“Delicious,” Nate said, sitting on the chest at the end of her bed, his large body facing Lox.
Ana sat on her sister’s bed. “Try one.” She placed the platter on her sister’s lap.
Lox studied them a moment. “They definitely aren’t the way I would frost them, but I do like the color.” She met Ana’s eyes. “Not bad, Ace.”
“Thanks.” Ana knew the true test would be the flavors. Sure, you ate with your eyes first, but once the cookie made its way into your mouth, taste was everything.
Lox took a cookie from the box. She brought it to her nose and sniffed. “Mmmmm. Smells good.” She bit into it. Ana held her breath as she watched Lox chew. “Ace, you found my recipe and remembered to switch out the cinnamon for the lemon zest.”
“I did.”
“That’s what my nose told me, but I can taste the difference and they’re really good.” Lox smiled before taking another bite. “You did an excellent job. If you ever want to stop saving the world, there’s a job waiting for you in my bakery.”
“Thanks, but I had some help.” Ana looked back at Nate. He was beaming.
“I rolled out the dough and added the dry ingredients. It was mostly Ana though. She’s just being modest.” He winked at her.
Ana couldn’t stop her heart from beating faster. When she had a moment to think about it, she would have to ponder her feelings for her ex-husband. Though at that moment, she knew what it was. Love. She loved him. It was highly likely she never stopped loving him. Her grief had swallowed all other feelings, but it hadn’t made them disappear. And now. As she looked at him, she knew. Love was the force pounding through her. He seemed to notice, his eyes zeroing in on her lips. She wanted him to kiss her. It’d been too long.
“Ana?” Her sister’s voice cut sharply through her thoughts and she felt her face get hot.
“Yes. What?” Ana faced her sister, pressing the backs of her hands against her cheeks to cool them down.
Lox eyed her warily. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing.” She forced herself not to glance back at Nate. “What do you need?”
“Will you be able to stay and make the rest of the cookies?” Lox readjusted the plate resting on her lap, moving it to a spot next to her on her queen-sized bed.
“I’d be happy to, Lox. Anything you need until you’re feeling better.” She hoped Nate would too, but she didn’t check. She guessed her cheeks were likely the color of ripened cherries.
“Excellent. Our mayor, Cindy Grayson will appreciate these. And I know her daughter, Stella, will love them too.” She took another bite, leaning her head back and chewing.
“Yay,” Ana said softly.
“Where’s the wedding going to be held?” Ana asked her mom, who looked up from her book. She loved to read cozy mysteries. They were her favorite. Ana guessed it started when she watched Murder, She Wrote as a young mother.
“Town Hall.”
“Figures.” Town Hall, officially known as Fable Town Hall, was the biggest building in the town. A castle built almost two hundred years ago. It was located right at the end of Main Street and was built in the gothic revival style with a hint of Victorian thrown in for good measure. Its spires, turrets, and walls were a white-washed stone with dozens of windows and a well-kept lawn set back behind the city park. The whole thing was beautiful and a favorite for parties as well as weddings.
“Who’s catering the wedding? Lucy Smith?” her mom asked.
Lox shook her head. “I’m not sure. Mayor Grayson asked me to make thirty dozen cookies and I told her I would. She already paid me, too, and I already cashed the check, so they have to get done.”
“What are her wedding colors?”
“Pink, lavender, and white,” Lox said, nibbling on another bite.
Ana snorted and covered her mouth, embarrassed. They sounded so girly and sweet. The Stella she remembered was much different. Wild and always wore black. “Sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “Her color choices are a surprise is all.”
“We know how she used to be. But since she met Jasper, she’s changed.” Her mom leaned forward and took two cookies, one for herself and one for her husband.
“A little bit, anyway,” her dad added. “Jasper brings out the best in her.” He took a bite then smiled. “Wow, Ace. These are excellent.”
“Thanks.” Ana was glad they tasted good. “I guess we better go back and get to work.” She stood but hesitated as she thought about the customers outside the bakery that morning. “Total channel change, but what should we do about the bakery? There was a line of people waiting when we got there this morning and some woman who was dressed like a blue marshmallow freaked out. We found your day old desserts and sold them to her and the rest of the customers.” She hoped that was okay.
Lox groaned. “That was really kind of you.” She grumbled something incoherent before continuing. “Whoever did this to me deserves to burn in oil.” She pressed the palm of one hand against her forehead and looked at each of them sheepishly. “Sorry, that wasn’t very nice, but I’m losing money.” She tried to smile. “Thank you for helping me out.” Her face fell. “I really appreciate you.”
Ana patted her foot. “Of course. That’s what sisters are for.” She thought of something else. “Did you want us to make some other things? The easy baked goods,” Ana added when Lox’s face turned skeptical.
“You’re the best, Ana. If you could…” Lox shook her head. “That would mean so much to me.” Then she shrugged. “But my top priority is the cookies for the wedding. I can’t let the mayor or her daughter down.”
“All right. We’ll see what we can do.” Ana went over to her mom and dad, kissing them good-bye.
Nate stood and went to the door. “Hope you’re feeling better soon.”
“Me too, Nate. Thanks.”
Ana reached Nate.
“Ana?” Lox asked.
She turned and faced her sister. “Yeah, Lox?”
“Been following the clues? I’m going insane not knowing what you know.” Lox could be dramatic.
“I have, but there isn’t a lot to go on.” She quickly told her sister about the plaid material, the car that almost ran her over, the letter, and the fact that Sheriff Buck would be coming over to question her about the number of keys she’d given out.
“This makes me so growly,” Lox said, worry weighing on her brows. “But let me think… I gave one to Mom and one to Dad. I have one. Dina has one and then there’s Katelyn. So that’s five.”
Ana knew Dina and Katelyn were Lox’s best friends. They would sometimes help her out when she needed it. “Maybe you should ask them when you see them if they know where their keys are.”
“Good point. I will.” She settled more comfortably against the pillows. “Be careful. I don’t want anything happening to you.”
“Thanks, Lox, but I’m fine. Nate’s here with me. I’ll be okay. Sheriff Buck also said he would have his deputies keep an eye on you, Chandi, Mom, and Dad, so that’s good.”
Lox rolled her eyes. “Ack, that name? Sheriff Buck?”
“His name is actually Bear Buckley, but apparently everyone calls him Sheriff Buck.” Ana realized Lox might not have met him yet, since he was relatively new to Fable Town. She tried to see the man through her sister’s eyes. The sheriff was good looking, though older. Maybe not that much older than Lox, now that she thought about it. Ana thought he might be Lox’s type… if she had a type. Lox hadn’t ever married. She’d been engaged twice before, but neither worked out. The first one took off without a word two weeks before the wedding and with the second, Lox broke it off. Ana didn’t know why. Lox never spoke about it, so Ana didn’t have many details. Lox’s love life was a taboo topic. Otherwise her older sister was an open book. Ana thought it couldn’t have been easy, but Lox refused to grieve or even mention the man’s name. In fact, Ana couldn’t remember his name.
“He sounds like a tool.” Lox popped some frosting in her mouth.
/> “I’m sorry to interrupt,” someone said from behind them.
Ana jumped. She felt Nate flinch, but he otherwise looked unbothered by the Sheriff being right behind them.
“Sheriff Buck,” Ana said, eyeing Lox, wondering if he’d heard her call him a tool. “Good to see you again.” She cleared her throat.
The sheriff stepped between Ana and Nate, his focus on Lox. “Miss Lox, I thought I’d introduce myself and tell you how sorry I am this happened to you.”
Lox pulled the covers up to her neck.
Chapter Twelve
When Ana and Nate were outside, she started to laugh. It felt good. She hadn’t had a good laugh in a long time. “Poor Lox. You know, I could see something happening between those two.”
“Really?” Nate didn’t look convinced. “I thought Lox might claw his eyes out for walking into her bedroom uninvited.”
“Yeah, that was a surprise, but this is a small town. Everyone just walks into each other’s houses. Why not bedrooms too?” She zipped her coat and tucked her hands into her pockets. “Ready to make a truckload of cookies?” she asked, changing the subject. She tucked her chin down in her jacket to keep warm.
“Can we eat first? Man needs meat,” he said in a cave man voice as he pounded on his chest.
Her stomach growled on cue as she giggled. “Definitely. There’s a place just off Main Street called Tiana’s. They serve just about everything and it’s all delicious.”
“Lead the way.” He stopped and let her take the lead.
When they arrived at the restaurant, they went in and were seated quickly. Ana got fried chicken and fries while Nate ordered the largest steak they had. While the two of them waited, they talked about everything. She couldn’t get over how much she enjoyed being with him again. More than once, she caught him looking at her. She wanted to say something that would help him see what she was feeling, but nothing came. It was exasperating.
Once the food arrived, they ate comfortably. She hadn’t realized just how hungry she was. Nearly getting hit by a car, then finding a threatening note, and baking two dozen cookies took a lot out of a person, apparently. When she finished her plate, she leaned back, feeling satisfied. Nate stuck the last bite of steak in his mouth and chewed happily.
“Good?” She smiled, wishing she could share all her feelings with him. There were so many.
When he swallowed, he pushed his plate away and smacked his lips. “Excellent. I could eat another one.”
A quick glance at the clock hanging over the counter in the restaurant told her the day was flying by. She wanted to get back to baking, but the man needed sustenance. “Go for it,” she said, finally.
“Nah, I’ll pay, and we can get out of here. Those cookies aren’t going to bake themselves.” He winked and got up to head over to the register.
She was glad he could still read her. “We’ll eat lots for dinner.” She scooted out of the booth.
“Yeah, we will.” He slapped his tight stomach lightly.
After he paid, they walked back to the bakery. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned her head against his arm. Like peanut butter and chocolate, they were great together.
For the next five hours, they made six dozen cookies and stored them in the walk-in cooler, then whipped up a dozen carrot cupcakes, a couple of dozen chocolate-pecan cookies, and some red velvet squares. By the time they finished, Ana thought she might drop, and even Nate looked tired.
Ana checked the front door twice to make sure it was locked while Nate unplugged all of the appliances and took out the trash. They went out the back and locked the door behind them. Nate made sure it was secure. Then he took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm.
“You are quite the baker, Ace,” he said, breathing in deeply.
The air was crisp and clean. Thousands of stars dotted the night sky.
“Back at ya, Nate.” She leaned against his arm as they walked. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“True.” He chuckled and she joined in.
“What should we do for dinner?”
He hesitated. “Remember that pizza place we went to the last time we were here together? What was the name? Zippy’s? Zino’s?”
Ana thought for a moment. “Zaren’s?”
“That’s it. Let’s get some pizza there.”
Ana’s mouth watered at the thought of pizza. It was her favorite food. Her love for it had grown while she and Nate were together. She hadn’t had a single slice since their divorce. Now, she thought she would fight for a piece. “Sounds great.”
They turned left out of the alley and headed down Starling toward Zaren’s Pizzeria, but as she got closer, she saw the name had changed from Zaren’s Pizzeria to Hugo’s Pizzeria.
“I wonder if it’s under the same ownership.” Ana doubted it but hoped.
“Let’s go in and find out.” Nate held the door open for her.
The interior looked the same. The menus looked the same, too. Exact same colors and pricing. The only difference was the name. Hopefully the food was as good as she remembered. They ordered a large supreme and two waters, then took a seat in a booth near the window.
Ana glanced around the restaurant and spotted Stella, the mayor’s daughter and her fiancé at a booth across from them. “How long has this place been Hugo’s?” Ana asked Stella after congratulating them on their upcoming nuptials.
“Not quite a month.”
“What happened to the guy who owned Zaren’s?”
“He left town. Said he was tired of living in Fable Town.” Stella shrugged. “He’d been here more than a decade, and his decision seemed sudden, too. His house just sold like a week ago.” Stella sipped on her drink. She wasn’t eating any pizza, but Troy was making up for it.
“How’s the pizza?” Nate asked.
Troy answered. “It’s the same ingredients, but I don’t know…” He paused and took another bite, chewing slowly as though trying to figure out the difference. “It isn’t quite as good. Something about it is different.”
“I bet Lox would know why.” Ana pondered the reasons the guy would’ve just left town without waiting for his house to sell. “Who bought him out?”
Stella shrugged again. “I don’t know. If you’re really interested, I’m sure my mom could tell you.”
“True. Will she be in the tower tomorrow?” Locals called the mayor’s office the tower since the city’s office building was reminiscent of a castle from some fairy tale.
“As far as I know.”
Their pizza came. Ana and Nate thanked the tall, skinny guy with braces who brought it out. Before he left, Ana grabbed his arm. “Do you know who bought this place?”
He shook his head. “It was the new guy, Shane who hired me. He said he was doing the interviewing for the buyer and wouldn’t give me more information.” The waiter shrugged. “Sorry I can’t be more help.” He talked with a slight lisp, probably brought on by all the rubber bands and metal in his mouth.
“That’s weird.” Ana took a bite of her pizza. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” The guy walked back into the kitchen.
Ana took another bite of the pizza. It tasted good, but Troy was right. It wasn’t as great as Zaren’s. “What do you think?” she asked Nate.
“It’s not bad. Not as good as Zaren’s though,” he said before taking an enormous bite.
“Right? That’s a bummer.” She took another bite anyway, too hungry to stop now.
“I’m thinking it might be bought pizza sauce instead of scratch made,” Nate said, after taking a few more bites.
“Could be.” Ana finished one piece and started on the next. They kept catching each other looking at the other. It was kind of high school, but also kind of fun. Sure they were nowhere near teenagers, but it was like the first time they met. All butterflies and kindling fluttering in her belly.
A few minutes later, Stella and Troy said goodbye, leaving just the two of them in the restaurant.
Nate looked around. “Shouldn’t it be busier than this on a Friday night? Zaren’s was always packed on the weekends. The last time we were here, we waited almost an hour for our seats.”
“Agreed.” Something was bothering Ana, but she wasn’t sure what yet. She still didn’t have any answers by the time they finished the food and made their way out of the restaurant.
Fatigue set in and she was dragging by the time they reached her mom and dad’s house. In the hall, she said good night and stumbled to her room. Somehow, she managed to wash her face and brush her teeth, then changed into PJ’s and fell into bed. That night she dreamed she was flying through the night sky on a broom. On her head sat a black witch’s hat and behind her, also riding the broom was an opossum. It’s cute little nose snuffling around as it clung to the broom’s bristles. Then Ana was lying in bed and the opossum walked across her covers until it reached Ana’s face. It sniffed, it’s whiskers tickling her skin. Then it looked directly at her.
“You’re an Oldenberg alright,” a female voice whispered. The voice seemed to be coming from the opossum, which made no sense. “I smell your magic, but it’s dormant. I can fix that.” The creature sat on her chest and brought its two front paws together. They were pink and adorable. A bluish-white light appeared between them and began to grow bigger and bigger until it was the size of a quarter. Then the opossum threw the ball of magic at her. It struck her between the eyes and Ana gasped. The opossum sat and stared a moment longer. “Stubborn magic. But I am not to be deterred. I’ll come back tomorrow and I’ll keep coming back until your magic is renewed.” With those words, she waddled away.
When Ana’s alarm went off the next morning, she pondered the dream. It was strange, but she figured it was due to all of her stress and didn’t think more about it.
It went like that for the next four days. She would have the strange dream of flying with the opossum. It would throw blue-shite magic at her. Then Ana would wake, ignore the dream, eat breakfast with her ex-husband, the man she now wished she hadn’t divorced, then go visit with her sister. Sometimes Chandi or their parents or Katelyn or Dina would be there. Sometimes, it was just the three of them. They spoke about updates to Lox’s case, which wasn’t much.
Iced Raspberry Cookies and a Curse Page 7
