Cal grinned and shook his head. “Not this time. We’re actually headed over to the beach after this. The band’s booked for a wedding reception.” He held up his phone to show them a picture on his social feed of two ladies arm in arm, beaming with their marriage license.
Kit’s heart expanded. How lovely. Ten years after the ruling, it still blew Kit’s mind that these two women,anytwo women, could legally marry and enjoy each other’s company in public. Yeah, some bigoted asshole might give them the stink eye as he walked past, and people existed in this world who hated seeing races and religions mix, but this couple had the law of the land on their side.
May they forever keep it.As for the haters… don’t like gay marriage? Don’t get gay married.
I should talk, heh.She admired the boldness of that couple, proudly holding up their license for all to see. Meanwhile she got hives just thinking about holding another person’s hand in public, especially someone like herself.So easy for other people to be out. Why not her? Some days she wanted to climb the roof of Tish’s Riches and explode into a rainbow, but an echo of niggling doubt deep in her gut kept her silent. It baffled her, since she was always surrounded by liberal-minded people.
It’smybusiness alone.She kept telling herself this;shecontrolled her actions. Tish and Vinnie did not invite her into their private lives, the walk-in incident notwithstanding. Asidefrom Annalise and whoever saw her at The Woolf’s Den, nobody knew she was gay.
Well, if anybody knew, they didn’t hear it from her.
Kit thanked the couple for sharing their pictures. “You know, I would love for us to make a wedding cake for a couple like that,” she told Tish.
“I have, many times before the ruling.”
“Not since I came to work for you, though.”
“It’ll happen, don’t worry. Who knows, your first same-sex wedding cake could be for your friend Annalise.” Tish nudged her and laughed.
“Don’t hold your breath, as much as Annalise likes cake.”
Tish studied her, tilting her head. “Well, I will bake for any couple celebrating their love. When you meet yours, I got the perfect design foryourcake.”
She’d be hanging onto it for a while. “Thanks.” Kit let out a nervous laugh.
Something, or someone, distracted Cal and he wandered away from the booth. Sue moved to follow him but winked at Kit and said, “If it’s any consolation, we have an anniversary later this year and Cal loves your red velvet rolls.”
“Come by anytime, hon. Don’t waitthatlong to see us,” Tish called back with a laugh. The banter stopped abruptly as the first wave of customers intervened with questions, forcing them to take orders and money.
Within the first two hours, Kit and Tish saw half their inventory sold. People carried away truffles by the dozen and fawned over the new French macarons Tish was testing for the shop. Kit worried they’d run out of boxes first, then realized Tish might use that as an excuse to bolt. All nightmares of negative reviews faded as Kit warmed up to the idea of an early day. If she took a nap after this event, she might be refreshed enough to keep up with Annalise tonight.
“How many macarons are left?” Vinnie asked, bringing Kit back to the moment. “If we have an uneven number, you think we should set aside so many as singles and box up the rest by six. Will they move quicker, you think?”
Tish pointed to a couple walking past, each holding an ice cream. “I wouldn’t mind selling by the pack, but I imagine somebody will want to eat one here and now,” she said. “I’d hate to say no, so we’ll break up a set only if somebody asks for singles.”
“I was thinking if there were extras, I could have one.” Vinnie smiled, sheepish. “I’m starving.”
“Cost you two bucks.” Kit held out her hand, which Vinnie tapped with his palm.
“I’m thinking about a plate of those pancit noodles over there.” Tish nodded toward the food truck owned by Turo Turo. Kit saw them around town often, after Dareville passed an ordinance to allow food trucks to operate along select streets during the week, and had tried their Filipino cuisine. As far as she knew, they didn’t have a restaurant as a base of operations.
Other trucks doing business today, though, were attached to some kind of brick and mortar eatery in Dareville or Virginia Beach. Kit decided earlier if she bought lunch here today, she’d try the fish taco truck…which had the longest line at present.
She was about to offer to make a food run when a voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Excuse me, which one of you is Tish Richmond?”
Kit looked up and her breath hitched at first sight of the vision standing before the booth. Long dark hair fluttered around her shoulders in a brief gust of wind. She wore dark-framed sunglasses with small, rectangular lenses. Matched with her pert nose, Pac-Man t-shirt, and form-fitting jeans, this new customer well rocked the geek-girl look.
“At your service.” Tish held up a hand, but retracted it. “Unless you’re with the IRS, in which case you just missed her. Don’t let that stop you from buying any macarons, though.”
Like Tish, Kit spotted the manila envelope in their new friend’s hand and worried. Forget about the nightmares of customers angry about a treat shortage. “What’s that?” she demanded. “Is Tish being served?
“You’re being served?” Vinnie shifted into protective husband mode, blocking Tish from the woman’s line of sight.
The girl blinked at them, and widened her eyes as she paled.
“Oh, gosh, no. I love you guys,” she said. “My name is Sidney Campbell, and I saw the ad on RecruitZipper that you were hiring and I’d love to apply.”
