“Juicy stuff,” Daisy said.
Not as juicy as the deeper details Rae thought, but no way was she sharing those with the world. “Brett was definitely intrigued. Even more so when I told him about my newly acquired inheritance. I could live anywhere and do anything, I told him, but what I wanted most was to be part of this caring community. Most especially to run the local day care center and to devote my efforts to raising awareness for the charitable causes of the Cupcake Lovers. I told him,” and Rae still couldn’t believe she’d gone this far, “that if his house didn’t publish our recipe/memoir book, and soon, I would.”
Chloe’s mouth fell open.
Daisy blinked.
“I know it was presumptuous of me,” Rae hurried on. “I didn’t ask the club first. Honestly the thought came to me out of the blue, in the midst of my discussion with Brett. I don’t know much about it, but I know the publishing industry is in flux. You don’t need a publishing house in order to get your project out there. You, we, can self-publish Cupcake Lover’s Delectable Delights. We’d need to hire someone to show us the ropes, handle certain aspects, but we’d be in full control and make more money besides. More money for the charities of our choice. I’m more than willing to finance the effort. It’s such a great cause and … I’m rambling.”
Chloe traded a look with Daisy. “It’s definitely something to consider.”
“Maybe we’d be better off,” Daisy said.
“Devlin negotiated the contracts,” Chloe said. “When he gets back—”
“Maybe it’s as simple as returning that advance,” Daisy said.
“I really don’t know,” Rae said.
“Devlin will.” Chloe met Rae’s gaze. “Are you sure about backing us?”
“I can’t think of anything I’d rather do with my money. Other than buying Sugar Tots and developing a top-notch day care and after-school facility.”
“We’ll have to discuss this self-publishing venture with the other Cupcake Lovers,” Daisy said.
“Thursday’s meeting,” Chloe said. “Meanwhile I’ll do some research on the Internet.”
“Me, too,” Rae said.
“If we do this,” Daisy said, “we’ll need someone to help spread the news. Get our name and book out there. You know. One of those publicity people. Like that woman Rocky’s been working for.”
“Harper Day,” Chloe said. “She’s a publicist for a big firm out in Hollywood. Recognize her name?”
Rae shook her head. “I typically steer clear of publicists. I’m betting Olivia would know her though. My mother’s pretty up on anyone who can get her face and name in the media.”
“Harper bought a second home here in Sugar Creek,” Chloe said.
“The Rothwell Farm,” Daisy said. “We’ll see how long that lasts.”
“Because that house is haunted?” Rae asked. Living in Sugar Creek a year, she’d heard plenty of stories about the Rothwell place. Especially since it was supposedly haunted by one of the original Cupcake Lovers.
“No one’s ever lived in that house for more than a two-year stretch, Daisy said. “There’s the legend—the longer you live there, the sadder you get—but it’s also a money pit. Every time you fix something, something else breaks.”
“Harper’s not living there full-time though,” Chloe said. “She just pops in for a random few days each month or so. Since she spends so little time there, maybe the legendary ‘funk’ won’t affect her. As to the money pit aspect, Rocky pulled Sam in to set that house to rights. I’m betting his repairs stick. That man’s amazing.”
Rae’s stomach rolled with guilt. She hadn’t heard from Sam since Luke had told him to back off. She felt bad that she’d caused friction between the two cousins. She felt worse thinking she’d hurt Sam’s feelings. They’d formed a friendship of sorts and she’d pretty much botched it. She needed to mend that bridge, but she wasn’t sure how. One thing was certain, she couldn’t avoid Sam forever. He’d be at the CL meeting on Thursday for sure.
“When Rocky gets back,” Chloe said, “maybe she can pick Harper’s brain.”
“Why wait?’ Daisy asked. “Sam bailed on dinner last night because he’s set on putting that house to rights as quickly as possible. Means he’s spending a lot of time there. I’ll ask him to pick Harper’s brain. That way we can have even more specifics for Thursday.”
“Couldn’t hurt,” Chloe said.
“I guess not,” Rae said.
“I’ll text him right now,” Daisy said while whipping out her phone.
“Why not just call?” Rae asked.
Daisy rolled her eyes. “That’s so yesterday.”
Chloe grinned then reached over and squeezed Rae’s hand. “So what about the rest of your day? How did it go with the bank?”
Rae smiled back, anxious to share her good news and knowing Chloe would encourage her to share every detail. “Sugar Tots is as good as mine.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Sam was in the liquor store when his phone pinged for the twentieth time in the last hour. He’d been trading texts, sexy texts with Harper. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he’d been possessed by a twenty-year-old. Sam was almost forty. He texted out of necessity, not on the norm. He sure as hell didn’t thumb racy thoughts into his phone and hit Send.
Except for tonight.
She’d started it. He’d just gotten Ben and Mina settled with a bucket of fried chicken when Harper had sent him her first note.
GET OVER HERE SOON OR I’LL COME W/O U
He’d had to read it twice. Did she mean what he thought she meant? Would she be so brazen?
Yeah. She would.
Balls tight, Sam had walked out of the kitchen and thumbed a response. DO THAT AND I’LL HAVE TO PUNISH YOU
THREAT?
PROMISE
IN2 KINK?
IN2 U
There’d been a pause and he’d thought he’d blown it. But then she’d responded …
NOT IF U DON’T GET HERE SOON
To which Sam texted: RED OR WHITE?
For the next half hour he’d been in a bit of a blue-ball haze. He’d dropped the kids at their grandparents’ on the pretense that a friend had a plumbing problem and he’d promised to lend a hand. He wasn’t sure how long he’d be. An hour? Two? He’d be in touch.
Looking his mother-in-law in the eye hadn’t come easy. His pocket had pinged with another incoming message and Sue had raised a brow.
“Impatient friend,” she said.
Did she suspect Sam had a date? She knew he’d gone out that one time with Rae and both she and Charlie had approved. They knew he’d loved their daughter. Time to move on. So they and everyone else in Sugar Creek kept telling him. Only this wasn’t a date. And it wasn’t Rae. This was Harper and an hour or two of hot sex. Maybe kinky sex. It had been a long time, long before his wife, but Sam could do kink.
He’d driven to the liquor store conjuring different scenarios. He’d been ready to describe one when he’d received that ping in the Merlot aisle, only the text wasn’t from Harper, it was from Daisy and it was freaking long. Sam didn’t know many texting acronyms, but he used the few he did know and tried to be succinct. Daisy was a text-a-holic and never, ever abbreviated. She had a lot to say about Rae and the book deal and Harper getting them some “buzz.” The note rambled on and was killing his own “buzz” so he texted back “WILL DO” and made a mental note to reread in depth … L8R.