Chapter Nineteen
If Bethany thought the deal she’d made with Elizabeth would be hard to keep, she soon learned otherwise. After Hank fiddled with her dishwasher, he left the kitchen without another word or glance her way.
Bethany continued cooking and filling food orders until Rosie came from her cleaning job to help them serve the lunch crowd. She did her best to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. It felt somewhat like the dry, hot center of a fiery volcano.
Bethany told herself that her stomachache was the direct result of too much alcohol. She told herself that Hank’s departure was a good outcome. She told herself that she didn’t care. Still, she couldn’t quit glancing out the window, nor stop her heart from racing whenever the door chimed.
Which it did, nonstop, for the rest of the day.
“Business is booming.” Travis found her emptying the dishwasher for the twentieth time since the boys had left. “If this keeps up, we’ll more than break even this month.”
He paused and peered at Bethany like he feared she would puke.
Bethany continued stacking plates on the worktable. A piece of hair landed in her mouth, and she blew it out.
“You must admit he’s good for business. Everyone who comes in is asking for him.”
Bethany tried to keep from rolling her eyes and failed. “Speaking of which, where did he go? I haven’t seen him in a while.”
“I think he’s over at Mitch’s. I saw Daphne heading there a few minutes ago, and you know she doesn’t like antiques. How’s the dishwasher running?”
Bethany gazed at the sparkling dishes and tried not to think about Daphne chasing after Hank.
Since high school, Daphne had become a notorious flirt who wasn’t bashful about using her considerable charms to seduce men she viewed as rich and powerful.
If Hank was looking for a night of fun, Daphne would be sure to give it to him.
“Hank didn’t lie about his fix-it-up capabilities.
Whatever he did seems to have increased the power of the spray. ”
“He also fixed the creak in the back door.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and the uneven floorboard and the broken shelf in the pantry.”
“Well, he’s ensuring his investment is in good shape, that’s all.
Listen, it’s almost quitting time. After I finish unloading these dishes, I’m going to make a batch of chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting.
Can you check on the girls? If Rosie needs a break, I can keep them busy in the kitchen. ”
Travis shuffled his feet. “I don’t think you need to worry about the girls.”
Bethany glanced up from where she leaned over the dishwasher. “What do you mean?”
“They’ve been trailing our maintenance god all afternoon. I was finally able to bribe them away with the promise of tacos.” He held up two small plates filled with a taco, apple slices, and a snickerdoodle. “I’ll deliver their meals, then help Rosie with cleanup.”
Bethany stared after Travis as he left the kitchen.
A self-centered actor would not put up with two little girls hanging on his tail for long.
Sooner or later, he would grow bored with his pint-sized audience and drop the maintenance man act.
And when he understood Bethany was not putting out, he would return to the city of angels, and she could get back to normal.
She finished unloading the dishwasher, washed her hands at the sink, then pulled out ingredients. Her entry was due by midnight Friday night, and she wanted to make certain the recipe was as tasty as she remembered.
She boiled water and then whisked the dry ingredients together in the mixer. Then she added the wet ingredients and the boiling water to the cake batter. She poured the chocolate batter into the cupcake tins, popped them into the oven, then moved on to tackle the vanilla buttercream frosting.
“Wow, smells great in here.” Rosie came through the kitchen door, carrying a tray of dirty dishes.
“Cupcakes are in the oven. If you and the girls want to stick around, I’ll let you try one.”
“We’d never pass up your chocolate cupcakes.” She put the dishes in the dishwasher. “You’re planning on joining us for princess movie night, right? Beauty and the Beast is on the menu.”
“You know I never miss it. Tell you what, why don’t you take the girls home and get them into their PJs. I’ll follow with the cupcakes. It’ll be a fun surprise.”
“Perfect. Um, there’s something I ought to mention first.”
“What’s that?”
“Well . . .” Rosie wiped her hands on the towel. “Well, the thing is . . .”
Bethany stopped whipping the frosting. “What?”
“I invited Hank along.”
A tingle swept through Bethany’s body. “You didn’t.”
“I did, and I’m sorry. I know this is our tradition, and he might sell Grandma Lou’s out from under us.
But he’s been so kind to the girls, and despite being famous, I think he’s lonely.
We don’t have much to offer someone like him.
I thought it would be a simple thing the girls and I could do to repay his kindness today.
He let them pound nails into boards and screw in light bulbs. They can’t stop talking about it.”
Bethany added more powdered sugar to the mix and resumed stirring, but her mind was far from the task. “He actually said yes?”
“He did. I was as surprised as you, but the girls begged him to come along. I think he misses having family around.”
“Does he know I’m going to be there?”
“Sure. I told him it was a weekly thing for us. He said he didn’t want to intrude, but I told him he wouldn’t be. Are you mad?”
She should refuse the invitation. She’d promised Elizabeth she would stay away from Hank. Would Elizabeth consider Bethany’s acceptance a breach of their bargain?
Tia and Tana came flying into the kitchen with Travis not far behind them. “Miss Bethany. Miss Bethany. You comin’ to our princess party?”
Bethany wiped her hands on her apron. “Um, I don’t think—”
The girls’ faces dropped, taking Bethany’s heart with them.
She couldn’t bear their disappointment. It wasn’t their fault she’d made a deal with Elizabeth.
Besides, she’d only promised to decline invitations from Hank.
She couldn’t stop other people from extending invitations, and Hank from accepting.
Could she? And if she happened to be at the same party, that wasn’t her fault, was it? Of course not.
She met Travis’s eyes over the girls’ heads and they exchanged a silent message. Hers asked: Will you come? His replied: If I must.
Bethany shifted her gaze to the girls, who held back tears. She granted them her warmest smile. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Yay!”
Travis crouched next to the girls. “Am I invited, too?”
“Yes,” Tia and Tana chorused, rushing into Travis’s arms.
“You want to watch a princess movie?” Rosie asked.
“Sure.” Travis tipped his head toward Bethany. “It’s high on my bucket list right now.”
“Okay, I’ll make popcorn. It will be fun. We’ll look for you both around eight.” Rosie shifted her attention to her children. “Vamos, girls. Get your things.”
“Bye, Mr. Travis. Bye, Miss Bethany.” The girls ran into the dining area, and Rosie followed them with a wave to Bethany.
“Good luck with the contest entry—I’m sure it will be a winner.”
“Thanks, Rosie. Don’t forget to cast your vote for Grandma Lou’s any time after midnight on Friday.”
“Got it. See you later, Travis.”
The minute Rosie was out the back door, Travis was on Bethany like sprinkles on cupcakes. “Why would a television star come to a little girl’s princess party?”
Bethany finished pouring the second batch of cupcakes. “You’re asking me? Guess he likes kids and Disney movies.”
Travis’s frown could have stretched all the way to downtown Cleveland. “I thought after last night you were through with him. You two have something going on I don’t know about?”
“Of course not. I don’t know why he agreed to come to the princess party. It’s probably because he’s lonely, like Rosie said. Why are you looking at me that way?”
“Don’t be na?ve, Bethany. He’s after you. Maybe you should pretend to be sick. The girls will understand, and I can have a little talk with Hank.”
Bethany opened the oven door and placed the pan of cupcakes on the top shelf. “There’s no need for a talk. I’m a big girl. I know how to tell a guy no. Besides, you’ll be there. What could go wrong?”