Page 15 of This Moment

“Pack it up?”

“I’m selling it.”

Her mouth fell open. “Where will you live?”

Looking around, I said, “Well, I’m living off the folks for now.”

She smiled. “Where are you off to now?”

“Breakfast. I’m starving.”

The corners of her mouth twitched, and I could tell she was trying not to laugh. “Kian, it’s nearly one.”

I lifted my arm to look at my Fitbit but realized I hadn’t put it on. “Shit, is it really?”

“It is. Why don’t you come up to the house and I’ll make you something.”

I stepped out of the house and kissed Sally on the cheek. “Thanks, Sally, but I want to head into town. It’s been a few years since I’ve been home, and I’d like to pop over and say hi to Aunt Opal.”

“You better get to hopping then. They close at three. She might even be able to make you something to eat.”

“At the bakery?”

She shrugged. “It’s Opal. She can whip up anything.”

“Do you want me to bring you anything back?”

Rubbing her hands together, she bounced on her toes in excitement. “If they have any of Cadie’s banana nut bread, will you get some?”

“Cadie?”

A wicked twinkle appeared in her eyes. “That’s right, you wouldn’t know about Cadie Waterford!”

Ignoring the noises from my stomach, I asked, “Who is she?”

She looked around as if making sure no one would hear her, even though we were the only two people around for literally miles. Lord, she was about to gossip.

“Well,” she started in a lowered voice.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

“Cadie Waterford showed up about three weeks ago…give or take a few days. She simply appeared in town one day and saw that Opal was hiring and she applied. Said she worked at a few bakeries on the West Coast and in Chicago, but anytime anyone asks her where, she is very vague.”

“Vague?”

“Yes!” she said, nodding her head so hard and fast I was worried she was going to hurt herself. “She won’t tell anyone where she is from and simply says she’s lived here and there. The two bakeries, though, that she worked for were in Portland and Chicago. She got a wonderful recommendation from both bakeries, and Opal said she is a whiz when it comes to baking.”

“Well, that’s good.”

“That she is so secretive?”

I laughed. “No, that she can bake!”

“Oh, yes. I haven’t spoken to Opal, but Macy met Cadie yesterday and gave her the third degree.”

Groaning, I said, “Macy was here?”

“Yes, she wanted to let me know to expect you, and she wanted to see Opal. She said Cadie seems nice, but she doesn’t like talking about herself.”

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