6
MADDIE
My lips twitched as I took in the yellow and pink candy stripe awnings and equally colorful glass windows. It didn't matter what the question was, Sugar Booger was the answer.
With my smile stretching, I pushed through the door and was immediately greeted with the sweet aroma of freshly baked goods. Vanilla, cinnamon, and who knew what else hit me over the head and made my stomach growl.
From behind the fully stacked glass counters, Misty waved me over. Working my way through the lunchtime crowd, I met her at the edge of the donut display. Not the best choice since that really made me want to buy one. Or maybe two.
"Hey Maddie," she greeted me in the overexcited tone that'd taken me a while to get used to. "Frankie said to send you straight to the back when you get here." She let out a little giggle, her hand shooting to her mouth almost instantly. "Well, you're here, so…"
With a grin and a small tilt of my head I told her, "Thanks, Misty." Then because I simply couldn't help myself, I pulled a few bills from my back pocket and handed them over. "Can you box up two glazed donuts for me? I'll grab them on my way out."
I said goodbye to Misty before slipping through the side door that led to the kitchen. As I knew I would, I found Frankie manhandling a blob of dough.
She hoisted the doughy ball above her head before slamming it back down on the counter, hard. I chuckled under my breath. "Whose face are you envisioning every time you do that?"
Lifting her blue eyes to meet mine, she blew at the few inky strands peeking out from under her hairnet. "You know how my parents wanted me to come over last night because they had amazing news to share with me?"
Her question must've been rhetorical because she just kept on talking, "Apparently, my brother is moving back to Clearwater Bay."
"And why are we mad about this?"
The dough in her hands connected with the bench with a sharp thud.
"First of all, Caden the twatwaffle didn't even tell me.
I'm his sister for shit's sake! And secondly…
" she took a deep breath through her nose, but it did nothing to keep the annoyance from rolling off her tongue alongside her words. "Gage is coming back with him."
This was bad. There wasn't a person alive who Frankie hated more than she did Gage Calloway. Not that I blamed her. The guy did take her v-card before running away like the hounds of hell were snapping at his heels.
Kneading a little harder, she groaned, "This is so satisfying." A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Maybe you'd like to have a go? You can pretend it's your neighbor."
"Yeah." With a way-too-heavy groan, I flopped down onto the nearest chair. "He's a real peach, that one. I don't even know how it happened, but Sheldon got out and take one guess where he ended up?"
Still attacking the yeasted concoction, she cocked her eyebrow. "And how did that go?"
"Well…" In as much detail as I could, I relayed my latest run-in with Mr. Personality. The one where he very rudely referred to Sheldon as a rat. Just thinking about it had my hackles rising until those icky scars flashed in my memory.
I had this awful feeling that those scars, or rather the horrible event that caused them, had something to do with his icy exterior. And for whatever reason, that only amplified my need to show him kindness.
"What's happening to your face right now?
" Frankie transferred her well-worked dough to three separate bowls before covering them with greased clingfilm.
She grabbed two orange juices from the fridge and took a seat next to me.
Keeping one for herself, she handed me the other.
"You've got that sad puppy dog look going.
" With her bottle tipped in my direction, she motioned toward my face.
"I don't know what you're talking about." My voice climbed a few octaves like it always did when I wasn't being entirely truthful.
"Is that how you're going to play it? All right." Frankie took a big gulp of her juice before setting it down on the countertop and leaning forward. "I understand that you believe there is good in everyone and that even the most lost person can be saved, but—"
"I don't—"
Her hand shot up, index finger pointing toward the ceiling. "Let me finish." When I nodded, she continued, "It's a wonderful trait to have, Maddie, it really is. You just need to realize that some people are assholes by choice and have zero plans on changing."
"Yeah, I know." I decided not to tell her that I thought there was a hell of a lot more to Mr. Personality than his grumpy mood. "So where are those sandwiches you promised me?" I asked, needing the conversation away from my grumpy neighbor. I even made a show of looking around the kitchen.
Not convinced by my act, Frankie gave me a 'don't-think-I'm-fooled' look but thankfully left the subject alone. Without saying a word, she slipped off her chair and shuffled back to the fridge.
A moment later she slid a plate in front of me. One look at it and I was salivating.
"This looks amazing." I picked up the croissant and eyed the crispy bacon, cheese, and avocado slices sandwiched between the buttery layers.
Unable to wait a nanosecond longer, I took a giant bite. The instant the different flavors hit my taste buds, my eyes widened.
"So good," I mumbled around a mouth full of food.
"Yeah? "
I could only nod since I couldn't resist going in for another taste.
"I used cottage cheese instead of butter, as well as the sweet chili jam I made the other day." I had no idea why she sounded so uncertain because if there was anything Frankie could do, it was bake… and apparently make the most delicious croissant sandwiches.
Swallowing down the food in my mouth, I resisted taking another bite long enough to tell her, "These are going to be as popular as your adult cupcakes." My gaze flicked to the deliciousness in my hands. "Maybe even more."
Frankie's face lit up and I absolutely loved it. She was doing something she loved. Following her passion and realizing her dreams. Not like me . But this moment wasn't about my failures, so I pushed the thought away before it had time to properly form.
"When are you putting these on the menu?" I asked.
She lifted her shoulders and let them drop. "I don't know yet. There are a few flavor combinations I still want to try out."
"I have no issues being your taste tester." I polished off the rest of my lunch and grinned just as my phone dinged from inside my pocket, reminding me that my lunch break was almost over.
Wrinkling my nose, I huffed, "I gotta get back. Am I seeing you at class tonight?"
"Of course." Frankie walked me to the door and hugged me. "Maybe we can stop by Oven and Vine afterward? Grab a pizza and a few drinks. Or a warm, willing body?"
I threw my head back and laughed. "You're impossible."
"That wasn't a no."
For whatever reason, a night out didn't sound nearly as exciting as it should have. "It's been a crazy week, Frankie. Maybe this weekend?"
My best friend eyed me carefully. "I'm holding you to it. You and me, we're going out even if I have to drag you there with my bare hands."
Grinning, I turned and started walking. "I wasn't expecting anything less."
***
I was the first to arrive for our dance/aerobics class.
Lucetta had started doing these three times a week when the moms of her students begged her to do something fitness-related for the adults too.
The gym in Clearwater Bay wasn't the most impressive and didn't offer a lot of variety.
In fact, the only cardio training you could do there was running on a treadmill or pedaling on a stationary bike.
I shouldered the door but came to an abrupt halt when I saw Lucetta speaking on the phone.
Her brows were dipped low and hands furiously waving through the air.
Knowing I'd interrupted, I tried to back away slowly, but her head snapped up.
"I'll call you back," she said into the phone before tossing it onto her desk.
"Maddie. Hi. Come in." With her frown still in place, she motioned for me to come closer.
"I didn't even realize it was time for class already. "
Feeling like I had intruded on something, which I probably had, I dragged my palms over my thighs. "I'm early, but I can come back later. Or just wait outside."
"Don't do that." She waved me off with a sigh and leaned back against her chair. Tipping her head back, she just stared at the ceiling. I wasn't exactly sure what to do. It was obvious that something was weighing on her, but I didn't want to overstep by asking.
Luckily, she put me out of my misery when she looked my way again. "My mom fell and broke her hip, and because she's as stubborn as they come, she's refusing to go to a care facility until it heals."
"She's living alone?" I guessed.
"Yeah." Lucetta blew out a breath. "And now my brother expects me to put everything on hold to drive down to Oakridge and take care of her." We hadn't had a ton of heart to hearts, but I knew that she and her mother hadn't always had the best relationship because of her dancing.
Kind of like me and my parents. Though, that particular can of worms didn't need opening at all. "I take it he can't do it?"
She looked completely defeated. "No, he's going back to London tomorrow." Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on her desk. "Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't want to go to my mom. I actually think it'll be good for us to spend time together. I just can't leave the studio—"
The rest of her words never made it out as she lifted her head and trained her narrowed eyes at me. "You know, it would be a lot easier if there was someone who could take over the classes for me while I'm gone."
"Yeah, but you're the only dance teacher in Clearwater Bay.
" She cocked her brow. It took me another moment to grasp what the stare meant.
"Oh, no." I shook my head vehemently. "I couldn't. Besides, I work at the hardware store during the day.
I don't have the time." The words tumbled out of my mouth in a jumbled mess.
Lucetta's expression softened. Rising from her seat, she walked to where I was standing and placed her hands on my shoulders. "Maddie, don't take this the wrong way, but you can't possibly be happy there. You were born to dance."
"I already tried that," I reminded her bitterly.
Her palms were warm when she pressed them against my cheeks. "Oh, sweetie, that doesn't mean you have to stop dancing. Teaching others can be just as fulfilling."
I swallowed hard. "I don't know, Lucetta."
Her hands dropped to my shoulders again. Squeezing them, she said, "Take a day or two and think about it, okay? Whatever your dad is paying you at the store, I'll match it."
There was a very, very big part of me that wanted to scream yes at the top of my lungs. The mere thought of spending my entire day surrounded by people who understood this crazy passion was exciting .
But then there was the other part. The one that knew the taste of failure and what it felt like to have the people you love look at you with disappointment shining in their eyes.
It was that part that had me leaving the studio with a grumbled promise to think over her offer. And it was that same part that reminded me why I needed to say no.