Page 6 of Delicate Escape

I kept a closer eye on the road for the rest of my trek. It wasn’t long before I reached the outskirts of town. Sparrow Falls was the kind of picturesque place you saw in movies but never thought actually existed. Many of the brick buildings flanking the main street through town dated back to the early nineteen hundreds, but they’d all been painstakingly restored. And new builds had to be thoroughly vetted to ensure they fit with the look of the place.

The community had pride in their town. You could see it in how the flower beds were meticulously maintained at each and every corner of Cascade Avenue. How there was rarely a speck of trash to befound anywhere. But the place had heart, too—the kind that freaked me out at first.

People in LA mostly minded their business. But not here. As you walked by the locals, they greeted you with a hello or a head dip. They offered to help if your hands were full and held doors open if they were in front of you.

Those simple kindnesses made it harder to stay anonymous. Threading the needle between careful and rude was a tricky balance I failed at most days. But a part of me hoped I could finally simplybein this new life.

I pulled my bike to a stop in front of a storefront with huge glass windows and a teal sign above them that readThe Mix Up. The letters were perfectly imperfect in a way that represented the chaos of the woman who owned the place. But Sutton’s haphazard energy was only matched by her kindness, and the combination was incredibly endearing.

Locking my bike to a lamppost, I crossed to the door of the bakery and keyed in the code to the electronic lock. It made a whirring sound and then a pop. I pulled it open, the bell overhead tinkling. Strains of country music drifted out of the kitchen, and the space was toasty warm.

“Morning!” I called.

A second later, Sutton appeared in the kitchen entryway. Her blond hair was piled on the top of her head, and she had what looked like a butter knife stuck through the bun to hold it in place. Flour dusted one cheek and speckled her hair, but I didn’t miss the dark circles beneath her eyes.

I had no idea how Sutton managed to get up sometime between three and four every morning to prep the day’s goods. Add on running a business and raising a seven-year-old little boy, and I was pretty sure she was superwoman.

“Morning, Thea. How’s it looking out there?”

“It’s going to be a beauty.”

“Hopefully, that means lots of tourist dollars,” she said with a grin. “I’ve got the bread, scones, muffins, and croissants already out.The sweet and savory Danishes are cooling. And I’m working on the cupcakes now.”

I frowned at her. “How many cups of coffee have you had today?”

Sutton’s lips twitched. “Just a few.”

“Mooooom?” a slurred voice called as footsteps sounded on the back stairs leading to the small apartment above the bakery.

“Right here, baby,” Sutton called, moving toward the little boy’s voice.

He appeared a second later, clad in pajamas covered in hockey pucks and sticks in bright colors. His light brown hair was darker than his mom’s, but they had the same piercing turquoise eyes.

The moment he was within arm’s reach, he launched himself at Sutton. She caught him with an oomph as he nuzzled into her, then rubbed a hand up and down his back. “Sleep good?”

“Mm-hmm,” he mumbled.

Sutton bounced him in that soothing way that seemed almost second nature for most mothers. “I swear he’s still half-comatose when he gets up.”

I grinned. “Waking up is hard.” Moving around the two of them, I tickled the little boy’s side. “Morning, Luca.”

“Hi, Thee Thee,” he whispered.

Sutton chuckled. “I’m going to get him ready for camp. You good to handle opening?”

I nodded. “I’ll get the coffee brewing and then switch to cupcake duty.”

“You’re a lifesaver. I’m in the middle of the cookie monster ones.”

“Me want cookie,” Luca mumbled against his mom’s shoulder.

I laughed. “I’ll see if I can finish one in time for you to take in your lunch.”

Luca lifted his head, turquoise eyes colliding with mine as he gave me a sleepy smile. “You’re the best, Thee Thee.”

My heart squeezed. God, the kid was sweet. “You are.”

Sutton gave me a thankful smile as she headed back up the stairs. He was really getting too big for her to be carrying around, but I wasn’t surprised. She was one of the strongest people I knew.

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