Page 64 of Recipe for Rivals
“My mom tries to help me.” Translation: my mom does her best, but it’s not very good.
“Right on. We can work on it more at practice tomorrow, too.”
Ben beamed at him. “Thanks, Coach.”
Brody’s shoulders straightened a little, his smile growing. He ruffled Ben’s hair and left.
Would anyone notice if I dropped my head between my knees just to help me breathe evenly? My chest was rising erratically. I leaned over to pick up the kids’ backpacks and focused on slowing my thundering heart rate. “Let’s go, guys,” I said softly.
The bell rang again, and a short older woman walked in, hereyes scanning the bookstore before landing on me. “Nova Walker!” she called, like she’d come here just for me.
I’d never met this woman in my life.
“Flora, you’re back,” June said. “I thought you were moving to Florida.”
Flora shot her a disgusted look. “I’m back, and I need to welcome our newest residents.” She bustled toward us and put her wrinkled hand on my arm. “Your aunt is one of my most favorite people in the world. You are lucky to have her.”
“We are,” I agreed, a little startled by her vehemence and her cloud of overbearing perfume.
“Now, my salon is just across the road there.” She pointed through the window to the pink door on the other side of the street. “You come on by and see me, okay? First haircut is free.” She glanced at Ben and Alice. “All of you. I’d love to have a chat.”
Well, that was weird. I didn’t know how to respond—or identify if I was feeling off about what I’d just learned about Carter. Was the ickiness bleeding into my other interactions, or was this interaction organically weird on its own? Either way, it was probably better to get more information from Gigi before making any commitments. “That is so kind. Thank you.”
Flora blinked a few times before smiling at all of us. She squeezed my arm again, then bustled to the door. “Have a blessed day, June,” she said as she let herself out.
I felt like we had gone through a low-key tornado. Not that I knew what tornados felt like.
“Sorry about her.” June cringed as I made my way up to the front desk. “Her salon is straight across the street, and sometimes I think she sits at the window and watches my store to see who is coming by, just so she can ambush them.”
I glanced out the window at the short woman bustling across the road.
June gave a little laugh. “She means well, I think, but the free haircuts are a scam.”
“What’s a scam?” Alice whispered, putting the fairy book she’d chosen on the counter. Ben slid a book with a dragon on it beside hers.
I honestly didn’t know what she could mean by a haircut being a scam, so I had no answer ready.
June started ringing up the books. “She expects an enormous tip, so you still pay for it. I’d be careful what you say around her, because it’ll end up making its rounds by dinnertime.”
“I got that impression,” I said. Why else would Flora want to chat? She’d blown in here knowing my full name already and, apparently, what I looked like.
June rang up our purchases, then slid the bag over and pushed her long hair behind her shoulders. “Hey, I heard you make pretty cookies.”
How? Who would have told her?
“Dusty might have mentioned it,” she said apologetically, like she’d read the confusion on my face and wanted to explain. “I’m supposed to have a bridal shower this weekend, so I was wondering if you make them for events. It’s totally fine if you don’t. It’s super last minute.”
“Oh, I used to,” I told her. “Mostly for friends or family. They aren’t professional, but I can do most shapes.”
“What about sunflowers?”
“I could definitely do those.” I actually had a set of flower cookie cutters that had come with a sunflower. I’d never done it before, but it shouldn’t be too hard. “What are the colors? Would you want anything else? Like a badge that says ‘bride’ across it?”
“Oh, cute! Yes, something like that would be fun. How much do you charge for…like…two dozen cookies?”
I had no earthly idea. Trish had overpaid, or so I imagined, so I wasn’t going to charge June the same rate.
“Three dollars per cookie? Four?” she asked.