Claire’s chest warmed at the men’s loyalty and their attempt to make her feel better, but she knew what they were thinking: the same thing she was. Come Saturday, the whole town would be over at Bradford Breads, and she would be sitting in an empty coffee shop.
“Hey, maybe you should have a sale on Saturday too,” Bert suggested.
That might not be a bad idea. Tammi had suggested she have a sale, but Saturday was in less than a week, and Claire didn’t have any idea what she would put on sale, let alone know how to take out an ad.
The bell above the door jingled, and Claire turned to greet the new customer. Her cheery greeting froze on her lips when her gaze met the other woman’s baby blues: her ex-husband’s new trophy wife.
Oh no.She didnotneed this today.
Sandra—or Sandee, as she liked to call herself—looked no older than thirty-five and dressed as if she were twenty despite being in her midforties. She insisted on everyone calling her by her ridiculous nickname. What grown woman chose to spell her name with two Es instead of a Y?
It was probably that fountain of youth Claire’s ex-husband had hoped to tap by first leaving Claire for this woman then later marrying her. She was everything Claire was not—blond with a supermodel figure and a defined taste for fashion. And Sandee, petty as she was, never missed an opportunity to subtly flaunt her success as a real estate agent for high-end beach property.
Claire was successful too. Claire had a thriving bakery,andshe didn’t have to lure customers in by trying to look half her age.
“Hello, Sandee. What can I get you?” Claire had to make an effort not to choke on her words, but she was a professional, and Sandeewasa customer.
“I’m here for your famous cupcakes. My parents are coming down to have dinner with me and Pete tonight, and they loved them the last time they were here. I guess you always were a talent in the kitchen. Not like me. I have far too many other things to do.”
Claire bit the inside of her cheek to stop from making a sarcastic comment about how Sandee spent her time.
Sandee didn’t seem terribly disappointed when Claire didn’t ask what those other things were. She leaned forward as best she could on her pencil-thin heels, showing off her perky breasts through the dress’s low-cut neckline. Had she gotten a boob job? Claire didn’t want to stare, so she crossed her arms over her own modest chest and waited as Sandee took her time choosing the cupcakes.
“I’ll take two of the chocolate, one of the vanilla, and…” Her nose wrinkled. “Don’t you have a healthier choice?”
“In a cupcake?” Claire couldn’t keep the incredulity from her voice.
Sandee straightened. “A vegan sugar-free option or something.”
“You aren’t vegan.” Unless that was a new development.
“No,” she drew out the word, “but it’s probably better for you than this sugary stuff.” She sighed dramatically. “Better add in another vanilla, then.”
Leave it to Sandee to insult the very cupcakes she’d come in to purchase. Claire pressed her lips tight together and put four cupcakes into a box that fit them perfectly. She sealed it with a sticker that included her Sandcastles logo. When she perched it on the counter in front of the cash register, Sandee eyed the display case, tapping a bright-fuchsia fingernail against her lips.
“Anything else?” Claire tried to keep her distaste for the woman out of her voice.
The blonde shook her head, her straight hair billowing and catching the afternoon sunlight. “No, I don’t think I’ll buy bread here today. I’d rather wait for the sale at that new bakery coming to town.” Sandee turned to look pointedly out the window at the new store, the store Claire was quickly coming to view as her competitor. Sandee turned back, her blue eyes all wide and innocent. “You know they’re having a twofer sale? That’s a lot. If my folks weren’t coming to dinner, I’d spend the money over there. It’s like getting double!”
Claire knew Sandee was baiting her, but she couldn’t help the thoughts swirling in her brain. How many other people were skimping on buying pastries this week and saving their money for bread?
Even worse, Sandee had a look of triumph in her eyes that told Claire she’d been purposely trying to upset her. She loved that Claire was distressed about the bakery’s grand opening. Claire wasn’t about to let Sandee get the better of her.
Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “I’m having an even bigger sale than Bradford Breads on Saturday!”
Sandee lifted a thin eyebrow. “You are?”
“Yes. Huge.”
“Better than two-for-one?”
Claire swallowed against the lump in her throat. She couldn’t take it back now. “Yes. Buy one, gettwofree.”
“You’re having abreadsale?”
“No.” Her gaze dropped to the white box with its pink-and-yellow sticker. “Cupcakes.”
“Are you now?” Harry called from the corner. There was real warmth in his voice.
