I Only Have Pies for You

by Shyla Colt

  “All right, start with these.” She grabbed snickerdoodle, cinnamon roll, mini S’mores, and peanut butter cup cupcakes.

  “I’m going to half these, so I have room for the pumpkin spice creations. It’s one of my favorite fall flavors.” He cut the S’mores cupcake in half, revealing the chocolate marshmallow center. Dipped in chocolate and covered in toasted marshmallow sprinkled with graham crackers, it did a good job of simulating the fireside treat. Popping the piece in his mouth, he moaned. The happiness he experienced while eating filled her heart with warmth and joy. “I was worried the marshmallow would be overpowering, but it’s not.” He shook his head, then went for the peanut butter cup next. A light peanut butter cream cheese frosting with a small peanut butter cup in the middle topped off the look. Chopping it in half with his fork, he revealed the rich peanut butter filling which contrasted beautifully with the chocolate cake.

  Chewing slowly, he hummed. “This is rich. One is all you need.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin and finished a half glass of water.

  “Was it too much?” she asked.

  “I’m not a huge chocolate fan, so for me, it was. For most people, it’d be heaven. The cake was moist, and the peanut butter filling was incredible. It was actually my favorite part.” His eyes lit as he picked up the Snickerdoodle. “It’d be blasphemy to break this in half and leave it behind.”

  She laughed. “I put extra care into those for you.”

  His eyes twinkled, and he took a bite. The deep moan he released had her body tingling. Pure enjoyment spread over his face. His long eyelashes kissed his cheek and his lips curved up. She reached over and caressed the soft hair covering his jaw. “I could eat these every day and never get sick of them.”

  “Coming from you about Snickerdoodles that’s a huge compliment.”

  “Just don’t tell my mother.”

  She cupped his face and brushed her lips against his. “Your secret is safe with me.” Sweeping the crumbs free, she grabbed one for herself.

  The bell rang above the door downstairs, and she jumped up and clapped her hands. “They’re here.” The boisterous sound of little boys came up the stairway.

  “You go greet them. I’ll clean up.”

  “You’re my guest.”

  He held out his hand. “No, you did all this. It’s the least I can do.”

  “Okay. Thank you.” Kissing his cheek, she moved out of the kitchen and hurried down the stairs.

  Walking through the door that opened into the business portion of the building, she found Connor and Caden talking noisily, waving their arms in animation. Stephanie smiled and shook her head, sending her thick, wheat-colored hair around her round face. The amused exasperation visible in her dark blue eyes made her laugh. The boys were a sweet handful.

  “Are you sure about this?” Stephanie asked, helping the boys shrug off their book bags.

  “Positive. There’s no one more honest than a child. Right?”

  “Uh-huh,” Stephanie said skeptically.

  “Hey, boys.” Alaric appeared behind them with a smile.

  “Hi, Mr. Alaric,” the boys crowed.

  “I have to tell you I just sampled some of what Ms. Rosaleen baked for you guys, and it’s delicious.”

  “Mom, can we try it now!” Caden asked, jumping from one foot to the other. His blue-green eyes threatened to bulge as he did the strange dance.

  Alaric lifted his hands. “Don’t let me be the one who holds up the taste test.”

  “All right. I’ll talk to you later on today then.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a quick hug and nodded at Stephanie. “See you later, Steph.”

  “Bye, Alaric.” Stephanie widened her eyes. ‘What was that?’ she mouthed.

  Rosaleen shrugged, feigning innocence.

  “Come on, boys, I have everything set up for you upstairs,” Rosaleen said, eager to get away from Stephanie’s knowing gaze. The two had become fast friends since she hired the culinary graduate nearly three weeks prior.

  Grabbing two fresh sets of snacks from the kitchen, she worked with Stephanie to replace the glass plates and cups with paper ones. Settled with milk, Rosaleen nodded her head.

  “Take your time, enjoy them, and then tell me later what you think.” They didn’t hesitate to dig in.

  “If the grunts of pleasure are anything to go by, you’ve outdone yourself, boss,” Stephanie said.

  “We shall see once the frenzy dies down.” It amazed her how much the boys were putting away.

  “So, another lunch date?” Stephanie asked.

  “He was my first friend here, and he’s just a few spaces down.”

  “Uh-huh. Are you still trying to sell me the story about how you’re just friends?” Stephanie arched a perfectly sculpted, thick, blonde brow.

  Rosaleen bit her bottom lip. “We might have just started a new chapter.”

  “What?” Stephanie glanced over to the boys and back. “Tell me everything. They’re halfway to a sugar coma. They don’t care about us here in the kitchen.”

  Dying to spill the beans, Rosaleen turned toward her. “He kissed me.”

  “Finally,” Stephanie huffed. “Was it good?”

  “Amazing.”

  Steph held a hand to her heart. “I knew it. There was too much attraction between the two of you to remain in the friend zone forever.”

  “We agreed this is a committed thing.”

  “And how do you feel about that? You really enjoy your independence.”

  “I feel ready. Things are falling into place in my life. Work has reigned supreme, keeping me from finding any kind of balance. Moving was about change and living my best life. It’s early on, but I get the feeling you’d be hard-pressed to do better than Alaric Bulley.”

  Steph nodded. “He’s always been a great guy. I remember him from high school. He was a popular jock, but never mean or so exclusive you felt like you couldn’t approach him.”

  “Hero,” she whispered. “I’m so out of practice. Let’s hope I remember how to date.”

  “Slow and steady got you here just fine. Why change the formula?”

  “You’re right.” The unease inside of her dissipated.

  Alaric

  “Uncle Alaric!” Matthew abandoned his swing and hopped down. Kneeling, he opened his arms to accept the bundle of energy, better known as Matt.

  “Hey, buddy.” He smelled like freshly cut grass and little boy. His chocolate brown hair was disheveled, and his cheeks were flushed from activity.

  “I missed you,” Matt said, resting his head on his shoulder.

  “I missed you, too,” Alaric replied honestly. As an only child, his best friend Charlie’s son was the closest he was ever going to get to being an uncle. His little arms wrapped around Alaric’s neck, and he soaked in the seven-year old’s affection. Sufficiently hugged, Matt pulled away.

  “Come and play wif me?” he whistled as the air blew through the blank space where he’d lost his two front teeth—and been generously compensated by the tooth fairy, of course.

  “Let him breathe, buddy. He just got here,” Charlie said, walking over with a grin and a long neck bottle.

  Matt sighed heavily. “Okay. I’m going to be over there when you’re ready.” Matthew gestured toward the playscape he all but lived on.

  “I won’t be too long, I promise.” Alaric winked at him.

  Happy, he skipped off merrily.

  “You’re a fan favorite at the Stuart home.”

  “Well, it’s my job to be the cool uncle.”

  Charlie laughed. “Don’t let Ryan hear you say that.”

  “Pshh. We all know Ryan will always be a nerd. He’s a high school chemistry teacher, and everything he gives the kid is educational. He has his spot as the smart uncle. I’m not giving up the cool title.” Alaric accepted the beer. “Thanks for this. Where’s Trisha?”

  “Putting the final touches on dessert. You know how she is about hosting duties. Even when it is just you.
”

  Alaric laughed. “Yeah, I do.” The three of them had grown up together. From the minute they hit thirteen, it was clear his two best friends only had eyes for each other. He wasn’t shocked at all when they got married at twenty-one.

  “How’ve you been? It’s been a minute since we had you over for dinner. Is work kicking your ...” he glanced over at the swing set, “ass again?”

  “When isn’t it?” He took a draw off the beer. “I’ve actually been spending a lot of time with Rosaleen.”

  “The bakery lady?”

  Alaric rolled his eyes. “Yeah. She has a name, you know.”

  “Ohh. Is it like that?” Charlie nudged him with his shoulder.

  “Yeah, it is now.”

  “Holy shit. I was kidding. You two are dating?” His voice rose an octave.

  “You got a problem with that?” Alaric tensed. He’d never thought of Charlie as small-minded, but he’d never dated outside of his race before.

  “No, man. You know me. I’m just stunned. You’ve been out of the dating game for so long I was starting to think of you as a permanent bachelor.”

  “Naw. I just needed the right woman.”

  “And you think she is?”

  “It’s a possibility. I’ve never felt this level of connection with anyone else before.”

  Charlie whistled. “Those are powerful words.”

  “What are?” Trisha appeared. Her thick, black tresses were piled onto the top of her head, and her cat-shaped hazel eyes were wide with curiosity. “What did I miss?”

  “Hey, Trisha.” He pulled her into a hug.

  “It’s good to see you. Don’t be such a stranger, huh?” She pulled back, catching his gaze.

  “Why don’t you tell her what’s been keeping you away?”

  “You’re an ass. You know that?” Alaric asked.

  “What?” Trish looked from him to her husband.

  “I’ve been seeing someone.”

  Her eyes grew to the size of quarters. “Who?”

  “Yeah, who?” Charlie wrapped an arm around his wife as he egged him on.

  “Her name is Rosaleen. She’s opening the new bakery on the corner of Main Street.”

  “The same woman you’ve been showing around town as a ‘friend’,” she air quoted.

  “Well, that’s changed.”

  “Oh, my,” she drawled, imitating George Takei.

  “It’s a wonder I even bother telling you anything,” he mumbled.

  “Come on. We’re excited for you,” Charlie said.

  “When do we get to meet her?” Trisha asked.

  “I’m not sure. Things just became official a few days ago.”

  “Damn, your mother is going to freak out when she finds out.”

  “Another part of the reason why we’re keeping this to ourselves. I adore the woman, but she’s over the top, and not shy about her desire for grandchildren.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with working on your foundation before you announce anything to the world. Everyone has opinions, and these days, they don’t bite their tongue. It can be rough on a new couple. Especially since Rosaleen is new to town.”

  “And she’s feeling it, too.”

  “Oh, no. Are they freezing her out?” Trisha asked sympathetically.

  Alaric nodded. “I’m hoping once she opens next week, things will shift. I’ve been introducing her to everyone I can at town functions. She keeps a smile on her face, but I know it gets to her.”

  “And now I understand why you’ve been so busy. You’re her local support,” Trisha remarked.

  “I don’t mind. We always have a great time, but she needs more than just me. You remember Stephanie Short?”

  “Yeah, she was a few years younger, but always cool,” Charlie said.

  “She hired her, and they’ve hit it off.”

  “I’d be happy to meet her and strike up a friendship. Any woman who can get you to gush about her organically has to be amazing.”

  “You make it sound like I’m cold-hearted.”

  “No.” Leaning forward, she grabbed his forearm. “Just very particular. Whenever you’re ready, we’d love to meet her.”

  “And we’ll be on our best behavior, so we don’t scare her away,” Charlie promised.

  “Trust me, I’ll be warning her in advance. You know my news. What’s been going on with the three of you?”

  Charlie and Trisha shared a look. “Well, three is about to turn to four.”

  Alaric blinked. “You’re pregnant?”

  She nodded happily and laughed. “Three months now. We wanted to wait a while before we shared.”

  “And everything’s good?” he asked, remembering the baby they’d lost prior and how much it had torn them both up.

  “Yes. We’re on track with our rainbow baby.”

  “I’m so happy for you two.” He pulled Charlie into a side hug and kissed Trisha’s cheek.

  “Thanks, Alaric. We were wondering if you were up for being a godfather this time, instead of an uncle.”

  “Wild horses couldn’t drag me away from the dedication.” He glanced over at Matt, who was staring them down. “I think we’ve made Matt wait long enough, don’t you? “

  “I think you love that playscape as much as he does,” Charlie called after him as he jogged over to the tiny being who loved him unconditionally. No one loved you like a child. There love was full of pure joy and acceptance. They didn’t care what you’d accomplished or hadn’t as long as you loved them, took care of them, and played with them. Being there as he grew up had shown him an inside view of what it meant to start a family.

  SANDING THE SURFACE of the custom ordered, king-sized Maple wood headboard, he went back and forth with his decision. This job was good for giving you time to chew on your thoughts. Sanding was a tedious task that took more patience than attention until you got down to being nearly finished. The raw slab would gloss up nicely after he’d worn away all the roughness and treated it with the proper oils and sealant. It might be one of the best pieces he made this year.

  His dinner with the Nelsons had given him a lot of food for thought. He’d never lied to his mother before, and not mentioning he was dating felt a little too much like trying to sneak out of the house in high school and come back unnoticed. He wasn’t about to let anything keep him from showing his woman the affection she deserved. Not that they were touchy-feely, or at that point in their relationship. But when they were, he didn’t want to have reason to hesitate.

  Hell, he was proud to have her as his own. As far as he was concerned, he’d lucked up when she returned his affections. Women like her didn’t come around Granville too often. A good portion of the people born here couldn’t wait to get out. Small towns weren’t for everyone. Yet, she had sought out the tranquility a more rural area offered. She understood what he loved about his hometown. If they could get through the next six months and get her settled in, she might come to feel the same way.

  The success of For Cake’s Sake was crucial for a lot of reasons. When they met her, people responded warmly enough; maybe they’d shock them both on opening day. His gut told him otherwise, but he’s always been an optimist. Once they thought of her as one of their own instead of an outsider, her work would speak for itself. He shifted his weight. Funny how he’d never considered how selective they could be before now. They didn’t want big companies to come in and change the landscape, or the feel of homey mom and pop owned businesses. They’d seen it happen too many times to other towns who made deals with big corporations and lost creative control.

  Their populations boomed, mom and pops closed because they couldn’t keep up with the burn and churn of the bigger places with longer hours of operation and quick order turnarounds. Then came the developers and the population boom. It’d become a precautionary tale. They were paranoid to the point of hurting a good person. Disgruntled, he returned his attention to the back and forth motion and let the familiar movement douse the embers of anger.
Nothing ever happened fast here. Little by little, they’d win the others over. And Mom would be a big help with that.

  The thought won the war. He’d tell her tonight at their coffee date. Every couple of weeks they got together to play catch up, just the two of them like they did when he was growing up. For him and his dad, fishing trips were the time to reconnect. Finishing his work for the day, he put aside his tool, and moved to the office he’d built in the back. With a tiny shower and some of the clothes he kept hanging in the closet, it served as a nice transitional space after a long day of sweat-inducing labor. Turning the shower on high, he stripped down and stepped under the hot stream to loosen his stiff muscles and wash away the sawdust and sweat.

  Refreshed, he stepped out, dried off, and slipped into a pair of worn jeans and a white T-shirt and soft, gray pullover hoodie. Pulling on socks and a pair of comfortable non-work boots, he slipped out of the back and into the store.

  “I’m calling it a day. Hold down the fort for me.” He waved at Josh and Chris who’d been with him from the start. Apprentices in their own right, they worked the shop in exchange for the opportunity to create and display their own work. In his shop, everyone had a chance to shine. The bell rang above the door, and he smiled at the sight of his mother. If it wasn’t for the dye jobs she received religiously her hair would be gray instead of dirty-blonde. The short pixie cut highlighted her oval-shaped face, and let her large, expressive, light blue eyes take center stage. A petite build she wasn’t an inch over five foot seven inches, with a personality that made her appear six feet tall. Apparently just thinking of the devil, is enough to make her appear.

  “Hey, Mom.” He grinned as she came into view.

  “Hello, my only son. Are you actually ready?”

  “Come on. I don’t take that long to get ready.”

  “No, but pulling you away from your work has always been like yanking teeth. Call me pleasantly surprised.” She leaned back and took him in. “You look well.”

  “I am.” He offered his arm. She hooked her arm through his, and they headed for the door.

  “How have you been, Mom?”

  “Good. The church board keeps me pretty busy this time of year with all the fall festivities, and you know I have my book club, and the girls’ nights out.”