much things were changing. At least that’s what I was thinking about, but probably not in the same way they were. They wanted more time to be together outside of work, and I got that, but I didn’t know how to make it happen without sacrificing my own free time, not to mention my leg.