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I can hear them through my earbuds.
God, family vacations suck.
Hope your vacation is better than mine.
Don’t worry,I texted back.You’ll find a cute girl on your spirit walk. I know it.
Or guy,he pointed out.
Or guy.
My brother went silent after that, either because he was talking to my folks or because he’d opened one of his games, I couldn’t be sure. But when I finally looked up from my phone, Kate was behind the counter, staring at me.
“You’d better not be playing Candy Crush or whatever it’s called,” she said with a huge grin on her face.
“What if I am?” I put down my phone, then joined her in front of the counter.
“Then at least give me some of your lives or whatever. I suck at that game.”
“I was talking to my brother. My family’s away for a week.”
“On vacation?” When I nodded, she continued. “Why didn’t you go with them? Is it because of work?”
“No, we work together. I just like staying at home.” At least that much was true.
“So maybe something lighter today?” she asked with a lift of her eyebrows.
“I was hoping you could help me with something.”
“Throwing a big party, huh?”
“What? No.” My face burned under her intense gaze. “Nora used to make these amazing pastries, but she hasn’t made them since. They were light and flaky, about this big around, and had a light layer of frosting on top. There was apple, cinnamon, and maple syrup.”
“Oh!” Recognition flashed in Kate’s eyes. “You mean the strudels?”
Is that what they were?“You wouldn’t happen to have any of them hiding in the back, would you?”
“I’m afraid not, but I can make them for you if you want.”
“For me?”Oh god, no.“I couldn’t ask you to do that. You must have your hands full with orders as it is.”
“I do,” she agreed, “but my lunch is free, so I can make them then. If you stick around, maybe you can help.”
Me? In a bakery?“I don’t know if I have the right skills.”
“That’s okay. Rolling out the dough is the hardest part, and I could honestly use the help. I don’t know how Nora runs this place by herself. It’s been a madhouse ever since I opened.”
“That’s because you’re new,” I told her as I eyed the cupcakes and pies hiding under the counter. “They’ll calm down in another week or two.”
“Just in time for me to leave, right?” When she looked at me then, her smile wasn’t nearly as bright as it usually was.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry, but is everything okay? With Nora?”And you?I kept the last bit to myself.
“Everything's fine,” she said. “I just… I don’t know. I love where I’m at and I miss my apartment, but everyone in this town is so nice. It’s quiet too, which is a huge improvement over my loud neighbors who insist on playing music all hours of the night.”
