KDBookOnline
Share Us
Rowan’s mouth fell open. “Your mind is a scary place. Is that even possible?”
“Google it.”
Rowan held up her hands. “I believe you. We’ll start with fondant tomorrow. It’s super easy.”
“Sure it is.”
“So, since you won’t talk about Theo, want to share what you’re working on in the studio?”
“No.”
Rowan smiled and turned on the mixer. It wasn’t odd for me to keep my work to myself until I’d finished. Itwasodd for me not to be working on anything. I usually had a few pieces in progress simultaneously. But what with getting Red Blossoms Bakery started and actually having a social life now that my sister was back in town, I’d finished all the pieces I’d started without beginning new ones. Hopefully, the class would inspire more than fantasies about a certain tattooed teacher.
The doorbell rang as I finished crumb coating the cake.
“That’ll be Dr. Evers,” Rowan said, stealing a few cookies from the wire racks.
“Not those.” I squeezed the bag too hard and frosting shot across the worktable. “Son of a biscuit.”
Laughter carried from the front of the house. Dr. Evers had no doubt come prepared with jokes to loosen up Mom.
“Stingy much?” Rowan said, grabbing another cookie to put in a bakery box. Rowan had wanted red. I’d insisted on matte black. “How many doctors do you know make house calls?”
“I’m not denying the man deserves baked goods. But they’re vanilla. Dr. Evers is a chocoholic.” Plus, those cookies took a shit-ton of time to ice.
Rowan narrowed her eyes like she could read my mind. “And you know this because?”
“He always ordered mocha lattes at Karma with a brownie to go.”
Thankfully, someone other than me now filled the good doctor’s drink orders. As customers went, Dr. Evers was a peach,but I never wanted to serve him or anyone else another latte. It’d been four months since I took off my gag-worthy teal barista apron. I fought the urge to hug my sister every day I didn’t have to stand behind a counter and pretend to be pleasant.
Rowan looked into the box and frowned. “Shoot. I haven’t made the brownies yet.”
“Put six chocolate cupcakes in a medium box,” I said, filling the icing bag with the last of the chai buttercream while my sister selected the cupcakes. Rowan set the box on the table, and I quickly piped a swirl on each with a 1M Open Star Tip. Next, I grabbed a Hershey bar and shaved chocolate onto the frosting.
Rowan sighed. “Those look great, but I should have filled the middle with fudge or Nutella.
“Next time.” I closed the box and sealed it with a sticker covered in pretty red flowers andRed Blossoms Bakeryindelicate script. Rowan had insisted. “I’ll take these to him.”
She blew out a breath and grabbed another dirty bowl. “Thanks.”
I went to the dining room, but Dr. Evers and Mom had settled in the living room with Chris.
“Ah,” Dr. Evers said, eyeing the box. “Just the person I wanted to see.”
I held out the box, assuming it had elicited his enthusiasm rather than me. “Chocolate cupcakes with chai buttercream frosting.”
A huge smile stretched across Dr. Evers’s face. “Thank you. I can’t wait to eat one.”
I hate to admit it, but I kind of missed seeing people’s reactions to being handed a treat. I needed to sneak Skye a bone. It’d have the same effect without the chit chat.
Dr. Evers placed the box on the coffee table and called my name as I started for the kitchen. “I looked at your file before I came over. You’re behind on your tetanus booster, Poppy.”
“If I cut myself with something old and rusty, you’ll be the first person I call,” I said, stepping toward the hall. Chris blocked the doorway with his stupid big football muscles. I shoved his chest. “Move.”
“Should I hold her down?” Chris asked.
I lowered my shoulder and ran into him. He let out a huff like I’d knocked the breath from his lungs, but wrapped his arms around me and picked me up. “It’ll be over before you know it, Pop.”