by Natalie Ann
Her older brother had always been there for her. She paid through the roof for the moving service, but she wasn’t going to rely on anyone. She’d been doing it on her own for years after her father bought her a better used car to drive to Florida after college. He was terrified she’d break down on the way there or be stuck with her old junker. With a more reliable used car they decided to let her go back to Florida alone.
She’d had a job and a little bit of money, but they helped her out and she would never forget how supportive they were when she made the impulsive decision to leave home.
All she learned was that the grass wasn’t always greener but she could stand on her own two feet.
She also learned she had a love for baking and decorating. What was a hobby now might become a side business, if not a new career if she could sustain it.
But she wasn’t going to be impulsive about anything in life anymore. Been there and done that.
Until then, her new brother-in-law needed someone to handle the day-to-day accounting functions in the adventure park. The previous owner had stayed on for a few months and did it but decided she was going to leave too. It couldn’t have fallen in her lap any better.
Heck, that was what motivated her to move. When she’d been back for the bridal shower, Logan jokingly said he wished she was local, that he needed someone he trusted and wasn’t even sure how to look for the accounting position but had to start interviewing soon.
The next day, she’d asked him if he was serious and he said shit yeah. That started her journey back home for one more shot at living the slow life in the Adirondacks.
“He’s good that way. Did you give him a dessert as a thank you? Riley is going nuts with chocolate during her pregnancy right now.”
She laughed. “I did. Double chocolate with marshmallow frosting, and I decorated it in a police theme. I needed something different for my website. Someone could easily have a police birthday party for a kid.”
“Good idea. Your cakes were a hit at the bridal shower and wedding. I never even knew you had a talent or a thought of doing this.”
“I didn’t either. I just took a class because I was bored down there a couple of years ago. It stuck. But the competition and cost to run a business was too high. It is here too, but I can do it on the side and with your awesome husband letting me work my own hours it makes it easier to try to get this off the ground.”
Logan was great and since Taryn didn’t need to be there when the park opened, she was getting her hours in when she wanted and where. She could work from home half the time if she wanted to. Logan didn’t care as long as the bills were paid and profit and loss statements were sent to his accounting firm. Worked for her to not have the responsibility of filing taxes or anything like that.
“He’s flexible in life in general. I’ve learned that about him. He puts up with me,” Kennedy said, laughing.
She was happy to see her sister so in love and happy. The same with her brother. Neither thought they’d find it here but both did with people from the New York City area that relocated. Funny how things like that happened.
“That is very true.”
“So where are you taking the cakes you’re making?”
Taryn walked over and opened up the fridge and pulled out the completed cake she’d finished hours ago. She’d been up and moving since four this morning. “This one is going to Collins’s Lodge.”
Kennedy laughed. “I love the outdoor theme. You’ve got everything imaginable on there.”
Collins’s Lodge catered to the outdoor person, offering everything from winter and summer sports, horseback riding, hiking trails to a top-rated restaurant that held high-end weddings that many traveled to. If she could get her name on the list of local vendors, it’d be huge.
“I thought it was a cute touch too. It’s just for them to eat and try and check out. Obviously I’ve got lots of wedding cakes on my site, but I wasn’t about to bring them a wedding cake to sample. This is a s’mores cake. Chocolate with toasted marshmallow and graham crackers filling and more marshmallow frosting under the fondant. Which of course I make homemade and is marshmallow flavored too.”
“The skis and snowshoes are great. It looks like their lodge in a silhouette too.”
“That took me longer than I thought, but it came out good. Hopefully it’s enough for them to take my card and pass me on from time to time.”
“We know the Collinses. Zeke and Erika are great people,” Kennedy said. “Zeke’s wife is the head chef at the restaurant. Once they hear your last name, they’ll remember you.”
She didn’t want to get any job for that reason, but at this point, she’d take what she could get. “The second place I’m going is the Cambridge Golf Resort.”
“Good choice,” Kennedy said. “They have a lot of weddings and parties there too.”
“That is the hope. I’ll do birthday parties and stuff like that—easily and no problem—but it’d be nice to get my name out there to some businesses in town too.”
“So that is the cake you’re making now?”
“Yeah. Lemon cake, raspberry filling, vanilla buttercream. I’m not going to do any fondant on this one but rather hand pipe a few holes of the course on it. I pulled up their website.”
“You’re seriously going to replicate certain holes?” Kennedy asked.
“It’s a personal touch.”
“It is. Good luck and keep me posted. I’ll get out of your way.”
“Thanks,” she said, then went back to assembling the cooled lemon cake into two layers.
When she was done piping it all hours later, she stuck it in the fridge and then pulled out the one for Collins’s Lodge, put it in a bakery box and then loaded it in her SUV to drive up and try to sell herself to the siblings that ran the place.
That was the hardest part of all of this. She did reach out to Erika a few days ago and explained her new business and asked if she could drop off a card and meet. They had an appointment at eleven and that was good enough. She’d never said she was bringing a cake though.
She’d always been the quiet one of the family but knew if this was going to work, she had to put herself out there more. She was confident in her ability and she had to portray that.
“Taryn,” Erika said, coming out. “It’s so good to see you again.”
Erika Collins and her brother, Zeke, ran the lodge now. Their parents had retired and moved to warmer weather too. In a place the size of Lake Placid, most knew who everyone was. They’d gone to the same school, though Erika and Zeke were closer to Kennedy and Trevor’s ages.
“Thank you.”
“Did you bring a cake?” Erika asked, her eyes going right to the box.
“Of course.”
“Let me see it.” Taryn flipped the lid. “Oh my. That is beautiful. Let me take a few pictures of it because I know it’s going to get eaten. Starting with me.”
“That was the plan. I just thought I’d drop my card off and if you like what you see and taste, if you wouldn’t mind just letting people know about me. They can check out my site or contact me for prices.”
“I can tell you right now I love what I see. Hang on, I’m going to get a knife and some plates and grab my sister-in-law, Kendall.”
Taryn stayed where she was, then saw Erika come out, followed by a stunning tall blonde in chef’s attire. “I hear there is a cake to try. I’m Kendall Collins. Erika told me about you briefly.”
“Nice to meet you.” She shook hands and then sat back while they took some pictures and cut into it. The two women were eying each other and then closing their eyes and groaning over the first bite. Definitely a good sign.
Erika saw Kendall nod and then said, “It’s your lucky day. We’ve got a wedding on Saturday. The bride was in here last night and requested a groom’s cake last minute. We can’t find anyone to do it. Kendall doesn’t have the time and our pastry chefs can’t decorate the way the bride wants it.”
“Are you seriou
s?” Taryn asked.
“One hundred percent. Are you busy? Can you wait while we get the bride for you two to meet?”
“I’ll make the time,” she said.
Over an hour later she was back at her place almost jumping at her first job in Lake Placid. But she wasn’t about to stop now and grabbed her second cake and drove to the golf course. They knew she was coming too and it’d been hard to schedule them both on the same day, but they’d said anytime in the afternoon worked; they were flexible.
When she walked into the resort she saw Ashley Cambridge at the counter talking to staff. Ashley had been in Kennedy’s high school class. Taryn knew her name got her into the two businesses today but didn’t want to admit that to Kennedy earlier.
“Taryn. It’s so good to see you. I’m glad you’re back in the area.”
“Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time for me.”
“I’ve always got time for a visit. And cake, if that is what is in that box.”
“It is.”
“Let me go find my mother if you don’t mind.”
“Go ahead.”
She stood there and looked around the lobby of the hotel. It wasn’t huge, maybe had fifty rooms in it, but most came here for the golf course that Ashley’s father ran. She was happier to be here in the hotel rather than the clubhouse where at times it seemed like a good old guy’s club.
“Taryn,” Linda Cambridge said, coming out to see her. “I heard we have cake.”
“We do,” she said, following them down a hall to a conference room. Their eyes lit up when Taryn flipped the lid on the box and then Linda got a little teary-eyed. “Oh no. What is wrong?”
“Nothing,” Linda said, wiping her eyes.
“Sorry,” Ashley said. “It’s beautiful. That is the tenth, eleventh, and twelve holes wrapping around the cake.”
“It is,” she said, glad they realized it.
“Bruce would love this,” Linda said. “I want to take some pictures and I’ll bring him home some later if he’s feeling better.”
“Is he sick?” Taryn asked.
Ashley looked up, her eyes filling too. “We just found out last week Dad has cancer. My brother, Justin, is in town and taking him to the oncologist today so we can figure out what the next step is.”
She reached her hands forward and laid them on both of theirs. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. Trust me, cake is a good thing for Ashley and me,” Linda said.
“I’m glad I could help a little without even knowing it.”
“Thank you, dear,” Linda said. “We appreciate it. And we’ll take your cards and hand them out. We’ll make sure our brides know of you too when they come to us. I think most are set for the coming weddings.”
“I completely understand,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting anything and just am glad you took the time out for me. Especially knowing what is going on. If there is anything you need, please let me know.”
“Thanks,” Ashley said.
She left after that to let them have enjoyment out of her treat for the day and tried to remember Justin Cambridge. She really couldn’t picture him. He had to be older than Trevor, who was seven years older than her twenty-eight years.
If she had time, she’d reach out to Kennedy later and see if she knew anything. Having been gone for six years, she’d mostly lost track of the locals or who was left, who stayed and so on.
Small towns and here she was falling back into the gossip to figure it all out when it was one of the things she hated the most about living here.
2
Tumultuous Relationship
“I don’t know why your mother couldn’t take me today.”
Justin Cambridge looked at his father. “Because she is swamped at the resort and you know it. So is Ashley. I thought we all decided it was best for me to go with you and find out your course of treatment.”
The last thing he wanted to do was uproot his life and put it on hold for months. Especially for the man that didn’t even want him here.
He’d left at eighteen and went away to college and then med school. Once he told his father as a teen he’d had no intention of taking over the golf resort that had been in the family for years, their relationship went from webble wobbles to Humpty Dumpty falling into a ravine.
You’d think his father would be happy his son was a doctor, but nope, Bruce Cambridge wanted what he wanted when he wanted it.
“You don’t want to even be here,” his father said.
“No. I don’t. But I’m here. You’re my father and though we’ve had a lot of rocky years I’m not sure why you can’t be willing to put it behind you. Or at least for now. It’s about getting you better and making sure you’ve got the best care.”
His father snorted. His normal response when Justin brought up their tumultuous relationship. You’d think by now he would know his father wouldn’t want to try.
“I can figure out what the doctor says just fine. He’s going to tell me what they are doing and then I show up for the treatment.”
“It’s not that simple. Maybe there are more options for you than chemo.” Though he’d already done his research and talked to an oncologist at Rochester Regional Health where he was an ER doctor. He was pretty sure he knew what was going to be said today.
“I just want to get this over with,” his father said. He’d never seen his father vulnerable a day in his life and it didn’t seem today was going to be the day either.
“Then let’s go and get your wish.”
He’d shown up at his childhood home with not much time to spare and leave. Right now he was staying in an apartment above the clubhouse at the golf resort because if he had to live with his parents while he helped care for his father he wouldn’t last more than twenty-four hours tops.
Already staying here for months was going to be hard enough and test him, but his mother had called and asked and he’d do anything for her.
They took the short drive to the health center. The closest true hospital was in Saranac Lake, which was less than twenty minutes. A bigger one in Plattsburg an hour away. He’d made sure his father went there for all his tests and the diagnosis was correct when they realized something was wrong months ago.
And typical of his father, he’d put it off as long as possible. He’d probably had symptoms for years and was now in stage two when this could have been caught much earlier.
The prognosis was still good, as long as his father did what he was told.
That was where the kicker was going to be.
The drive to the clinic was quiet. It’s not like the two of them ever had much to say anyway.
His father registered while Justin took a seat and they waited for him to be called in.
“Bruce Cambridge.”
He and his father stood up and made their way to the exam room and he sat there while the nurse took his father’s vitals. Not long after, the doctor came in. There were only two oncologists. The area wasn’t that big and if Justin didn’t like what the plan was, he’d make sure his father saw someone else.
“Hi, I’m Dr. Bob Willis.”
His father shook hands with the doctor. “Bruce, and this is my son, Justin.”
Not to be an ass, but to know everyone was on the same page, he said, “Dr. Justin Cambridge. Emergency Medicine.”
Dr. Willis was older, probably closer to his father’s age. “Nice to meet you. I’ve got your records here, Bruce. I’ve looked everything over.” Dr. Willis turned to look at Justin. “I’m sure you have.”
“I’ve had colleagues look it over at Rochester Regional Health.”
“Oh. Guess you’re not the new doctor at Saranac then. I heard they had an opening and it’s hard to find anyone in this area.”
“No. Sorry,” he said. “Just here temporarily to help care for my father.”
“So you’ll be here during most of the treatment?” Dr. Willis asked.
“That’s the plan at the moment. Depending on what t
hat treatment is and the length.”
Dr. Willis went back to the charts, explained the course of chemo followed by radiation. It was exactly what he’d been told would be recommended so he was on point with it all.
“I’d like to start chemo every two weeks for eight rounds. We’ll see how you tolerate it. If we have to push it to every three weeks, we will. But it will be eight rounds followed by somewhere between six to eight weeks of radiation.”
“Can’t we just do this for eight weeks straight and get it over with?” his father asked.
“That’s not recommended for your age and stage and what your dosages are going to be,” Dr. Willis said calmly. He supposed the guy got asked things like this all the time.
“He’s going to be a difficult patient. Just warning you now.”
“I just want this shit over with,” his father said.
“As many patients do. But we’ll get through this as a team and do what is best for you and what your body can tolerate.”
“I’m strong as a horse. Shouldn’t be a problem.”
Justin looked at Dr. Willis. “I’m sure you’ve got information you need to go over. Side effects and medications.”
Dr. Willis pulled out a bunch of papers and started to explain the combination of drugs that would be used, the steroids and anti-nausea meds, the diet that would be best and so on. His father didn’t have one question and just sat there nodding his head and saying he’d eat what he wanted.
“You’ll find the diet that works best, but some foods will cause more issues than others,” Dr. Willis said.
“I’ll be watching him unless you see on the news I’m missing. He might hide the body on the ninth hole.”
“I’d never destroy my course for that. I’d just put you in the pond,” his father said.
Dr. Willis laughed, but his father hadn’t even cracked a smile when he said it. Justin shook his head having heard this all many times before in his life.
By the time they were walking out the door, Justin had one hell of a headache. “Just drop me off home.”
