All I Wish (The Everything Legacy #2)

Chapter 1

ONE

CHLOE

Some things reach the point of being unacceptable.

Watching Kara struggle with the drawer that held the piping bags and decorating tips, I understood I needed to address the problem with the drawer.

It really had gone past the point of being acceptable.

On a good day, I’d fight with it no more than half a dozen times. But I’d learned how to finesse it and coax it open. Kara wasn’t so lucky and often left the task to me.

But since I was in the middle of finishing up something important, Kara had no choice but to make an attempt.

“You have to lift up and to the left,” I explained. “Then you can pull it out.”

Kara let out a frustrated sigh, her blonde bangs fluttering up in a wave. “I’m doing that. It’s not working.”

“Because you’re yanking on it.” I bit my lip to stifle my laughter. “You have to ease it out. If you’re gentle, it’ll open.”

My loyal, hardworking employee rolled her head in my direction and gave me an unimpressed look.

“It’ll be much more likely to open if you do it the way I’m suggesting,” I said.

Kara sighed again. It took her three more tries before she successfully opened the drawer. And once she got what she needed from inside it, she declared, “You really should work on getting it fixed, Chloe. It’d free up at least twenty minutes in our day.”

I rolled my eyes. We didn’t spend that much time tussling with the drawer. But Kara wasn’t wrong. The daily scuffle with it had become unacceptable. The problem was that I always had something far more important to do. Like what I was doing right now.

“I know it needs to be handled, Kara, but if I do what you’re suggesting, that’s less time I’ll have for doing what really matters. And let’s be honest, what’s more important than deliciously moist cake with sweet swirls of frosting on top?”

“You won’t have any swirls of frosting on top if it gets to the point that we can’t open that drawer at all,” Kara scoffed.

She had a point. “Alright, alright. I’ll get it figured out soon. For now, I think these are just about perfect, and I want you to try one.”

Kara’s face lit up, and any frustration she’d been feeling over the defunct drawer had evaporated. Of course, I was aware it’d take the promise of a new cake flavor to turn her mood around.

“You know precisely what to do to get your way, don’t you?”

I shrugged and held out a cupcake to her. “Can you blame me?”

As it turned out, I was good at what I did—baking cakes. Sheet cakes, round cakes, Bundt cakes, cupcakes. I wasn’t partial to the style. If it was a cake, I’d make it. And I’d make one, two, or dozens for just about every occasion—weddings, birthday parties, baby showers, or simply because.

My love for cake started when I was young. My mom had always loved cooking and baking, and I spent hours in the kitchen, accurately measuring and mixing with her while growing up. I loved it so much; I decided to make a career out of it.

And now, after many years and a lot of sacrifice, I was the owner of a successful cake shop—Chloe’s Cakes.

Kara sank her teeth into the cupcake, her eyes widening with delight as the flavor hit her tongue. Within seconds, she moaned and dropped her head back. “Oh, Chloe, this is to die for.”

I beamed at her. “So, it’s got your stamp of approval?”

She took another bite, and I patiently waited while she enjoyed it.

“Listen, I’m not sure I’ll ever understand what compels you to test out recipes for flavors of cakes you already make that people now love, and I certainly don’t know what you did differently with this lemon cake recipe, but I love everything about it.

In fact, this might just be my new favorite flavor. ”

As much as Kara would give me a difficult time about the stubborn drawer in my cake shop, she didn’t hesitate to praise me for my talent.

And she wasn’t exaggerating, either. I’d been so very fortunate to see what I thought was near-instant success with my business very soon after I opened it years ago.

But just because folks enjoyed what I already made didn’t mean I wanted to sit back and kick my feet up.

I loved baking cakes so much; I was always thinking of creative ways to change things up while maintaining the standard for excellence I’ve always had when it comes to my business.

“There’s no better time than the start of spring to try fresh new recipes that’ll be perfect to add to the menu through summer.

After all the snow we’ve gotten here in Northwestern Wyoming this past winter, I suspect folks will be looking forward to something that resembles warmth and sunshine.

I thought a new lemon cake would be the best place to begin. ”

“It’s brilliant,” she gushed, eyeing up the additional lemon cupcakes I’d made.

I picked up another, held it out to her, and asked, “Do you forgive me for not dealing with that pesky drawer?”

Kara snatched the cupcake from my fingers. “For now. But I figure you’ve got about a week or two before I complain about it again.”

Laughter spilled out of me. “I’ll take it.”

Jerking her chin toward the new lemon cupcakes, she asked, “Are you going to make your rounds to be sure they’re acceptable?”

Still grinning, I said, “Well, I know how much you love your job here, so I have to do whatever’s necessary to make sure you’re not just blowing smoke and telling me what I want to hear.”

She rolled her eyes, returned her attention to the cake in front of her, and assessed it. “Oh, just go. I’ll be here, piping frosting, until you return.”

Closing the distance between us, I came to a stop behind Kara and wrapped my arms around her, offering a playful squeeze. “You’re the best cake decorator in the world, Kara.”

“Yeah, yeah. Second only to you. Now, go. Before I decide I need to get another piping tip out of that drawer.”

My body tensed briefly at the thought of my hard work in turning her mood around being for nothing, so I wasted not another minute.

After gathering up my cupcakes, I bounded out the door and into the sunny downtown Rising Sun area.

Despite the sun, there was still a bit of a chill in the air that seemed to be lingering since the last snowfall we had a few weeks ago.

But the days were getting progressively warmer, and it’d only be a matter of time before I was donning my shorts and tanks.

I might’ve come from a snowboarding family, and I enjoyed the winter and snow for a time, but if I had to choose, I’d prefer the warmer weather any day of the week. I was especially eager for it because it’d make instances like this just a touch more enjoyable.

I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but ever since I’d opened my cake shop—even before that, I suppose—I felt compelled to get input on any new recipes.

At the start, it’d been family and friends that offered feedback.

Fortunately, they’d been honest with me, allowing me to improve my skills over time.

And once I opened my shop, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to have some impartial feedback.

So, I did this.

I visited several businesses in the area, shared my new cake recipes with them, and asked for their honest opinions. I had yet to have anyone complain. Then again, it was free cake.

On that thought, I opened the door and stepped inside the jewelry store.

“Good afternoon, Chloe.” Carson’s bright eyes met mine. “Oh, I know what that look means. What flavor are we lucky enough to try today?”

Beaming at him as I made my way to the opposite side of the glass counter that he was behind, I said, “Hello, Carson. I’m testing out a new lemon cake recipe, and I’m looking for your harshest criticism.”

Before he could respond, Lydia’s airy voice floated through the store just as gracefully as her legs carried her in our direction. “Lemon? Oh, I think we’re in for a real treat today. Have I ever told you how lucky we are to have you so close?”

I laughed and uncovered the cupcakes. “I feel precisely the same about all of you.” After they each had one in hand, I shared, “Kara gushed over them, but I’m just not totally convinced she isn’t just buttering me up for something.”

Carson took a bite and waved his hand in the air dismissively. “I don’t know why you doubt yourself, Chloe. In all the years you’ve been sharing cake with us, I’ve never been disappointed.”

“Honestly, has anyone ever given you a bad review when you do these taste tests?” Lydia asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. Maybe everyone’s just being nice.”

Lydia moaned with delight. “Or maybe you’re just that good. This is exceptional.”

“You like it?”

She nodded as Carson replied, “I won’t lie. I don’t think you’ll ever find anything that’s going to top my love of your coconut cake. That is divine. But I can absolutely see this being a hit. Especially for this time of year.”

My body warmed at the heartfelt compliments. “You guys are the best.”

I spent a few more minutes with the pair before bidding them farewell and continuing to the next store.

I visited Annie, Mark, and Josh in the print shop; Tricia and Angelica at the clothing boutique; Brenda and Valerie in the art gallery; and Jordan, Scott, and Mike in the machine shop.

Everyone had been happy to see me, and I felt the same about them.

But it was finally striding into the furniture store, where I’d find Dale and Joyce, that made me most excited.

They were such a sweet, fun-loving elderly couple that had opened the store more than forty years ago.