Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Not sure, but it’s right under the register.”
“Same spot! I’ll do that for you.”
Cadie gave me a polite smile. “I appreciate that, Kian, but you do not have to stay and help me. I’ve got this.”
“I don’t have anything else to do.”
Was it my imagination, or did she suddenly seem agitated? “I’ll grab it. If you wouldn’t mind stacking the chairs onto the tables so that I can mop.”
“Is there no one else to help you?”
“Opal is usually here, as well as a high school student who works part time. They’re both gone, so it’s just me. I don’t mind. Opal works so hard, and such long hours; I really wanted her to be able to take some time off and enjoy spending time with her friends.”
“That was nice of you.”
Cadie shrugged. “She’s been very kind to me since I arrived in town.”
“Where did you move from?” I asked, even though I’d heard that very information through the grapevine, as I took the rag and bottle of cleaner from her.
“Chicago. Grew up on the West Coast.”
I sprayed the table. “California? Oregon?”
Cadie paused and turned and faced me. “I know you’re just making small talk, but I really don’t talk about my personal life.” She shrugged. “It’s just a rule I have, I’m not trying to be rude or anything.”
Laughing, I said, “Why? Are you in hiding because you killed someone?”
A look passed over her face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. She smiled and winked. “My past isn’t that intriguing, trust me.”
“Oh, come on, everyone has a little part of their past that is interesting. Look at mine. I was born and raised in a town called Moose Village. Grew up believing that Perry the Moose was a real thing. I was cheated on and became a lawyer because I didn’t have the courage to tell my parents that it wasn’t my dream. Worked long hours for years, lived in a condo that was indecently too big for just one person, never could keep a girlfriend because of the long hours, quit my job just yesterday, and decided that at thirty-three, I would start a new career.”
When Cadie said nothing, I looked over to see her staring at me. She held a box in her hand that I assumed was filled with delicious pastries.
“I’m guessing that you must have really needed to get that off your chest.”
The bubble of laughter came from nowhere. I laughed so hard that it made Cadie start to laugh. Soon, we were both in stitches, and I wasn’t even sure what the hell we were laughing about.
The bell above the bakery door rang, and we both turned to see my Aunt Opal standing there, perplexed.
“I see you met Cadie,” was all she said as she entered. She stopped, kissed me on the cheek, and then started toward the kitchen.
Cadie and I exchanged a questioning look before I put the last chair on the table and followed my aunt. She went directly into her office and sat down.
“Aunt Opal, is everything okay?”
She looked up and smiled, but I could see the worry in her eyes. I sat down in the chair opposite her desk.
“Talk to me, Opal. What’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Swallowing, she nodded. “I believe I have seen a ghost.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Dropping back in her seat, she let out a long, tired-sounding sigh. “Once upon a time, I was engaged to be married.”
I tried to hide the shocked look on my face. My aunt never seriously dated anyone for as long as I could remember. Sure, she had a boyfriend here and there, but my mother would say no one would ever be able to talk Opal into getting married. She would say her only love was the bakery.
“Um, I never knew you were engaged to be married.”
A weak smile appeared on her face. It was then I noticed how much Opal looked like my mother. Her hair was longer, her eyes were blue, whereas my mother’s were brown. And although my mother spent thousands of dollars on keeping herself looking younger, Opal looked at least ten years younger than her age of fifty-five. She was younger than my mother, who had just turned fifty-seven. I knew it bothered my mother that Opal never needed to get the injections or lotions that cost hundreds of dollars. She simply lived a life she loved and followed her passion.
“We all have our secrets.”
I instantly thought of Cadie and regretted grilling her moments ago.
“Why did you feel the need to keep that a secret?”
Opal closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then exhaled. Without opening her eyes, she said, “Because your mother ran off and married him.”
Confused, I shook my head slightly and then laughed. “Wait, you were engaged to Dad?”