Josie's mouth twitched in a smile, and she laughed. Mrs. Gavelli watched us suspiciously, bringing her index finger to her head in a circular motion. "Crazy loons."
"Have a pleasant day, Mrs. G," Josie managed to say with a straight face.
Mrs. Gavelli huffed. "You girls better be good. I keep an eye on you."
The bells over my door tinkled in the waft of humid air, which rushed inside after her much-needed departure.
Josie leaned down to pick up the paper and waved it at me. "Why do you let her talk to you like that?"
"Oh, her bark is worse than her bite." Maybe. "You have to ease up. What if there had been another customer in here?"
She frowned and walked into the back room. "I'm sorry. You know I wouldn't have hit her. But it was tempting."
I followed Josie out of the storefront, into the area designated as our kitchen or prep area. As my principal and only baker, Josie spent most of her day back here. In addition to the ovens, there was also a large wooden block table in the center of the room used for making doughs and decorating cookies. Surrounding the table was a stainless steel refrigerator, upright freezer, two-bowl sink, and dishwasher.
I grabbed a spoon and lowered it into the steel bowl standing underneath the commercial mixer filled with buttercream frosting Josie had recently prepared.
She held her arms open wide. "That's why you wait on the customers, and I stay back here. I have no patience for her sort."
With a grin, I flicked the spoon and watched as the frosting splattered against Josie's cheek. Surprised, she laughed and picked up another spoon, dipped it into the buttercream, and smeared it down the side of my face before I could react.
"Don't get me started, girlfriend. Even on my worst day, I can still manage to kick your scrawny butt."
That was an understatement. Josie had always been tough as nails.
I reached for a dishtowel to wipe my face. "Correction. The only reason you are back here is because of your amazing talent. But we can't afford to offend any customers, especially when the place is brand new. I want this to work more than anything."
"Me, too. And it will work. We've got a cookie delivery scheduled for tomorrow night. Maybe more on the way, too."
My pulse quickened. "Awesome. Did you call Vido? Is he available?"
"He's going to pick them up tomorrow night before we close." She laughed. "Vido worships the ground I walk on. He's always available."
"You'd better not let Rob hear you say that."
"Oh, please. He's fine." Rob and Josie had married nine years earlier, almost right out of high school, when Josie found out she was pregnant with the first of their four adorable boys. "When you've been married as long as we have, you know what the other one's thinking. Trust me."
I avoided her eyes and stared down at the table, but she was quick to catch my expression.
"Oh gosh, Sal, I'm sorry. That was a stupid thing to say."
I managed a smile. "It's okay. I mean, hey, we were only married five years."
"That's still a long time."
I refilled the spoon and brought it to my lips, savoring the sweet, creamy taste. "Your buttercream is the best. And apparently five years wasn't long enough. I didn't know him like I thought I did."
"Now that the divorce is final, you can start making yourself available for the opposite sex again."
"No, it's way too soon. I don't want to rush into anything. Plus, I need to concentrate on the business. That's all I have time for right now."
Josie's eyes gleamed. "I think we ought to concentrate on celebrating your newfound freedom. Let's go out for drinks tonight."
I started to wash the dishes in the sink. "How're you going to do that? What about the kids?"
"Rob's off the next couple of nights."
"Gee, maybe he'd like to spend some time with his wife for a change."
Josie made a face. "Oh, please. He gets poker night with his buddies. I deserve a night out with my friends, too."
I adored Josie but also envied her. Rob was a loving husband who only had eyes for her. Not that Josie was shabby to look at. After four kids, she still had a great figure, was a good mother, and a fantastic baker.
I did okay with the doughs but was terrible when it came to decorating. Even though I'd put up the capital, this business wouldn't have been possible without her. I glanced at my watch. Nearly seven—closing time. "All right. One drink. And don't invite everybody in town, either. Only a couple of friends. I can't stand to hear one more 'I'm sorry.'"
Josie shook her head at me. "You can't keep hiding from people. Besides, pretty much everyone already knows anyway."
You had to love small towns. Everyone knew everything about your life. I turned off the water. "Did you finish the dough for the baby shower on Saturday?"
"Yes, ma'am. I'll bake and frost them early that morning. And please don't ignore me. You know I hate that."
"I said I'll go. And I'm not hiding from anyone. I want to forget about the past and move on." For the first time in over a year, I was starting to get excited about what the future might hold in store for me. My dream of a happily-ever-after life with Colin may have been shattered, but it was time to start over. A new beginning.
Josie had her cell phone in hand. "That's my girl. Okay, I'll call Ellen. She's back on days at the hospital, so I think she's around. What about Gianna?"
"I'm not sure. She's been studying like crazy for the bar. I'll send her a text and ask."
My baby sister was a recent graduate of Harvard Law School. Besides being drop-dead gorgeous, she was also brilliant. Those were two valid reasons to hate her, but I couldn't do it. We'd always been very close. The state bar examination was being held in a few months, and Gianna was sick with worry she wouldn't pass. I knew otherwise. She'd ace it, the thought making me want to burst with pride.
My fingers flew as I typed out the words. Going to Ralph's with Josie and Ellen George. Quick drink—wanna come along?
Gianna must have had her iPhone by her side as I received a See you in a half hour within seconds.
I texted back a quick K, which I knew she loathed.
Josie's lilting voice filled the room. Her cell phone was carefully balanced on her shoulder while she expertly removed a tray of raspberry cheesecake cookies from the oven and placed them on a cooling rack. She was taking them home to her kids tonight.
I drooled at the smell. Growing up in an Italian family, food had always been plentiful and a passion for me. No one ever left the table hungry. My mother loved telling people the story of how I'd sneak downstairs in the middle of the night to empty my grandmother's cookie jar. Ever since the shop had opened, I seemed to hear it more often. "We should have known then you'd wind up owning a bakery," she'd laughed.
Josie snapped her phone shut. "All set. Ellen will meet us there in about an hour." She turned the oven off and threw her apron in the laundry basket next to the sink. She undid the knotted bun on top of her head, and her auburn hair spilled over her shoulders in a thick, rich curtain.
The bells over the door rang, announcing we had a last-minute customer. I glanced at my watch. It was 6:59, but hey, a sale was a sale. Josie started to put her apron on again, but I held up my hand.
"Allow me." I walked through the doorway into the storefront and immediately froze, my mouth dropping open in surprise.
Amanda Gregorio stood there, a sly smile on her Botox-filled lips. She wore a white, lace blouse and black miniskirt, displaying perfectly-shaped, tanned legs. Her high cheekbones were pink with excitement, resembling Goldilocks in an eerie sort of way. And that was where any similarities ended.
Josie and I had gone to high school with Amanda. We'd never been friends, and from day one she'd developed a strong dislike toward me. I didn't know why. She'd done everything from spreading lies to tripping me during cheerleading practice. Josie offered to beat her up countless times, but I didn't want any more trouble. I figured once high school was over I'd be rid of her fore
ver.
Until the day I came home early from work and found her in bed with my now ex-husband.
Bile rose in the back of my throat. My initial experience of shock was quickly replaced with anger. Was she here to rub more salt into my still-open wounds?
"What are you doing here?"
Amanda gave me a quick once-over. "I heard you were back in town. How are you, Sal?"
A loud gasp sounded behind me. Josie stood there, hands on hips. "The nerve of some people."
Amanda pressed her palms onto the display case as she stared into it. "Lovely to see you too."
"Hi, guys. Uh, Amanda, maybe this wasn't such a good idea."
Charlotte Gregorio stood behind her cousin, peering out at us over horn-rimmed glasses. I didn't know her well, but at least she didn't seem to be of Amanda's lethal caliber. She'd been ahead of us in school by a year and was always what we'd considered a nerdy type, her mousy, dark eyes poring over textbooks.
"Hi, Charlotte." I managed to force a smile.
Josie muttered a curse word under her breath. "Amanda, shouldn't you be prancing around that overpriced spa of yours, giving someone a bikini waxing?"
Amanda tossed her long, blonde hair in defiance. "That's what I have employees for." She glanced at Josie's hair. "You should come by for a color sometime. Those grays are really starting to show."
Josie gritted her teeth. "Get out of here before I throw you out."
She giggled. "I don't know what you mean. I'm a paying customer. Besides, Charlotte wants to try some of those yummy cheesecake cookies everyone in town is talking about. Don't you, Char?"
"Um, sure." Charlotte hung her head, voice barely audible.
"I'm sure you wouldn't want people to think you were throwing customers out of your shop. Might be bad for business." She tapped her slender index finger against the side of her head. "Oh, did I mention a friend of mine is an editor over at The Daily Bugle?"
I could take a hint, applied with a fingernail that appeared to have been dipped in blood. All I needed right now was bad publicity, especially when we were trying to establish our clientele. Amanda's family was rich and powerful. As much as I hated her, I didn't have the luxury of throwing her out on her ear. How unfortunate.
Josie started forward, but I pulled her back. "It's okay. I can handle this."
Amanda waved a ten-dollar bill in front of me. "When you two are done chatting, I'd like my cookies, please. Six would be divine."
I turned my back on Amanda and grabbed a piece of waxed paper, pausing for a breath. There was no way I'd give her the satisfaction of knowing how devastated I'd been the night I'd found her and Colin together.
Josie folded her arms across her chest as she stared Amanda down. "I think you should let me wait on her. I'll give her a cookie she never forgets."
"Why all the hostility?" Amanda stuck her lips out, and I had a sudden urge to pop them like a balloon. "You guys weren't even getting along. Colin told me so."
My breath caught in my throat, but I wasn't about to indulge her with a reply. "Six dollars, please." It was difficult to look at her without my stomach churning.
Amanda laughed as she handed me the money. "You're so jealous of me it's pathetic. Perhaps if you run to Florida and beg, you can get him back. Then again," she said as she looked me up and down, her gaze coming to rest on my stomach, "maybe not. Gravity hasn't been kind to you. Speaking of weight, Josie, you're looking thin these days. Oh, wait a second. You're not knocked up like usual."
Josie's face flushed a deep crimson as she started forward again. I grabbed her with one hand and gave Amanda her change with the other. "I think it would be best if you left now."
Josie shook me off. "Charlotte, there's a swimming pool down the street. Maybe you could do all of us a favor and hold your cousin's face underneath the water until it turns blue?"
Charlotte's eyes went wide with horror. She looked from us to Amanda with a confused expression.
Amanda gave a halfhearted wave. "There's really no need to threaten my life. We're leaving."
"Good." Josie clenched her jaw.
"Well, girls, it's been fun. But I'll be back. I just love sinfully sweet things." She tossed the bag at Charlotte and waited for her to open the door. I immediately turned and walked into the back room as the bells began jingling away.
The room started to close in, and for a second, I was afraid I might throw up. I grabbed a glass and turned on the faucet. My hand trembled, and the glass slipped out, crashing to the floor. Sighing, I bent down to pick the pieces up.
Josie appeared at my side with a broom and dustpan. "I've got this." Her eyes were somber as she stared into mine. "Are you okay?"
"I will be. Seeing her just brought it all back for me." My mind was still fuzzy when it came to the details after I'd found them together. All I remembered was calmly shutting the bedroom door, walking outside, and getting back into my car. I drove most of the night, until I somehow managed to find myself in Georgia. Then I'd called a lawyer.
Josie put her arm around me. "We'll put up a sign saying No skanks allowed."
I laughed. "What would I do without you?"
"Let's go have some fun. You need to forget about that dirtbag ex-husband of yours and find someone else who'll treat you like you deserve."
"I don't need a man right now. It's way too soon."
"Honey, every girl needs a man sooner or later. They do tend to come in handy at night once in a while." She winked.
"Come on upstairs and freshen up so that we can get going. I definitely need a drink that's stronger than water."
Josie's eyes gleamed. "Now you're talking. And I bet there's a biker at Ralph's with your name on him."
I chuckled. "Gee, maybe it's my lucky night."
We walked out to the front room, and I shut off the lights, turned the sign around to say Closed, and locked the front door. I started up the wooden stairs located behind the display case that led to my apartment on the second floor. In my head, I was busy calculating today's and yesterday's sales for about the tenth time. Thanks to a life insurance policy I inherited through my great-aunt Luisa, I had a few weeks' time in which the business needed to be turning a steady profit. If not, I'd be forced to move back in with my parents. My stomach revolted at the mere thought.
"Don't let Amanda upset you," Josie said as she followed me up the stairs. "One of these days, that witch is going to get her just desserts. No pun intended, of course."
We laughed together.
Then a chill ran down my spine.
TASTES LIKE MURDER
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Death of the Big Kahuna Page 22
