Page 105 of Crack the Ice

He jogs over to Cecy and Lily, who are done talking to the lady with the monkey raccoon, throwing his arms around their necks.

Cecy looks up at him, frowning when she sees his hat backward. She grabs the bill and spins it on his head, making him chuckle.

“Ready to go?” I ask once they get close enough.

Lily sighs dramatically. “Yeah, I’m pooped. Can we go home and watch a movie?”

“Whatever you want, Lils. Let’s go.”

“Whipped,” Cade coughs into his fist, my hand flying up to smack him in the back of the head.

Cecy catches it and narrows her eyes. “Behave,” she says, fighting a laugh as she walks in front of us to catch up to Lily.

Damn, what a pretty picture this is.

And it’s mine, all mine.

THIRTY-FIVE

CECILIA

My skin itches.

Every inch of it.

I want to scrape it off my body and roll around in a vat of lotion for the next two weeks. Mav’s schedule has picked up significantly, which is to be expected as his season has officially started.

I knew this was coming, and I purposely distanced myself from him, much to his dismay, to prepare for this. But this is his first time out of town since I moved in.

The kids have been in school for two weeks. They’re doing great, perfect angels most of the time. But today? God almighty, today when Mav left, it was like I’d been thrown overboard in the middle of a hurricane with no life vest.

Sheila was standing outside of the bakery after I dropped the kids off at school, but the second she saw me, she ran away. I immediately called Tom, who assured me he was doing everything he could to get her relieved of her duties after the last incident, but honestly, that didn’t do much to ease my nerves.

Then, of course, one of the ovens broke while there were multiple batches of cupcakes inside. I didn’t notice that until way past the time they would have been salvageable. I absolutely cried over spilled milk, or batter, I guess. The garnish on this disastrous day, though, was when Sunny called and said she’d called everyone before calling me, but she now couldn’t pick up the kids because her dad needed her in a meeting that wasn’t originally on her calendar.

While I could have thrown a fit, she’s going to be Mav’s boss full time by the end of this season when her dad retires. Even if she wasn’t my best friend, I still wouldn’t want to make this any harder for either of them.

So, my day was cut short without warning, and all the things I was supposed to do now have to wait until tomorrow. The thought lingers in the back of my mind as I drive through town, making my eye twitch.

Yes, my heart knows all is good and well. My brain, though, is screaming, turn around. The bakery is going to go under without you. You have a cake to make. You’re failing if you don’t finish your to-do list. You’re already in a pissy mood, the kids are going to get in the car, and you’re going to pop a freaking gasket.

I pull into Cade’s school, immediately spotting his head of blond hair. His back is to me, but he’s angled himself in front of someone while he looks seconds away from swinging at the guy in front of him. Damn it, this is not what I need. Sheila would have a bloody field day. “Mav leaves town, Cecilia lets the kids get in fights.”

I roll my window down, knowing better than to yell his name across the courtyard, rolling to a stop and leaning my head against my arm that’s resting on my door. “Is there a problem here, gentlemen?”

The muscle in Cade’s jaw jumps under the pressure he’s putting on it. His eyes stay trained on the guy in front of him. “No, Cecy.” He grunts. “All good.”

“Hmm.” My nails tap against the outside of my car, the clicking sound making them both turn to me. I don’t know what he sees on my face, but the tension bleeds from him the second he looks at me. “That’s great, I’d hate to have to cause a scene the second week of school. But I know Cade pretty damn well, so I’d put my money on the fact that whatever this is started with you.”

I swing my gaze to the other kid. If I had to guess what sport he played, I’d guess football. He’s got the stocky build and the truly horrid self-imposed God complex to him. “So, let’s move along before this gets bad for all parties involved.”

“How about you shut the hell up?” The kid spits.

Cade tenses, and my eyes cut to his, silently telling him that if he moves, there will be hell to pay.

I unleash a sickly smile on this kid, tilting my head to the side. “I’m going to go out on a limb here, and guess you don’t know who I am. I’m glad you don’t.”

Luckily, they were far enough away from the front of the school that I didn’t have to join the actual car line. I unbuckle my seatbelt, my pink tennis shoes hitting the asphalt as my whole body vibrates with barely contained rage.