Page 17 of Tasty Cherry

I face him. “Have you ever done something really impulsive, thinking no one would ever know about it, and then the very person who knows your biggest secret ends up being right in front of you?”

His face shifts, his lips twisting as he considers this. “Well, one time, I ate one of my wife June’s award-winning cupcakes, not realizing each one was different and she would not have a chocolate-filled one for a competition.”

“What did you do?”

“Blamed it on the dog.”

I huffed out a laugh. “Did it work?”

“Yes, except I forgot how chocolate is dangerous for dogs, so June packed up poor Peanut to take to the vet to induce vomiting.”

“Did you confess then?”

Bertie shakes his head. “No.”

“You let that poor dog go through that?”

He lifts his hands. “Now, now. I didn’t. I volunteered to take the dog.”

I let out a laugh. “And of course you didn’t go.”

“Of course not.”

“What did you do?”

“I took the dog to the park and confessed my sins to the sunflowers.”

“Did June ever find out?”

“I didn’t think so, but then about twenty years later?—”

“Twenty!”

He nods. “Twenty years later, I go in the kitchen where she’s baking cupcakes with our granddaughter, and if it don’t beat all, that angelic little girl turned right around and said to me, “Grandpap, Grandmom said to make sure you don’t eat any cupcakes and blame it on the dog.”

“Oh no!”

“Oh, yes. My beautiful wife didn’t even look up, kept right on stirring that batter. Turns out everybody in the family knew that story.”

I drop my hands in my lap. “So, you’re saying this truth will get out?”

“I say secrets are like greased pigs, hard to hang onto.”

“Should I run away then?”

“Depends on if what you want is bigger than the secret. Choose wisely. Life is long. Secrets are short, even if you think they are forever.”

I sigh. I do want to work here. “I guess I’ll face this thing.”

“What can I do for you?”

“Take me to Sebastian Young.”

Bertie’s smile tells me he already knew I was over here brooding over Sebastian. “I had a feeling it might be about him.”

“Did he mention me?”

“He sure did. Texted me to bring some carts for the interns moving in today. Then asked me to look after a young dark-haired lady named Mila who was at the front desk to get her room.”

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