“Sheila, I didn’t want to say anything.”
“You didn’t want to say anything about what?”
Jason told her what he’d heard Toni say while they were on their way to the funeral and later in church after the coffin was closed.
Sheila gasped. “Jason, does this mean that Toni’s finding her way to Jesus? Do you really think she is?”
He nodded. “Something certainly is going on. I don’t think she realizes how far she’s come.”
“She doesn’t?”
“No. This is a very hard time for her and her mom. I know what it’s like to lose someone you love, and it takes a while before the pain passes. It’s hard to think clearly in the midst of all the pain.”
“I hear you, Jason.” She patted his shoulder.
“I think it helped Toni for us to be with her over the last few days.”
Sheila nodded. “I just hope her mom will be okay.”
“She should be. She has her faith, and she has the support of the rest of her church. It helps when you have someone to help you through hard times.”
“You know, I just remembered something.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, Eva was at the funeral, and I’d meant to talk to Toni about it. It was just kind of strange to see Eva hugging Toni, acting like she was sorry.” Sheila shrugged. “It was only a while back that Eva was hitting Toni, for no reason.” She shivered. “That woman gives me the creeps. She left the repast so suddenly.”
Jason told her about his interaction with Eva and Hank.
“So, Hank smelled like he needed a bath?”
“Yeah, they almost reminded me of homeless people. Eva’s so skinny that she looks like she doesn’t get enough food to eat. She has a drug problem, too. I’m just glad that Toni had the security system installed and that I can be there for her during the day. I figure if Eva and Hank show up in the evening, Toni won’t let them in her apartment.”
“Yes, that’s true. I wish they’d move away and never come back.”
Jason nodded. “I agree with you about that.”
They continued the rest of their journey in silence. It was evening by the time they arrived in Blue Spring. Signs had been posted throughout town about the annual Fourth of July celebration. The advertisements boasted a carnival, fireworks, and a parade. “It’s the largest event of the year here in Blue Spring,” explained Sheila.
Jason left her at her door and then returned to the B & B. He plopped onto his bed. Man, he was beat. So tired. No way would he have trouble sleeping tonight. It had been a busy few days, and work at the bakery would start early the next morning. Offering another prayer for Toni and her mother, he got ready for bed and fell asleep.
All day Monday, Jason and Sheila worked to prepare the bakery for the crowds expected on the Fourth of July. Sheila used her vacation time from her job so that she could help Jason during the holiday. They got a great deal done and were feeling happy and tired by closing time. Sheila went home to fix dinner for both of them. Jason worked to clean up the shop before preparing the bank deposit.
He had to go into Toni’s small office to find where she kept the extra deposit slips, and he used her key to unlock the wide center drawer of the desk. There he found a large envelope marked IMPORTANT INFO. He peeked inside, hoping to find more deposit slips.
What in the world? Articles about his family slid from the envelope. He gritted his teeth, spotting the engagement announcement that Tangie had placed in the paper. It appeared Toni had been researching his family, almost as if she didn’t trust him.
Did she trust him?
He sighed. He needed to sit down. He plopped into a chair, his heart pounding. He crumpled the article. No way could he let himself get so upset about this. Toni had a right to know about him and his family. He just wished she’d told him about the research she’d done.
Toni had seemed to welcome his attention over the last few days. She had not seemed leery, nor had she seemed concerned about his being by her side at the funeral. Some of the funeral attendees had assumed he was her boyfriend, but Toni had been quick to correct their assumption. But what about Sterling? Jason still had not asked Toni about him. They’d been close, so close that it seemed to have come from more than just going to a food convention two years ago.
He peered at the articles again. In the interview with his sister, where she spoke of his road trip to find inspiration for new recipes, there was handwriting in the margin: He’s a crook. He could be stealing your recipes.
He frowned. This was just too weird. He needed to talk to Toni about this when she returned. He didn’t want her mistrusting him, thinking he was stealing her recipes.
Yet in his heart, he figured she couldn’t be thinking about that. After all, she continued to let him work for her, making pastries every day. If she mistrusted him, would she allow him to stay on the payroll?
He eyed the engagement announcement again. Did Toni honestly think that he was engaged to Tangie? They’d never been officially engaged, and Tangie had placed this announcement in the paper without his knowledge.
That evening, Jason didn’t feel like talking to Sheila.
“Jason, what’s wrong?”
He shook his head. The delicious pot roast and potatoes did little to cure his foul mood. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just tired.”
“I can understand that. It’s been a rough few days for both of us.”
When Jason left Sheila’s house, he was thankful that he’d had a good excuse for his silence. He didn’t want to tell Sheila about what he’d found at Toni’s. He’d seen a show once on television, a dating show. The host had tried to set up a couple, and the woman had said that before she went out with a man, she always Googled him.
Was Toni simply curious about him, and that’s why she’d performed that search? Or was there some other reason why she’d felt she needed to find out more about him? He needed to push these questions aside, figure this out when she returned to Blue Spring.
*
Toni drove through Blue Spring. Crowds of people clogged the streets. She’d made it in time for Blue Spring’s Fourth of July celebration. She’d been gone for close to a week, but it felt like years had passed.
That morning she had gotten up late and shared brunch with her mother. While they’d feasted on scrambled eggs and bagels with cream cheese, Toni had tried to convince her mom to return to Blue Spring with her, but her mother had refused. “I just want to stay here, Antoinette. You don’t have to worry about me.” Toni was relieved that one of the members of her mother’s church planned on staying with her for a few days.
“I’ll call you,” Toni murmured to her mother. They hugged before she left.
The streets of Blue Spring were blocked for the parade, preventing her from parking near the bakery. She barely glanced at the red, white, and blue streamers decorating the sidewalks. The local marching band was playing patriotic songs while a young beauty queen, dressed in a tri-colored costume, sang the lyrics to an enthusiastic audience.
Toni wiped the sweat from her heated brow as she reached the bakery. Surprising, so many people were outside enjoying the holiday festivities in the one-hundred-degree heat. She opened the front door and glanced around her familiar bakery. It was packed. People were ordering pastries, donuts, and drinks. She was glad that Jason had ordered extra sodas. Her first year in business, she had run out of drinks on the Fourth.
Jason was behind the counter ringing up another order. She was surprised and pleased to see Sheila helping him. They both waved, and when the last of the current customers had been served, Sheila came over and gave Toni a big hug. Jason disappeared into the kitchen and then busied himself restocking the display cases. She approached him behind the counter.
“Hi, Jason. It’s a real madhouse around here.”
“Yeah, I’m glad to see it, but the crowds are going to clean us out before the end of the day.” He barely glanced at her while he spoke, but then immediately
went back to moving pastries from a cart of racks to the display cases. She’d been anticipating a hug, but she turned away and pulled a clean apron down from a peg on the wall.
“Jason, I can’t tell you how much your support has meant to me over the last week.”
“You’re welcome.” The dejected tone to his voice made her pause. “Toni, do you think we can have dinner tomorrow night?”
“Dinner?”
“Well, it doesn’t have to be dinner. We could go to the park and sit and talk. I just, well, there are some things I need to discuss with you.”
He sounded so businesslike and formal, not at all like the kind man who’d helped her during the death of her father.
Maybe he was just tired. He’s going home for good. The unwelcomed thought slammed into her like a freight train. Jason was leaving? She took a deep breath, took a few steps back. Since he was moving back to Chicago, he didn’t want any emotional attachment between them, which was why he sounded so cold and dejected when he spoke to her. Well, she’d have dinner with him. Her mom had often told her that she was quick to jump to conclusions. So it’d be best to share dinner with him tomorrow evening. She needed to find out what was on his mind. “Dinner sounds good. Did you want to go to Pedro’s?”
“How about I bring the pizza over here? We can eat in your apartment.”
She mentally sighed. “Okay.” He probably didn’t want to have dinner in public with her after he told her his plans. He probably thought she’d start crying in the restaurant. Well, she was tough. If Jason wanted to move back to Chicago, then she’d learn to deal with it.
Inwardly, she winced. Truthfully, it would be hard on her when he left, but she’d learn to deal with the emotional pain. Right now, she just wanted to be alone for a few minutes. “Jason and Sheila, since you’re both here, I’m going in the back to make some more donuts. We could sell a few more batches before the fireworks are over tonight.”
Jason stood up and turned toward her. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Maybe you should just enjoy yourself today. We can handle things here, even if we don’t close until ten tonight.”
He probably thought she’d break down in tears while in the midst of mixing dough. No way was she going to let him think that she was that unstable. She sighed. “Jason, I’m not that fragile. I’m upset about my father’s death, but being in the kitchen will help me deal with everything. It’ll give me something to do.”
He simply nodded.
She went back into the kitchen and measured flour and sugar into her mixing bowls, and Jason returned to the counter to wait on customers.
The day remained incredibly busy. They sold pastries, cakes, pies, and donuts until the display cases were almost empty. Countless sodas and other cold drinks flowed out the door. Good thing there were so many customers that she rarely thought of her loss or of Jason’s cool attitude. She didn’t want to think about their dinner date, figuring it would not be a joyous occasion.
“Let’s close when the fireworks are over,” she told Jason and Sheila later in the evening. “Lots of people came into town for that, and I know we’ll be getting business all evening, but enough is enough.”
Sheila touched her arm. “You don’t want to see the fireworks?”
She shook her head. “Not really. I’ve never been much into fireworks. You or Jason can go if you’d like.”
Eva and Hank herded into the bakery with some other customers. Toni groaned. She did not need to have to deal with her cousin right now!
“Hey, Toni.” Eva smelled like she’d just stepped out of a perfume factory. Hank clutched her arm and grinned, his gold tooth flashing in the light.
“What do you want, Eva?”
Hank found an empty table. He sat and stared out the window. Eva pulled a few dollars from her pocket. “I wanted to buy some donuts for Hank. He can eat while we talk.”
“Talk about what?”
Eva slapped her money on the counter. “Please give Hank some donuts.”
Jason stepped forward. “Eva, remember what I told you the other day.”
Eva’s eyes snapped with anger. “I just want to talk to my cousin. This is none of your business.”
He got into her face, and Eva flinched. “It’s my business when you slam your fist into someone else’s face for no reason. You slugged Toni pretty hard the last time you were in here. We even reported it to the police.”
Eva’s eyes widened. “You did not.”
Toni nodded. “Yes we did. You were strung out, out of control the last time you were in here.”
She lowered her head, staring at her feet. “Well, I’m sorry,” she mumbled so softly, that Toni could barely hear her. She then glanced at Toni again. “But can I still talk to you?”
Jason eyed Toni. “You’re not talking to her alone.” To Eva, he said, “If you need to speak with Toni, I’m going to stay right here with her.”
Eva cursed under her breath. “But it’s personal.”
She’d miss Jason’s calm presence when he returned to Chicago. In spite of Eva’s uncontrollable behavior, Toni felt that she needed to hear what she had to say. If she didn’t, Eva would probably just keep coming back until Toni agreed to their private talk. After she rang up Hank’s donuts, Sheila served them to him, and he gobbled them up in minutes. She gestured toward her office. “Come on, Eva. You’ve got five minutes.”
“Toni…” Jason’s tone made her pause.
“I’ll be okay. I know you and Sheila are right out here if I need you.”
Toni walked into her office, and Eva followed close behind. Toni slammed the door, sat behind her desk. “What do you want?”
“I want a job.”
Was she kidding? “You hate working in the bakery. I heard you complaining about it all the time when I was younger.”
“I’ve got problems. Hank and I are broke, and nobody’s going to hire me with my criminal record.”
Toni frowned. This conversation was not what she’d expected. She’d just assumed Eva was going to ask for a handout. “Why were you arrested?”
“Some petty stuff. Nothing to worry about. I was only locked up for six months.”
No way could she agree to this. “I can’t help you. You have a problem with your temper. I can’t have you coming in here to work if you’re rude, screaming at the customers, possibly hitting them across the face.” She scanned Eva’s outfit. “Besides, you can’t work in my bakery dressed like that.”
“I’m sorry I slugged you.” She stared at the wall, scratching the back of her neck, as if afraid to look directly at Toni.
Toni stood. She’d heard enough. “I can’t help you.” Eva just sat. “Eva?”
Eva finally looked at her. “Can you at least give me a loan, just a few thousand dollars until Hank and I can get on our feet again?”
“No. Now, you’d better leave before I get Jason back here.”
Eva stood so fast, her chair crashed to the floor. “I hate you. You think you’re too good to help me?”
Jason ran into the office, was beside Toni in seconds. “Eva, you better leave or I’m calling the police.”
She glared at Jason. “I’m sick of you, too. I hate the both of you.” She spoke low, her lips curled with malice. She turned and stalked to the sitting area. “Come on, Hank! Let’s go!”
Toni didn’t realize how hard her heart was pounding until Eva and Hank were gone. She dropped into the chair, her head and stomach hurting. Jason touched her back, his calm comforting touch making her feel a bit better.
“Hold on.” He left and returned with a glass of ginger ale and some aspirins. She downed the pills, took a few drinks of soda. Sheila joined them in the office.
Sheila touched Toni’s shoulder. “Toni, what did Eva do now?”
She took a few deep breaths, calmed herself down. She told them what Eva wanted.
“A job?” Sheila scoffed, shaking her head. “She’s got a lot of nerve.”
Jason sighed. “She sounds des
perate. Toni, I know you’ve got your security system and all, but maybe you should come back to Mrs. Dukes’s—”
She shook her head. “No, Jason. I’m staying right here. With the new locks and the security system installed, I’ll be fine.”
Once Toni had calmed down, both she and Sheila continued to ring up sales until the fireworks ended that night. Jason left early in the evening, saying he would return to help them close up when the fireworks were over. He still wasn’t back when Toni placed the CLOSED sign over the door and shut the blinds. Toni and Sheila opened the register and counted the money made that day. Sheila whistled softly at the total. “I think that’s the most you’ve ever made.”
Normally, seeing so much cash would fill Toni with joy, but now she just felt a bit sad and empty. She supposed it was because of all the stuff happening in her life lately. She missed her dad, and soon Jason would be gone. She also didn’t want to think about Eva anymore. Hopefully, Eva and Hank wouldn’t come back.
She had continued saving towards a down payment for a house. Today’s sales would bolster that amount. “Yes, but we made so much only because it’s a holiday.” She locked the money in the safe, ready for the next day’s deposit.
They began clearing the tables. Several people had left empty bottles and cups behind. She approached the sidebar where she kept the creamer, sugar, and honeypot. While wiping down the sidebar, she froze. A white, business-size envelope peeked behind the napkin dispenser. Her fingers shaking, she removed the envelope. Her name was scrawled on the front in bold, black letters. Clutching the envelope, she plopped into a chair.
“What’s wrong?” Sheila dropped her cleaning cloth and rushed to Toni.
“Look at this.” Toni stared at the envelope. “It says Antoinette, not Toni. That’s odd, don’t you think?”
Toni peeked inside the unsealed envelope, pulled out a slip of paper. It read: Get out of town or you’ll be sorry. She passed the paper to Sheila, too frightened to speak.
The events of the last few days swirled through her mind. Her stomach cramped. “Oh!” Her hand shook while she covered her mouth.
Shades Of Chocolate (The Bakery Romance Series Book 2) Page 18
