Aiden chuckled and shared a look with Steve. Henry had been an “oops” baby, and he was beloved—and spoiled—but Steve and Maggie often commented about how there was a reason people had kids when they were younger. Henry was bright and energetic, and frankly, exhausted his parents a lot of the time. His mind went a thousand miles an hour all the time, and it was difficult to keep him from being bored.
Steve and Maggie loved when Cam or Aiden were home because then Henry focused all his intense, spirited, optimistic energy on them. Yes, Henry was an optimist. He insisted on happy endings. He was the ultimate Warriors of Easton fan, along with being their biggest critic. They’d made him an honorary member of the board and he used his Fluke Inc. coffee mug every morning for his orange juice.
Having Henry quiet and eating gave everyone else at the table a chance.
“How are things in Chicago?” Maggie asked him.
“Good. Great,” Aiden said. “The big sale has been an adjustment though. We all have more time on our hands now. I think we’re all feeling a little restless.”
“That sale was a great decision,” Steve assured him. “You guys should be proud of yourselves.”
Aiden nodded. They were. Being bought out by a bigger gaming company had been a dream come true. The money that came with it was unreal, and the company’s plan for expansion and development of the Warriors of Easton were amazing and far beyond anything he and the guys could have done. They’d pondered the offer for months. It had felt strange thinking of letting go of something they’d built together from the ground up. But it had been an offer they couldn’t refuse. They’d finally decided it meant it was time for them to look at new opportunities.
Still, Aiden knew they were all feeling a little directionless at the moment. Hence, it was the perfect time to take over Hot Cakes. They needed a new project, and Hot Cakes and Appleby needed them.
“I think that’s exciting,” Maggie said. “We’re very proud of you.”
Aiden heard a soft snort from Zoe. He looked over at her. “I know you don’t think my new… opportunity… is exciting, but I intend to prove you wrong.” Did he mean his move home to be with her? He most certainly did. And she knew it.
She gave him a wide-eyed look as if she hadn’t meant for him to hear that. She cleared her throat. “I, um… was laughing because Mom was practically scandalized by us adding cake pops to the bakery menu. But she thinks it’s exciting that you sold a huge chunk of your very successful company and have no real plan for anything now.”
“I do have a plan,” Aiden said, looking at her directly, his tone low and firm. “I’m happy to go over it with you again if you’ve forgotten.”
“No,” she said quickly then glanced at her mom. “I mean, I know you think you do. It’s just that your decision, which is a lot bigger and crazier, makes her proud but us adding little round versions of our cakes on a stick made her worry.”
Maggie shook her head, seemingly too distracted by talk about Buttered Up to wonder what Aiden’s big, crazy plan was. “The bakery is different. It’s small and very dependent on this community. That means we have a much bigger obligation to give everyone exactly what they want and expect from us. We can’t deviate or experiment much. We have a very focused brand.”
“Yes, Mom, I know,” Zoe said.
They all knew. This was the mantra that had led the McCaffery family and Buttered Up for over fifty years.
Maggie wasn’t wrong. Their customer base was much smaller than Fluke’s. That left less wiggle room when it came to giving their customers what they wanted. Aiden understood that. But it had always seemed extraordinarily rigid to him, especially when he’d started actually studying business.
“And you can’t take a bunch of risks when you have Josie to worry about too,” Maggie pointed out.
Zoe frowned. “I know that.” She shot her friend a look. “I would never do anything to risk the business.”
“I know,” Josie said, looking uncomfortable. “Of course I know that.”
“She can always come work with me,” Jane said, taking a big bite of fettuccine.
“Hey, stop trying to poach my employees,” Zoe said, elbowing her. “I’ve stopped pressuring you to quit Hot Cakes and come work for me, but don’t flaunt your medical and dental in Josie’s face or I’ll start again.”
Jane grinned at Josie. “Okay, I won’t mention that I have no medical office co-pays and that I also have eye coverage. I definitely won’t mention my paid vacation time, and I wouldn’t dream of telling her about the big Christmas bonus we got.”
Josie covered her ears with her hands. “Don’t hear anything, Boss.”
“I hate you,” Zoe told Jane. “I worked her ass off at Christmas.”
Jane put her head on Zoe’s shoulder. “You know I love you, and working in the bakery would be a hell of a good time, but you get that I need the solid benefits and stuff.”
Zoe put her head against Jane’s. “Of course I do. And if I could, I’d offer all that and more. To you and to Josie.”
Josie removed her hands from her ears and blew Zoe a kiss, proving she’d heard it all.
Aiden frowned, listening to the exchange. “You don’t offer benefits?” he asked Zoe.
“There’s no such thing as paid time off when you own your own business,” she said. “Well, I mean, unless you’re a millionaire. I guess you own your own business. And you’re here. Out of the blue. For no reason. Taking time off.”
He gave her a look. She knew very well why he was here. He’d been very clear. At least about her part in why he was here. He shifted, a little uncomfortable about the part she didn’t know. But she would. Eventually. When it wouldn’t ruin everything. “We have benefits though,” he said. “Health insurance and stuff.”
She glanced at Maggie and lifted her shoulder. “We’re fine.”
“But—”
“We have a plan,” Zoe interrupted him with a look that clearly said, drop it.
“Zoe’s still on my insurance,” Steve said, taking a bite of garlic bread. “When she’s too old for that, we’ll look into a policy. It will be wildly expensive, especially for such a small operation, but she’s saving and we’re shopping around. Lance Gordon is our agent and he’s helping us.”
For not the first time, Aiden appreciated how open the McCafferys were with him. There weren’t really any off-limit topics. He was part of the family. Even when it came to finances and business.
They needed more than a local insurance agent. Hell, Zoe probably needed a financial planner and business adviser. Things were vastly different now than they had been when Letty had started the business. They were different even from when Maggie had worked in the store. She’d had her husband’s health insurance at least. His dad’s insurance had covered his mom when she’d worked for Buttered Up. Zoe and Jocelyn didn’t have that.
There was another good reason for Zoe to marry him. Even before her dad’s insurance kicked her off.
Aiden frowned. He didn’t like how unstable all this sounded. None of this was really news, but now he was looking at it from the perspective of a businessman, a guy who’d been running a company for nine years now.
“Anyway, I think it’s safe to say we won’t be taking any risks bigger than rolling our cake into little balls,” Zoe said. “We all know what Buttered Up is known for and good at, and we’re good if we stick with that.”
“I trust you, Zoe,” Josie said. “I really do.”
“I know.” Zoe gave her friend a smile, but Aiden could see there was a little worry at the edges.
He’d never really thought about Zoe as a business owner. That sounded stupid, even in his head. She’d been a business owner for five years now. But she’d just eased into it, taken over slowly, was doing something he’d watched her do for as long as he could remember. The bakery was such a fixture, in the town and in his life, that it never occurred to him it would be anything but solid, and yes, unchangeable. It had never dawned on him that sh
e had business worries like he did. That probably made him kind of a jerk actually.
Zoe looked at Aiden. “I guess Aiden doing something big and risky like suddenly thinking he needs a new… opportunity… isn’t that out of character.”
Yes, she paused before opportunity, emphasizing it the way he had.
Aiden leaned in slightly, curious where she was going with this.
“Aiden and Cam really are the only ones who’ve ever done anything different or big and adventurous,” she went on. “Leaving here. Starting a company. Traveling. Meeting new people. Trying new things.”
She seemed thoughtful, as if she were just realizing all that, and Aiden lifted a brow. Yeah, maybe he wasn’t as boring as she thought.
He could admit it bugged him that she thought that. He’d definitely done a lot over the past nine years. He’d been coast to coast, seen every major city, met celebrities and influencers. But surprising her was turning into a really good time.
“I guess it was inevitable that he’d get bored with things in Chicago and look for a way to shake things up,” she said.
That was not what was going on here. Aiden gave her a look that said he realized they were having another conversation inside of the bigger conversation.
“Still, there’s definitely something to be said for long history and stability and comfort,” Aiden said. “Knowing exactly where you are and what you’re doing and why, knowing the people you’re with completely… that is all pretty damned great.”
Zoe didn’t frown at him the way he’d expected. He knew she knew what he was getting at. Them. Their history, how well they knew each other, how comfortable they were around each other. Other than the constant semi-erection he’d had since seeing her again today, of course.
Finally, Zoe nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. I wouldn’t change anything about what I’ve got.”
He lifted a brow again, silently calling bullshit. She was the only one who needed to know he wasn’t buying it.
She might not want to want to change things between them, but she wanted more of the heat and chemistry. She wanted more of what they’d started in the kitchen. More of what she’d started at Christmas. Building on everything they already had was going to make all that even better. He knew she could feel that.
“Um, so… speaking of shaking things up,” Jane said. “Some of us might have to get used to change whether we want to or not.”
Zoe frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Someone’s buying the factory.”
Suddenly a bite of fettuccini lodged in Aiden’s throat. He reached for his lemonade, taking a quick drink. Then another. Fuck. The news was already out? Of course it was.
Aiden had called Eric Lancaster before he’d left Chicago, indicating he was interested and wanted to talk about a deal. But nothing was in writing, and Eric had been clear that until they signed on the line, he would still be entertaining other offers. Aiden understood, but it made him anxious. He needed to talk to his partners as soon as possible. Zoe had been his first priority upon getting to Appleby, but getting the deal done with the Lancasters was priority two. He’d also made it clear to Eric that he wanted to keep his interest in the company under wraps for a few days.
Dammit.
“Really? Wow,” Zoe said.
Aiden focused on the conversation around the table. This was actually key. He needed to see their reactions.
Zoe was frowning. Maggie looked more curious than upset. Jane looked a little worried. Steve was definitely just interested. Jocelyn too. But Josie was a secondary nemesis to the Hot Cakes company. Like Aiden always had been, he supposed. She hated the Lancaster family because she loved the McCafferys, and the McCafferys hated the Lancasters.
“Who is it?” Zoe asked.
Aiden gulped more lemonade. This was it. Jane might be about to out him. To his family. Because they were. Not by blood, but by everything else that mattered in a family.
He did not want to hurt the McCafferys, and he did not want to lose them. He needed Maggie. She’d been his mom for longer than his own had, and had been there for him through his loss. The worst thing a kid could possibly go through.
Maggie had nursed him through illnesses, broken bones, a broken heart or two, definitely wounded pride. She’d encouraged him. She’d scolded him. She’d told him he could be whatever he wanted, but that he’d better want to be a good guy. Most of all, she’d talked with him about his mom. In a way no one else could or had been willing to. His dad hadn’t been able to handle it. Maggie had known Julie longer than his dad had anyway. Maggie and Julie had grown up together. Maggie had memories to share with him that no one else could. And she had. She never shied away from helping him know his mom better, from remembering her, and he would be forever grateful to her for that.
Maggie McCaffery had helped him through the worst time of his life, and he knew for a fact that he would not be the person he was today if it wasn’t for her.
He loved her to his very bones. He could not hurt her or lose her.
He focused on Zoe though.
Because Maggie would forgive him. Eventually. She might be angry. She might be hurt. It might take time. But she would forgive him, and they’d talk it out and they’d be okay.
Zoe was the one he wasn’t so sure of. The woman was irrationally protective of that bakery. Nothing mattered to her more than her family’s legacy. And she didn’t have fifteen years of loving him like Maggie did. Zoe really might not forgive him.
Aiden held his breath, waiting for Jane’s answer.
6
“We don’t know,” Jane answered.
Aiden struggled to hide his expression. He wanted to slump in his chair and suck in a relieved breath. Instead, he gulped more lemonade.
“All we know is someone made an offer. It hasn’t been accepted or anything. We don’t know who it is. But Melissa told Nancy who told Taylor who told Brianna who told me that Eric got a call from a guy who said he wanted to buy Hot Cakes, and Eric was in a really good mood when he got off the phone.”
Eric Lancaster was Didi’s oldest son and president of Hot Cakes. Melissa was his executive assistant. Melissa was the mother of one of Aiden and Cam’s classmates. But that was as far as Aiden could follow the names. The rest didn’t really matter though. Eric was happy about the conversation. That was the key takeaway here. That was good. That meant there wasn’t another offer on the table. Yet. It meant Eric liked what he’d had had to say.
Aiden blew out a breath.
“Well, that sucks,” Zoe said.
Aiden frowned. “It does? Why?”
“Someone is keeping Hot Cakes alive,” she said. “Obviously, I was hoping that it would close and die.”
Aiden cast a look at Jane. She was chewing on her bottom lip.
“That’s not a very cool way to feel about your friend’s job, is it?”
Jane had started working for Hot Cakes part time after school in high school and had stayed on. She had certainly been bright enough and had the grades for college, but she had a complicated home life, and college hadn’t been a part of her plan. He remembered her telling him once that the more things could be simple and straightforward in her life—like a factory job that she knew inside and out and could depend on for decent money and benefits—the better.
“Jane knows how I feel,” Zoe said, frowning at him and then looking at Jane. She grabbed her friend’s hand. “I love Jane and want her to be happy, but she can do more than that factory. If they closed down, she’d be fine.”
“Are you happy the factory is staying open?” he asked Jane directly.
She squeezed Zoe’s hand and then said to him, “I am. Definitely. I don’t want to make cupcakes at Buttered Up, and I don’t want to work as an aide at the school, and I don’t want to do farmwork, and I don’t want to learn data entry for any of the offices in town… and that’s pretty much all there is.”
She was right. Small-town Iowa had limited job opportunities. It was just
a fact. In fact, there were fewer jobs now than there had been ten years ago. Online shopping, faster shipping, and bigger stores in the next city over with more selection and cheaper prices made it almost impossible for small shops to stay open in little towns. The jobs in Appleby, like many towns in the Midwest, were teaching, healthcare, or working on the family farm. And even family farms were struggling. If Jane wanted to drive to the next city, there would be more jobs, but that would take job training, if not a degree, as well as time on the road and the expense of gas and more car maintenance along with the time away from her family.
Small Midwestern towns were dying. Young people went away to college and then never came back because there were no jobs. The cities in Iowa were growing, but the rural areas were losing population every year. It was one of the huge reasons keeping Hot Cakes open in Appleby was important to Aiden.
“You make cupcakes every damned day,” Zoe said grumpily. She let go of her friend’s hand as Jane reached for her lemonade.
Jane laughed. “Yeah, okay. But not quite the same way you do, Z.”
The Hot Cakes brand snack cakes offered cream-filled cupcakes—Cupettes—in chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet. They were mini sized—about two bites each—and came in packs of four. They were nothing like what Buttered Up did.
“But you could do cupcakes with me and Josie. If you wanted to.”
Zoe almost seemed a little hurt Jane didn’t want to work for her.
“I don’t even run the cupcake line,” Jane said. “You know that. And even if I did, the machines do all the work. I can’t stand in your cute little yellow bakery in your cute frilly little yellow aprons and make cupcakes into cats and baseballs and…”
“Poop emojis,” Henry said helpfully.
Jane grinned at him. “And poop emojis.”
“You’re very talented and smart and awesome,” Zoe insisted. “Josie and I could teach you. And you look great in yellow.”
Jane shifted in her chair. “Z, I don’t want to be creative like that. I like my job. It’s… a job, and that’s all I want it to be. I don’t need to be creative or fulfilled by my work. I have plenty of problem solving and fulfillment outside of work. I just want to go do my job, not hate it, know what I’m doing every day, and collect a paycheck. I want that to be one area of my life that is steady and predictable and… boring.” She frowned. “I just want it to still be steady with these new people.”
Sugarcoated Page 7
