Page 5 of Baking Spirits Bright!

Paul’s pickup is gone when I return from my run. Part of me wishes he would marry Ms. Dot and move in with her. Then again, that would lead to him either selling this duplex or renting his side to Lord knows who.

I take a quick shower, which is long enough to spark an idea. Carla Mayberry will be at the ice rink today with her newest cookie creations. I could go sample some. She normally sticks with sugar cookies since hers are decorative, but she’s known for giving them a little something extra like fruit or chocolate flavoring.

I get dressed and drive to the other side of the county, Wisteria. It has some nice houses and farmlands, but no downtown area like Apple Cart. It’s mainly a Dollar General, gas station, and the school.

Every year, they convert the practice field into a skating rink. It’s totally redneck, with box fans blowing to keep the ice cool and a tractor nearby to smooth the slush every few hours.

But it’s not near as redneck as the cow-patty drop that takes place on the actual football field. That’s the main attraction—a fundraiser that involves taking bets on where a cow will poop.

Carla’s creations are so cute and delicious that she can make you want to eat anything, including a cow-butt cookie. She even had her own reality TV special about baking cookies, making her our biggest contender.

Thanks to her, the bake-off will be filmed as an update on her life. If we can beat her, it will lead to tons of publicity.

I pull into Wisteria High School and have to park near the road, so I assume the cow-patty betting has started. I’m halfway to the practice field when someone calls my name.

“Hey, Erica.”

I turn to Daisy Duncan, holding a clipboard.

“Hey, Daisy.”

“Want to bet on Mullet?”

“Mullet?” I wrinkle my forehead. Last I checked, that was Daisy’s pet goat.

“Yeah. The cow-patty drop was due for a changeup to keep it exciting. Kyle suggested we turn Mullet out on the field and have a separate bet for him. If anyone were to guess where both animals poop, they win really big.”

I raise a brow. “Tempting as that sounds, I’m actually looking for Carla’s cookies.”

She smiles. “Right this way.”

I follow Daisy to a small tent near the entrance to the football field. A large banner with “Cookies by Carla” hangs beneath the opening.

Daisy’s boyfriend, Kyle, stands nearby with his own clipboard, smiling.

“Hey, Erica. You want to bet on the cow?”

“No thanks.” I wave a hand. “I’m just here for some cookies.”

“Okay. Let us know if you change your mind. Mullet’s out there too, and it’s for a good cause.”

“I will.” I smile back at him.

He and Daisy arm up and walk toward the field. They’re an unlikely pair, but somehow perfect for each other.

I guess that’s how it works when you grow older in a small town. You start pairing up with unlikely people since there aren’t as many options. Especially when you’re really old and widowed, which would explain Dot dating Paul. I shudder at the thought of ending up with someone like him.

I’ve got to get out of here.

I focus on the elaborately decorated cookies in front of me to clear any mental images of dating a younger version of Paul.

Carla has everything from cow rears to goat heads to cowboy Santas. Each one is equally cute, and they smell delicious. Maybe the contest won’t grade on appearance.

All our pies are uniformly attractive, but mundane compared to her intricately iced edible cartoons.

“Hello,” Carla greets me.

I greet her back. I’m not certain she knows my name. A lot of Wisteria people in her generation know me as one of the apple orchard granddaughters, which is fine.

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