Page 48 of The Undercover Billionaire's Baby

“Trout Bum,” said Dora, and nudged Rex in the ribs. “Sounds like someone wrote a book about you.”

“Slander,” said Rex. “Or is that libel? I never remember which one is which.”

The chime went again, and it didn’t stop tinkling. We were swamped by eight thirty, half-panicked by nine. Brad had to step in as part-time help, pointing customers to the best deals, wrangling their kids. Wiener snuck in the first time at ten thirty, then again at ten forty and again at eleven. Mrs. Schneiderman caught him going for a fourth break-in, and marched him back to her tiny back yard. We all knew he’d be back out in five minutes flat, but he wasn’t so bad really. Just… overeager.

Brad brought me a coffee right around lunch, then Alice came running out all in a panic.

“The bakery guy’s here, but he brought a whole week’s worth. We have no place to put them, and he can’t take them back.”

“Okay… okay.” I massaged my temples, trying to think. “The fridge should hold some of them, and the rest, uh…”

“We could bring some out front,” said Brad. “Give them out as free samples. Then folks will remember they can eat here as well.”

I glanced around at the books and thought of sticky fingers. Then I pictured a week’s worth of pastries going stale in the back. Alice was hovering in the café archway, peering at the back counter, then out at me.

“Bring them out,” I said. “But bring lots of napkins. And put a sign out, something polite. ‘No sticky fingers,’ uh…”

“That sounds like ‘no stealing.’” Brad grabbed a pen. “How about this: ‘Enjoy a free pastry! Please wipe your hands before handling the books.’ Then I’ll draw on a smiley emoji…” He drew a smiley face with its tongue sticking out.

“Perfect,” I said. The chime went again. Alice went rushing into the back. A pink van pulled up full of old ladies, and one old man with a cane painted orange.

“My knitting club!” Mrs. Schneiderman had appeared from somewhere, and she ran out to greet them. Wiener tried to push past her. She shoved him back out — “bad dog. Bad dog!” Her friends all fussed over him, rumpling his ears.

All day, the chimes rang and the register dinged, and our perfect displays grew gaps, then vanished. Alice ran back and forth restocking shelves. Our pastries got eaten, our coffee got drunk, and some kid bought a whole fourteen-book sci-fi series. We practically had to sweep out the last stragglers, dawdling into the twilight choosing their books.

“That was crazy,” said Alice, when the door closed at last.

“Better lock it,” said Brad. “Before more sneak in.” He turned the deadbolt and flipped the shop sign to CLOSED. I stared at it, shellshocked, but in the best way.

“I never saw half those people before in my life. Were they summer people, or did they come just for this?”

Alice smothered a yawn. “Must’ve been from the fun run. Mrs. Schneiderman’s knitting group was campaigning all over Boston.”

“We’ll have to reorder early. The shelves are picked bare.”

“The café as well. They drank all our coffee.”

“All of it?”

“Most of it.” Alice yawned again.

Brad stroked my arm. “It’s all right,” he said. “I’ll run by that fancy place first thing tomorrow. They’ve got the beans you use, till you can place a new order.”

I leaned up against him, warm all over. Every day wouldn’t be as huge as today, but I could feel in my bones we’d turned a corner. We’d missed our spring rush, but we’d brought in a new summer one, our register bulging, our shelves full of gaps. The vibe had been good today, folks having fun. Sitting and chatting in the café. And Brad there through all of it, keeping me calm, a help when I needed one, still there when I didn’t. It made my heart swell, how he seemed to enjoy it. Maybe he would stay here, start a new life. Build decks on the island. Come home to me nights.

“Today was the best,” he said. “But, man, I’m starving.”

I frowned, trying to think. “Did you eat at all?”

“Pastries,” he said. “A whole lot of sugar.”

“I can close up,” said Alice. “If you want to go eat.”

I didn’t want to abandon her, but Brad did look hungry. “Don’t worry about cleaning up. We can do that tomorrow. Just make sure the cash is locked up in the safe. And check the back door, you know, the weird deadbolt.”

“I know, wait till I hear it thump twice.”

I winked. “You know it.” Alice headed off. Brad took my hand and we slipped out the front, and up the back stairs, into my hallway. For a moment we stood there, just savoring the quiet. The day had been loud, full of bustle and chatter. Now it was just us, in the dimming daylight. A sliver of moon was up, and Brad’s hair shone silver. I reached up to fix it where it was mussed.

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