Babycakes

by Mary Manners

  “May love find all who enter here...”

  But those were simply words, and the placards were simply decorative signs, right? They held no special powers…no fairy dust to speak of. Sure, Cade had heard tales about angels and the conversations Vivian Hart supposedly indulged in with them from time to time. Even Gracie had mentioned the angels, but he chalked that up to her overworked imagination. Now Cade forced aside those thoughts as he glanced Emmy’s way. After all, the talk simply amounted to rumors.

  Didn’t it?

  Cade lifted a picture book from a built-in shelf. The title read, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day…one of Gracie’s favorites. As a child, it had sat in a place of honor on his keeper shelf, as well. At least once a week, Gracie pulled it from her stash and begged him to read it.

  But now, as he glanced through shelves and shelves of colorful books, the only thing on his mind was Emmy. His fingers brushed her elbow as he turned to face her, and even that slight contact sent his senses reeling. He could hardly summon a syllable.

  “Miss Vivian…” He cleared his throat. “…mentioned you live in cabin four.”

  “Oh, she did?”

  “Yes. Where, exactly, is cabin four?”

  “It’s near the common area.”

  “Oh…right.” And truly a stone’s throw on a slight diagonal from his. They could wave to one another from their front porches.

  Not that he planned to do such a thing.

  “We—I mean the Heart’s Haven residents—have potluck barbecues there in the common area from time to time, when the weather allows. Perhaps you and Gracie will join us?”

  “That sounds like it might be fun…if I’m not working.”

  “Oh, do you have a demanding schedule? Marcie told me you work for the Angel Falls Trumpet.”

  “Marcie?” Cade glanced back over his shoulder to see the tall, pregnant woman with spiky hair settling in at the desktop computer. “Oh, yes…Marcie. But, how did she know?”

  “Marcie’s married to the town sheriff, who has feelers like a giant squid for anything new or different around here. He didn’t warn us off you, so I suppose you’re not currently on America’s Most Wanted list.”

  “No, at least not the last time I checked.”

  “Great. That’s…encouraging.” Emmy’s perfume drifted…a touch of citrus, to mingle with the sweet, rich aroma of chocolate. Cade had never inhaled anything quite so appealing. Her grin was contagious as she placed the fluffy-gray mouse’s ears over the crown of Gracie’s head.

  “They look better on you than they do on me, sweetie,” she said, smoothing Gracie’s curls beneath the band. Cade ventured to disagree, but he kept his opinion to himself. “Do you like them?”

  “Oh, yes!” Gracie tugged the ears off, gave them an up-close inspection, and then with a grin that radiated to the heavens, replaced them once again. “Yes, yes, yes.”

  “Good. You can help me with the story then. I’ve been looking for a few walk-on actors.”

  “You can help too, Uncle Cade.” Gracie tugged at his shirtsleeve. “You can be a walk-on actor just like me. Right, Emmy?”

  “Yes, Cade…” Emmy winked and tossed him an apron. “Gracie’s absolutely correct. You offered…and I can use some help serving the cookies.”

  “I object.” Cade frowned as he caught the bubblegum-pink fabric. “Due to the fact that pink isn’t my color.”

  “Oh, I think it’s just perfect.” Emmy giggled as she unfolded the apron and held it up to his chest. “Besides, haven’t you heard? Pink is the new blue.”

  “No, I have to say I missed that memo.”

  “If you require a bribe, I should make it clear that we have more coffee in the kitchen, and I’m willing to share.”

  “In that case…” Cade drew another satisfying sip from the cup and felt his pulse shift to a wakening tempo. “I suppose I can roll up my sleeves and make your pink excuse for a uniform work.”

  “You can do it, Uncle Cade.” Gracie cheered him on with a little flurry of claps. “Those cookies look yummy.”

  “I can assure you they are, and the other children should be arriving soon.” Emmy turned to her. “Oh, you’re just going to love the other children, Gracie…especially Tommy. He’s a sweetheart and just about your age, I’ll bet.”

  “I’m four.” Gracie held up the fingers to prove it. “But I’m gonna be five in July. And then Uncle Cade says I can start kindergarten next fall.”

  “Yes, four-going-on-five is close enough.” Emmy tapped Gracie’s tiny, freckled nose. “Fast friends, that’s what you and Tommy will be.”

  4

  “We came here this morning because I promised Gracie ice cream for breakfast.” Cade said later as he slipped the soiled apron back over his head. He bunched it up, followed Emmy’s lead and tossed it into a bin beneath the counter, and then settled down at the table across from her to attack the cup of soft serve heaped with a mountain of toppings. “But it looks like I won a bonus, as well.”

  “Yes, that’s some dish of ice cream.” Emmy watched as he lifted the first spoonful to his mouth. “The cookies did me in. I couldn’t eat another bite.”

  “I wasn’t talking about the ice cream or the cookies, either, although both are a treat.” Cade licked whipped topping from his lips as his gaze connected with hers. “I was referring to time spent with you.”

  “Oh...” A hint of blush blossomed over Emmy’s cheeks, and she quickly diverted her attention to the story room.

  Through the doorway, Cade spied Gracie huddled together with Tommy. They made a stark contrast with her tousled blonde curls and his mop of brown hair. He was dressed in his baseball uniform, most likely in anticipation of a T-ball game that afternoon. The cap was tugged on backwards, and his tongue poked through his teeth as he balanced one block atop another. He and Gracie had overturned the bin of wooden building blocks and were busy creating a house for Gracie’s baby doll.

  Thankful…I’m thankful to Emmy for having the foresight to introduce the two children. Gracie needs a friend.

  There were no longer signs of the apprehension Gracie had shown as they loaded the SUV four days ago to embark on their cross country journey. Now, her giggles danced through the air.

  “They’ve really hit it off, wouldn’t you say?” Cade asked as he turned his attention back to Emmy. “You really know kids.”

  “Tommy’s a little rough around the edges—”

  “That goes without saying when it comes to the male species.”

  “Right.” Her laughter danced like music through the air. “He’s been through a lot, but I believe he’s rounded the corner.”

  “That makes him and Gracie two peas in a pod.” Cade lifted another spoonful of heaven to his mouth as he studied her. “I have to say that, although it’s really not a staple in my closet, pink is definitely your color. Your cheeks look like someone’s singed them with a torch.”

  “That would be your doing.” Emmy dipped her head and pressed a palm to her face in a futile attempt to hide the color. “I have to admit, you’ve got me just a little bit frazzled.”

  “There’s no need to be.” He paused around a mouthful of chopped nuts coated in hot fudge before swallowing. Truthfully, he felt a little like a quarterback who’s just been blindsided. His head swam a bit; his pulse refused to find a normal rhythm. “It’s not like I’m going to bite you or something. By the way, this sundae is good…really good.”

  “Thanks.” Emmy settled back in the seat, crossing her arms over her chest. A cookie sat untouched on the table in front of her. She lifted a bottle of water to her lips and drew a sip as she pressed the back of her hand to her cheek as if feeling for fever.

  “Warm?” Cade couldn’t help it…he winked at her over the bowl of his spoon.

  “I think the air conditioning may be on the fritz.” She fanned her face, but the blush merely deepened.

  “I think it’s working just fine.”

  “Well
…” She lifted the cookie to her lips and took a tentative nibble. The bite was so small Cade doubted she tasted so much as the slightest hint of the delectably sweet flavor. “I appreciate your help with the cookies, Cade. You may very well have a future in the service industry.”

  “Yes, the apron kind of grows on you after a few cups of coffee and a wheelbarrow of chocolate.”

  “All that caffeine and sugar…you should have no problem keeping up with Gracie this afternoon.”

  “Yeah, and it’s a good thing, too, since there’s still the grocery shopping to tackle. That ought to be an adventure, especially since Gracie’s way past her naptime.”

  “You’ve really been a good sport. I don’t believe our Saturday Sprinkles cookies have ever been delivered with such a flourish. Marcie usually steps in to tame the crowd, but apparently she got lost in the financial books this morning.”

  “I noticed that.” Cade rolled his eyes as a grin bowed his lips. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s trying her hand at a little matchmaking.”

  “Marcie…goodness, no.” A string of coughs followed the words as if the tiny bite of cookie threatened to choke Emmy. She reached for her water, drew a swig to kill the frog in her throat, and then grabbed a napkin from the stainless steel dispenser to mop cough-induced tears from her eyes. “She knows better than that. I’m not in the market to date.”

  “Really?” Cade plastered one hand across his belly as if she’d punched him. “So, you have a boyfriend?”

  “No. And I don’t plan to.”

  “I don’t understand.” Her reaction took Cade off guard. “Would a little nudge in that direction be a bad thing?”

  “Yes.” Emmy lifted her gaze to catch his over the rim of the water bottle. “I suppose this would be a good time to tell you that I don’t date, Cade.”

  “You don’t...” It was Cade’s turn to choke. He drew a gulp of coffee to wash down the cherry lodged in his throat and swallowed hard. “What?”

  “You heard right.” She lifted a hand toward him, palm out in traffic cop style. “But I’ll repeat myself, just in case. I don’t date—ever.”

  The longest moment passed between them and Cade wondered if Emmy could hear his pulse hammering. Suddenly, he cared that she didn’t date…that she’d rejected his off-the-cuff advances without so much as a microsecond thought. He’d never struck out in that department. But there was something about Emmy that reached into him and grabbed his heart. Cade shook off her rejection and struggled for balance.

  What does she think I’m after…a whirlwind trip to the altar? Angels or not, that will be the day.

  But the look in Emmy’s eyes…a mixture of pain and regret…told Cade there was more to this story. His heart turned to a pile of mush in his chest.

  “Well, that’s a shame.” He scrubbed a hand over his scruff of beard as his gaze settled over her. The wounded look in her eyes told Cade that her stance on dating wounded her as much as it did him. So, he was careful to keep his voice in check…low and calm as he added, “Any particular reason?”

  “Not that I care to share at this point.” Emmy shook her head so waves of blonde hair spilled over her shoulders. She’d removed the band that had held it in place during story hour, much to Cade’s delight, and now the silky tresses framed eyes as blue as the cloudless sky beyond the display window. “No, all you need to know is that my position on dating stands firm simply…because.”

  “Simply because, huh?” Cade itched to gently smooth the frown from her face, so he busied his hands by splaying them across the polished tabletop. “That’s all I need to know?”

  “Is there an echo in here?”

  “No.” Cade’s gaze dipped low to his empty ice cream bowl and then rose once again to skim the length of her. Soft bangs spilled over radiant eyes, and the blush that ignited her cheeks only served to enhance the cerulean color. Her build was slight, sporting curves in all the right places, but Cade sensed a steel core at her center. Immediately, an undeniable desire to protect Emmy surged through him. Who—or what—had hurt her? “But I’m giving fair warning. Such a vague explanation just won’t hold water for very long. It sounds like something this investigative—strike that, former investigative—reporter will have to spend a little time unraveling.”

  Emmy’s gaze held firm to the challenge only a moment before drifting aside. She murmured, “Well, don’t waste your time.”

  “Oh, nothing that involves learning more about you could ever be a waste of time. I’m thoroughly intrigued.”

  “There’s absolutely nothing intriguing to be unraveled here, Cade. You make me sound so fascinating.”

  “From where I’m sitting, it certainly looks that way.” Oh, yes indeed she fascinated him to the core.

  “Well, it’s not. It just…is what it is.”

  “So you say.” Cade shook his head slightly, allowing the fingers of his right hand to find the smooth skin of her cheek. The gesture seemed to calm Emmy as she drew a single, trembling breath. He stroked the curve of her jaw only briefly before retreating once again. “But denying the obvious intrigue is a defining clue that there’s definitely more to the story.”

  “Yes, but that’s for my heart only.” Emmy lifted a fist to her lips, and Cade sensed she fought back a wave of tears. “Please, Cade…don’t pry.”

  “Fair enough.” He leaned in to hand her another napkin for her eyes. Their hands touched, and a flash fire of heat coursed through him. Cade couldn’t help himself; he twined his fingers with hers and held on as if magnetized.

  Emmy’s blue eyes found his, and he melted right there in his seat.

  Whoa, Cade…get a grip.

  Emmy’s eyes flew wide as if she’d been scalded by the flashfire, as well. Her chair screeched as she pushed back from the table, putting distance between them.

  Cade winced, realizing he’d let impulse get the best of him and had taken things just a little too far.

  Nice going. Just call me Slick.

  Man, he’d really blown it, pushing so hard to bring her ’round to his corner. Emmy wasn’t a crime-beat lead that he had to be the first to crack. Good grief, when would he unwind from his instinct to scoop the story? Desperate to salvage the situation, Cade quickly shifted gears.

  “How about if we keep the focus on Babycakes, then? Can we at least discuss your shop?”

  “That depends.” Emmy crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. “What, exactly, do you want to know?”

  “Everything. With your permission, I’d like Babycakes to be the focus of my first feature story. It’s an amazing place—at once warm and cozy, yet full of excitement. What do you think? Can you spare a bit of time for an interview?”

  “Well, I’ve been mulling a few marketing ideas, and I was thinking about placing an ad…”

  “I can kick things up a notch, if you’d like.”

  “How so?”

  “If you’ll allow me, I’ll do a feature article. It wouldn’t take anything but a little time; it would be free. And what’s better than free advertising?”

  “Nothing, I suppose.” Emmy nodded slightly as her shoulders relaxed. “Yes, I guess I can answer a few questions for you…but nothing too personal.”

  “Agreed.” He drained his coffee cup and set it on the table. “How about if we spend a little time together after church tomorrow? We can take in the service and then start the preliminaries of an interview.”

  “But you don’t even know where I attend church.”

  “Yes, I do.” Cade reached into his back pocket and flipped open a small, wire-bound notebook. He snatched a pencil from a holder on the nearby counter. “You were right about Marcie…she does know everything.”

  “She didn’t…”

  “Oh, yes she did.” Cade grinned like a Cheshire cat. “You usually attend the contemporary 11:00 AM service at Angel Falls Community Church. That’s perfect, since Gracie’s going to start attending the Parents’ Day Out program there, and I’d like to chec
k things out myself before I toss her to the wolves.”

  “The wolves…?”

  “Relax, Emmy. I’m just joking about the wolves.”

  “I certainly hope so. But how did you know that’s my church? I didn’t see—or hear—you discussing it with Marcie.”

  “I’m a reporter.” He offered a saucy wink. “I have my ways.”

  Her gaze narrowed.

  “OK, Marcie mentioned it when I slipped back to the prep area for a second cup of coffee.”

  “Remind me to dock her pay.”

  “Will do.” He pretended to scribble the note in his pad. “Check and double check. Now, since we live a stone’s throw from one another, why don’t I just pick you up tomorrow morning? We can ride to church together and then do the interview over lunch at my place.”

  “I don’t know about that, Cade, I think—”

  “Before you say no, just consider sharing a ride with me as your good deed for the environment. Together, we’ll save gas and do our part in the war against pollution. Besides, we both have to eat at some point, and I’m on my way to the grocery store anyway. Making you a delicious, hot lunch is the least I can do to thank you for that basketful of goodies you left on my kitchen table.” Cade leaned close to murmur, “You saved me, Emmy, from the meltdown of an overly-hungry four-year-old.”

  “Goodness, Cade.” Emmy propped her elbows on the table and dipped her chin to upturned palms. “You don’t give up easily, do you?”

  “Never.” He swiped his mouth with a napkin. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m highly skilled in the tenacity department. It’s a quality that comes in handy for a reporter such as me.”

  “Good grief, it’s getting awfully deep in here.” She rolled her eyes. “OK, I wave the white flag of surrender. I’ll allow you to chauffer me to church tomorrow, but on one condition only.”

  “Name it, Miss Daisy.”