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I had nothing but time to burn while I waited for filming to recommence. It was about time I did something good and gave back to the community. Hell, I should’ve done it long ago, but I’d been merely a kid myself.
Clicking through my contacts, I opened a text for my personal assistant and shot off a message. If I was making an appearance with children, I couldn’t go empty-handed. I’d bring them all treats. Cupcakes or cookies. Maybe both. I’d get them from the best place in town. Spare no expense. I’d be Santa-freaking-Claus and make their whole damn day, their whole year.
I quickly typed, asking her to order baked goods from the best bakery outside of DC. Maybe I could even host a fundraiser for the hospital—anything to bury the golf cart story. Time to clean up my image was all I needed.
I set my phone down, satisfied, as I ignored the nagging voice in the back of my head, filled with doubt. The one that questioned whether it was even possible to change.
Chapter 3
SCARLETT
Iheadedtomylocker in a daze and crammed my books inside. Focusing was impossible. All morning, I’d spaced out. Even through art, when I got to add watercolors to one of my latest designs, my heart wasn’t in it, probably because my head was nowhere in the same vicinity of Lakeview Prep.
Instead, my thoughts vacillated between reliving the night Cranky Lady choked on that stupid cookie at Batter and Bake and last night, when my parents informed me that we were being sued. The anguish on their faces burned in my memory. I hadn’t known what to say. Heck, I could hardly form words through my shock.
It seemed unreal that someone would punish them for my actions. Actions that saved a woman’s life, no less. At any moment someone would pull the curtain on this charade and yell,April Fools! Or maybe that was wishful thinking. Because it wasn’t April, and the Summons and Complaint we received in the mail was horrifyingly real.
I grabbed my math book and slammed the door shut at the same moment Penelope crossed the hall toward me, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “I heard.”
I blinked over at her.How?
Then again, everyone probably heard by now, seeing as how my parents hired a local attorney, who also happened to be the parent of a Lakeview student.Thank you, Lakeview gossip chain.
Before long, Batter and Bake would be even more revered than it was. Only, instead of people flocking to us for their wedding cakes and catering the desserts for their parties and showers, they’d avoid us like the plague, and my parents would be out of business. That was if anything was even left after Cranky Lady took it all.
I shrugged, saying nothing. Mostly because I wasn’t really sure what to say. It was hard to talk about something you couldn’t wrap your head around.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Penelope asked. Frowning, her eyes searched my face while her forehead creased with concern. Clearly, she was worried about me and genuinely hurt I’d kept this to myself, which made me feel like crap I hadn’t called her.
“Sorry,” I said with a sigh as I leaned my hip against my locker. “It’s just, you drove today, and I only saw you for a second in the hall this morning. Then at lunch, I didn’t want to bring anybody down. Plus, Topher was there, and I’d rather not spread the word—”
“Scarlett, I’m your best friend. We tell each other things.”
“I know. You’re right,” I said, meaning it.
“Even if I’m busy. Even if we only have a few minutes. This was important. And you know you can always tell me when you need to speak with me alone, and I would never get mad. I would completely understand. It’s not like Topher and I are attached at the hip.”
I arched my brow. Weren’t they? Because most days, it seemed like he was constantly around. Then again, maybe I was just jealous. I was certainly in a mood, at least.
“Sorry. It just . . . sucks. It’s all I can think about today, and I just want it to go away, but I promise that from here on out, I won’t hold back,” I said, making a crossing motion over my heart. “Swear.”
“Why don’t we get something to eat after school and take your mind off it. We could go to Mary’s Diner and get ice cream and sticky buns or a burger at—”
“I can’t.” The hope in her eyes dulled and her shoulders slumped.
“Sorry, but my parents have a meeting with the lawyer and they’re in a huge time crunch, so I promised my mother I’d prep the wedding cakes for this weekend. I have to frost them and make the fondant for tomorrow so she can finish them on time.”
“Then I’ll help,” P said with a perfunctory nod.
“Really?” My mood instantly brightened, and the heaviness inside my chest lifted. Having an extra pair of hands would be amazing since I would be the only one there. That meant running the counter for the last hour we were open before I could even start the cakes. If Penelope went, I might finish sooner and get home to my sketches. And the sooner I sketched out my feelings, the better.
I imagined a ballgown, something moody and dark with lots of taffeta and silver starbursts at the hem, and I smiled.
“You don’t have plans with Topher?” I asked.
“Pah.” She waved the thought away. “Consider them canceled. My best friend needs me, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. He can hang with Luca or something.”
“You’re sure?”
