Page 60 of This Moment

“Is that even possible? That someone can bake but not cook?”

“I didn’t say she couldn’t cook; I said she needs some help. She’s never made homemade pasta. When I saw her putting store-bought pasta sauce in a pan, I almost had a heart attack. So tonight, I’m teaching her how to make pasta and homemade sauce.”

“That sounds good,” I said as my stomach picked that moment to growl. Sally looked up and winked.

“There are some lemon bars in the refrigerator that Cadie made.”

I jumped and quickly made my way over to get one.

“I’m home!” Cadie called out as she made her way through the house and into the kitchen. She smiled as she walked in and saw me eating a lemon bar.

“Like them?” she asked.

“You can tell this is not from a box.”

Laughing, she removed her scarf and set it on the back of one of the chairs. “No, sir, it is not.”

Her gaze went to Sally. “I didn’t miss anything, did I?”

“Not at all. I’m just measuring everything out. How was work?”

A wider smile grew on Cadie’s face. It was abundantly clear she loved her job. “It was wonderful. We were busy, though, trying to get things made up for tomorrow and make orders for the dance tonight.”

Sally stopped measuring out the flour. “That’s right. The Spring Fling dance is tonight. Are you kids going?”

Cadie and I exchanged a look before we both said in unison, “No.”

With her hands on her hips, Sally glared at me. “You should go, you know. It would be a nice thing for Cadie to see. Maybe even meet some more people.”

When I said nothing, she tilted her head and sharpened her glare. “Wouldn’t it be nice for Cadie to go?”

“Um, I guess so if she wants to go.”

When I turned my attention to Cadie, she was biting back a smile. “Am I missing something?”

“Well,” Cadie cleared her throat. “I think Sally is saying I should go to the dance.”

When I glanced back at Sally, she nodded.

“Yeah, you should totally go to the dance if you want.”

Sally tossed her hands up and let them fall to her sides as Cadie lost her battle and started to laugh.

“It’s okay, Sally. I really didn’t want to go.”

“Dim-witted boy.”

I drew back. “What do you mean, dim-witted? Are you talking in code or something, Sally?”

Before Sally could reply, Cadie clapped her hands. “I am ready to make pasta!”

I stared at my computer as I tapped my foot. I’d written one chapter. One. And I wasn’t even sure it was a good chapter. For the last thirty minutes, I had been staring at the screen, willing something to come to me, but my mind was blank.

That wasn’t true. It was far from blank. It was filled with thoughts of Cadie. Watching her and Sally earlier as they made fresh pasta and sauce filled me with a sense of peace I hadn’t experienced in a long time. Watching her laugh, seeing her facial expressions as she sampled the sauce or the meat that Sally had cooked, was like watching a movie. It was clear that Cadie was passionate about cooking, not just baking. And she was a sponge, soaking up everything Sally had to teach her.

The number of times I focused on her mouth or the way she laughed made my heart feel like it was tripping over itself. Cadie was more than beautiful. She was kind-hearted; that much was evident when she interacted with people. She was smart. And she was…a mystery to me still. I had gotten out bits and pieces about her life, but I wanted to know more. What were her dreams when she was younger? What made her move to Moose Village, of all places? Why was she so eager to leave her past behind?

I sighed and pushed away from the desk. Standing, I stretched my arms over my head and yawned.

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