Page 22 of Property of Doc

“Tell me, tell me!” I exclaim. “Because I needallthe ideas.”

Both women giggle at my enthusiasm. “Okay, so what if we get an upright freezer to put in there so you can do your cake pops and freeze them ahead of time? I think I remember you saying that you can freeze them, then thaw and decorate them closer to an event. That way, when it gets close to the rodeo, you’ll have stock built up but you won’t have to bust your ass to make them, you just have to dip and decorate!”

I think about what she said and slowly nod. “I could do that all the time, to be honest. It takes a lot of time to bake everything, and it would be awesome to have a bunch of dough balls ready to put into the molds. Kind of like an assembly line of sorts.”

“Exactly. You can mark the containers, so you use the older ones first.”

“What about the chocolate-covered fruit?” Livy asks.

“I’d have to do them the day before or even the morning of,” I admit. “But they don’t take a long time since I typically dip them, then once they’re dry, I put a drizzle on them.”

“Still could work if you did them the day before so they’re nice and fresh. And, when they’re gone, they’re gone,” Issy says. “Plus, I bet if you talk to Herb down at the farmer’s market, he’ll get you the freshest he’s got, since he’s got a farm and grows some of the best strawberries I’ve ever eaten. He brings in bushel baskets, as well as various items his wife makes using them, like jams and jellies, that kind of thing.”

“This is getting exciting,” I reply. “I mean, I was going to tell Doc I wanted to come back to work at the clinic, but what if this really takes off?”

“Then you work it part time until he can get someone hired,” Issy replies. “Do whatever you have to in order to keep your license, of course, but with you enjoying this as much as you do, why not follow your dreams?”

“You know what? You’re right. Plus, if kids come down the road, I’ll have the flexibility I need to be hands-on versus always being gone for work,” I muse.

Issy laughs and once she’s gotten herself back under control, she teases, “You could always teach Livy and then you’d have a helper!”

I quickly look at Livy and ask, “Would that be something you’d want to do?”

“Definitely! I love my little guy, but I need some adult time, too.” Then she looks at Issy who’s busy waggling her eyebrows at her and sasses, “I mean adultconversationnot the other and you know it!”

All three of us burst out laughing because Livy’s face is now beet red from thinking about what Issy said. Issy is practically in tears as she slaps her thigh every time she looks at Livy. She finally manages to calm down and says, “I bet Marge would love to babysit Theo.”

“Don’t I know it! When BamBam goes by to collect the money from the vending machines and the coin maker, he has to take him with him or she gives him hell,” Livy retorts. “Then, she always manages to talk him into leaving Theo for a few hours.”

“She misses her little ones,” Issy softly says. “Her life before coming to work with the Kings was absolute shit, but she’s slowly coming into her own. It’s gonna take a special man to overcome the walls she’s erected, that’s for dang sure.”

I don’t know Marge all that well; I’d consider her more of an acquaintance than anything, but I can always use more women in my posse, so I make a mental note to go into town so I can start building a relationship.

“They do exist,” I murmur, looking at the two women who are quickly becoming friends.

Issy is always busy with the horses, but since I’ve been here, we’ve spent a lot of time together. I was never around horses all that much, but there’s something that soothes my soul when I’m helping her groom the horses. She’s going to teach me to ride soon, and I can’t wait! Livy, of course, has her hands full with Theo now that he’s walking, but from the sound of it, she’s got a willing babysitter in Marge.

“Yeah, they do,” Livy agrees. “Because I wasnevergetting involved with another man as long as I lived and you see how that worked out for me.”

Issy scoffs. “As if BamBam wasn’t a goner from the first time he saw you.”

Now it’s Livy’s turn to make an unladylike snort. “Really? I was beat all to hell if you remember, filthy from running through the woods, and totally traumatized from what had happened. I certainly wasn’t picture perfect.”

“That’s when you know it’syouthey’re interested in,” Issy advises. “He’s seen you at your absolute worst and was still willing to put in the work to make you his.”

“I just tell Doc that he steamrolled into my life,” I reply, shrugging. “Because after the guys rescued me and the others, he basically told me I was his.”

We’re all laughing because as Issy just shared through giggles, all of these men are the same. When they find their ‘one’, they don’t waste any time claiming her. Constance walks up to where we’re sitting and I smile at her.

“Maria and I had an idea,” Constance says. “We don’t know all the flavors you make for your cake pops, but we have some recipes and wondered if you thought they could be worked with to make them?”

“That would be pretty neat,” Issy says. “I love Maria’s rumchatta chocolate cake.” At my wide eyes, she adds, “The alcohol burns off, leaving the flavor. Can we see if it would work now? God knows how long they’ll be, after all.”

Looking at Constance, I say, “Lead the way!”

“Do you think they have a cream cheese additive you could put into the bark to mimic the icing?” Maria asks while we wait for the cake to finish baking.

“Maybe?” I reply. “Let me check online and see what we can find. Because from the taste test of the batter, these would be a hit for sure.”