Chapter Two – Cadie
Cadie
When I stepped into the back entrance of Batter Up Bakery, I drew in a slow, deep breath through my nose and exhaled. Freshly baked bread mixed with the smells of citrus and cinnamon. Those were some of my favorite smells. I instantly missed my mother and grandmother. It had been the longest I had ever gone without speaking to my mother. It felt like a hole was slowly opening up in my heart.
I closed my eyes and pushed the feelings away.
“That smells heavenly,” I said as I walked in, hung up my coat, and put my purse in one of the small lockers that Opal, the owner, had for the handful of employees she had. It had been pure luck that the bakery was hiring someone when I ended up in the small town of Moose Village. It wasn’t close to Boston, but it wasn’t far away. The last thing Michael would think to do is look for me in New York or Massachusetts. The first thing he would do was head out to Oregon, where my family lived. That is, if he even bothered to look for me.
Opal looked up and grinned. It was the same grin she gave me when I walked through her front door and pointed to the now-hiring sign a month ago .
“You got experience working in a bakery?” Opal had asked.
“Some,” I said, hiding my smile because the last thing I would do was tell her I owned a bakery in Boston. “I learned from my granny. She taught me everything I know.”
That part of my made-up life had been true. Everything else, including my name, driver’s license, and Social Security number, was fake.
“That is my famous multigrain sourdough!” Opal stated, wiping her hands on her apron. “You getting used to getting up so early? Getting here at five in the morning is a big ask, but it’s a baker’s life.”
Again, it wasn’t anything new for me since I was at my own bakery at four in the morning, but as far as Opal knew, I had left a corporate job in Chicago for a new start. That was all I had told her. Another lie. I had never even been to Chicago. I had studied everything about the city I could in case someone asked me something, though.
“I am!”
She grinned.
“What do you need me to do?”
“I’ve got all the components for the sour cherry pie if you wouldn’t mind getting those going.”
I pulled everything out and got to work. The pies would take ninety minutes to cook, so it was a good place to start. Opal sold everything from breads, pies, cakes, pastries, and more. Her bakery was adorable as well. It was decorated in a vintage, whimsical style with historical inspirations. The colors were mainly white and blue-gray. It was very different from my bakery in Boston, which had more of a modern-day flare with black and white colors. I loved it, though. It was the perfect fit for Moose Village .
Opal’s bakery was cozy, and the small vintage tables out front of the bakery gave it a very European feel.
After getting the pies in the oven, I started working on the other items that would be in the case: orange cranberry scones, chocolate chunk and salted oatmeal cookies, and sausage rolls. I also started to prep things for the pastries. Those were all made last week and frozen, so they were easy to just pop in the oven.
At 7:30, I started to put items in the bottom oven: chai buns, chocolate croissants, cinnamon rolls, andmaple-pecan pull-apart buns. The last in the oven was my grandmother’s banana nut bread, which had already become a hit in the short three weeks or so I had been working at Batter Up Bakery.
By noon, the bakery was busy, and I was not only getting things ready for tomorrow, but also trying to keep up with special orders. For a small town, the residents loved their baked goods.
“You sold out of the banana nut bread again,” Opal said as she made her way back to the kitchen.
Looking up from where I was prepping cake pans, I smiled. “Really? I’m glad to hear it.”
“I think you should double up since we’ve been selling out before ten nearly every day since you first made it.”
With a nod, I blew the strand of hair that had fallen from my pony. I wasn’t used to my hair being shorter, so when I put it up, strands quickly fell out. “I can do that.”
She set a pan down and glanced around at my work area before looking back at me. “You wouldn’t happen to know how to decorate cakes, would you?”
I forced myself to look indifferent. Cake decorating was one of the things I was known for in Boston. I had been booked out months in advance.
“I used to help my grandmother decorate cakes. It’s been a while, but I could give it a go.”
Opal’s eyes lit up. “It’s only me right now, and it’s been so stressful. Louie was our master cake decorator and did most of the custom orders. It sucks having to turn people away for custom cakes because it’s only me decorating them now.”
“Did you have one in mind you wanted me to try?”
Her smile grew wide. “It’s for a first birthday, and they would like a Tigger-themed cake. They don’t have anything in mind, so the decorating would be left up to you.”
“Boy or girl?” I asked, already thinking of designs in my head.
“A little girl, Wendy is her name.”
“When do they need it by?”
“That’s the issue; they need it by Friday. That’s only four days to work on it. I don’t want you to stress about this. I would do it, but I have three other custom orders this week. ”
Poor Opal. I felt terrible lying to her. These few weeks, she had become like a second grandmother to me.
“I’ll give it a try. I am crafty and I did a pretty good job when I was helping my gran.”
“Then you’ll do it?”
I laughed. “I’ll do it.”
Opal hugged me, mumbled something about a raise, and rushed out of the kitchen.
“That was really nice of you.”
I turned to see a woman I’d never seen before. She was about my height, five-two, withlight brown hair and the bluest of blue eyes. Her smile was warm, but there was something in her eyes that made me stand up straight and lower the veil down.
With a shrug, I replied, “Just doing my job.”
Her brow rose. “Sounded like custom cake decorating wasn’t part of your job description.”
I smiled. “I’ve done it before, not professionally, but I’m sure I can handle it.”
The woman pushed off the doorjamb and walked into the kitchen. She held out her hand for me.
“I’m Macy Carter Bennet. Opal is my aunt.”
Relaxing slightly, I let out the breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding in. I was on edge, wondering if each person I ran into was the one sent to find me. Once I left Boston, I drove south, sold my car to someone for cash in Washington, D.C., and then drove to North Carolina, where I met with someone who could help me start a new life and couldn’t be traced to me, and then Iheaded back up north. Finding Moose Village was a happy mistake.
I reached my hand out to her and shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Macy.”
“You’re new in town?”
“Yes, I am. I moved here about a month ago.”
She smiled softly. “Really? Where from?”
“Chicago, but I was only there a few months.” It was part of my cover. I hoped people wouldn’t ask me too much about a city I had never set foot in. Plus, I was told to try and stay as close to the truth as possible. The West Coast was where I was born and raised.
“Where were you before that?”
I looked at her and had a sinking feeling about this woman. She wasn’t going to take simple answers; that was evident.
“The West Coast.”
Her perfectly tweezed brow rose for a second time. “California, Oregon?”
I lifted my chin. “Around there.”
Both brows shot up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”
With a carefree shrug, I returned to the cake pans and started preparing them again.
“Do you have experience working in a bakery?”
“I do.”
“That’s wonderful. I knew Aunt Opal was hoping to hire someone quickly. It’s hard to find qualified people in such a small town.”
I glanced up at her. “She’s managed to find some amazing bakers.”
Macy bit down on her lower lip and nodded. “She has.”
“So, is she your mother or father’s sister?” I asked.
“My mother’s side. Our grandmother used to own the bakery, but it was more of a café. When Opal returned from France, she turned it into a bakery.”
“That’s nice that it could stay in the family.”
Macy nodded and walked around the kitchen. She reached for a macaron and popped it into her mouth. “I love the lemon ones.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “They are good.”
“Can you make macarons?”
Looking up at her again, I tilted my head. “I can. Like I said, I have some experience working in a bakery.”
“Right,” she said with a humorless laugh. “I forgot.”
Narrowing my eyes at her, I knew she was trying to figure out who in the hell this stranger was working for her aunt. I understood why, I was being vague, but really, did a person have to give their whole life story?
“How long have you been here on the East Coast?”
Stopping what I was doing, I looked up in thought. “Maybe a month? I thought I wanted to live in New York City, but quickly decided big cities were not for me.”
“Grew up in the country then?”
“You could say that. We weren’t really in town, but not in the middle of anywhere. Close to the ocean though.”
Opal walked into the kitchen and let out a small yelp when she saw her niece, saving me from having to answer any more of her prying questions. “Macy! My goodness, what are you doing here?”
Macy smiled a true smile for the first time since I turned and saw her. “Aunt Opal, how are you?”
The two women hugged and kissed each cheek.
“I’m doing fine, as usual. Now, tell me what brought you here?”
Macy wrapped her arm around her aunt. “I don’t live that far from Moose Lake, you know.”
“I know, but you don’t come visit very often.”
I saw the flash of regret on the younger woman’s face.
Macy cleared her throat. “Kian is coming home.”
“He is?” Opal asked, surprised.
My interest was piqued, but I pretended to concentrate on the cake pansandthen the jelly filling that was cooking on the stove for the cakes.
“Indeed, he is. I wanted to ensure everything was in order for him at the house. I popped in to let Sally know to expect him. I could have called, but I’m sure she is lonely in that house all alone. ”
I peeked up and wondered who Sally and Kian were.
Opal laughed. “That was sweet of you, but, Macy, you do remember your brother is only two years younger than you? He can take care of himself.”
Macy chuckled. “I know, but it was my idea that he come home for a bit. He’s been struggling at the firm.”
My head snapped up. Firm?
Opal sighed. “I never understood why your mother and father pressured you kids to follow them into law. I’m glad you decided to follow your dreams and that Mark did his own thing.”
“I did after way too many late nights at the office and working every weekend. I think Kian has serious burnout now. So much so, he said he was going to quit.”
“Quit?” Opal asked. “He quit?”
Macy nodded her head. “He said he was going to. I haven’t spoken to him since he called me this morning.”
She looked at her watch. “He could very well be in with Mom and Dad now. I told him to be sure he didn’t mention me.”
Opal laughed. Macy turned and looked at me, and I acted as if I was busy with the filling.
“Do you have a few spare minutes to talk in your office?” Macy asked.
“My office? Is something wrong?”
I glanced up to see Macy looking at me. “I can excuse myself if you would like.”
Opal tsked. “Nonsense. You’re working.”
Both women turned and headed toward Opal’s office. Once I heard the door shut, I turned the fire down on the filling and removed my apron. I popped my head out and told Katherine, who was working the counter, that I was running to the restroom. She gave me a thumbs-up and returned to talking to the gentleman she was assisting.
I quickly went through the kitchen and to the back, where the restrooms were. The employee restroom was right next to Opal’s office, and I had discovered by mistake that you could hear everything Opal said in her office if you were in there. I had meant to tell her but had forgotten. Now I was glad I hadn’t said a thing because my radar was on high alert with Macy. She didn’t trust me, I could feel it by the way she looked at me. I knew it was wrong, but I had to know if it was me she wanted to talk to Opal about.
Quietly shutting the door, I locked it and stood perfectly still.
“Enough with the small talk, Macy Carter. What is on your mind?”
“Cadie, when did you hire her?”
My heart dropped.
“Almost a month ago.”
“How long has she been in town?”
“I’m not sure. Why?”
“She sure is tight-lipped about where she is from.”
Opal laughed. “Oh my goodness, Macy, are you seriously doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Putting that poor girl under a microscope simply because she’s new to town.”
“Did she tell you where she was from?”
“She told me the West Coast.”
Macy sighed. “Did she even give you a resume?”
“No,” Opal said, clearly getting agitated. “She saw the sign and was a walk-in. She gave me a few references, and I called them. Each person gave her wonderful recommendations. One was a bakery in Portland, Oregon, and the other was in Chicago, her last job.”
“You talked to someone?”
“Yes! What is wrong with you, Macy?”
“I don’t trust someone so secretive about their life.”
I frowned. I’d have to be careful around Macy. She would surely try and get me to slip up. Hopefully, I wouldn’t see her often, especially since it sounded like she wasn’t in town frequently.
“Darling, listen, I know that investigative lawyer in you is out in full force, but will you trust me on this? Cadie Waterford is a wonderful young lady. She is quietandkeeps to herself, but she is a wonderful baker. I don’t see anything wrong with someone who wants to keep to themselves.”
“They’re usually the kind who is hiding something.”
I chewed nervously on my thumbnail.
Opal let out another frustrated sigh. “Macy, I want you to let this go. How would you like it if Cadie started to ask you all kinds of personal questions two minutes after meeting you?”
“I wouldn’t like it, but this is you, Aunt Opal. I don’t want anyone taking advantage of you.”
“That young lady is far from taking advantage of me. Now put your spyglass away, and tell me about your brother.”
Deciding I had eavesdropped enough, I slowly unlocked the bathroom door and returned to the kitchen. I stirred the jelly and removed it from the oven to let it cool. About ten minutes later, I heard Macy and Opal exiting her office. I was piping whipped cream onto a cheesecake for the front case.
“Cadie? ”
Turning to look at Macy, I smiled. “Yes?”
“It was a pleasure to meet you.”
I looked at my hands and then at hers, outstretched. “It was a pleasure to meet you as well.”
“No, don’t put it down; I just wanted to say I hope to see you around.”
Smiling as big and bright as possible, I replied, “I hope so. Next time you come in, you’ll have to try my grandmother’s famous banana nut bread.”
Macy’s eyes twinkled. “That sounds yummy. I will.”
Opal hugged Macy, then pushed her back to give her a once-over as if it were the first time she had seen her. “Now, don’t be a stranger. You’re only an hour away, so visit more often.”
Macy laughed. “I will. I miss you, Aunt Opal.”
Turning to me, Macy gave me a head nod. “See you around, Cadie.”
“Bye, Macy. It was nice to meet you.”
“Same to you.”
Once she left, I felt the pressure ease from my chest. Macy had been the first person I had encountered who had been rather pushy about my past—and I hoped she would be the last.