Page 8 of Fa-La-La-La Faking It
Maple’s face fell. “Uh-oh.”
“His friends were poking fun at him for being nice to me. They said they knew he secretly loved ‘Ada-lame.’ He denied it and said the only reason he was being nice to me was because he felt sorry for me.” Adaline swallowed. “He pitied me because I was so different. So intense. What kind of kid liked baking so much and hung out with her grandmother for fun? Plus, I was the only kid in class who still believed in Santa. Obviously I was too weird to have any real friends.”
Maple’s hand stilled on Fuzzy’s slender back. “That’s a terrible thing to say. Did he ever apologize? What happened when you confronted him?”
“I didn’t. I was too crushed. I fled. I ran all the way home and afterward, he just...disappeared. The kids at school said he’d moved away. I never saw him again.” Adaline swallowed. “Until today.”
And the instant she’d realized who he was, she felt like that little girl in the cherry-print dress all over again. She’d wanted to sink straight into the walls of the school gym, but there’d been no disappearing in that dress, just like there’d been no hiding the giant cookie she’d baked him with his initials on it. It had all been just a little too much.
Story of my life.
Adaline’s throat went thick as realization dawned. Overhearing Jace say those things about her at that fifth-grade dance had been the first time she’d felt like her heart was simply too big for this world. Then it had become a pattern she couldn’t seem to shake. Even now...here she was, feeling like Ada-lame all over again.
Because of course when she’d bumped into Jace, she hadn’t been doing something normal. She’d been toting a dog in antlers around a retirement center and forcing unwanted cheerfulness on one of his relatives.
“I can’t believe he’s back in Bluebonnet,” she said flatly. She hated that she still cared what he thought. That was the worst part of this entire ordeal.
“Do you have any idea why?”
“I’m guessing it has something to do with his uncle.” Guilt settled in the pit of her stomach like an overbaked scone. “He doesn’t seem to be doing well.”
“Well, then. I doubt you’ll be running into him anyplace but the retirement center,” Maple said.
“Good point. Just because he’s here doesn’t mean our paths have to cross.” Except that Bluebonnet wasn’t exactly a booming metropolis. Still, this washerturf. She had a perfectly lovely life in her hometown. She had Fuzzy now, and she had friends—friends who liked her just the way she was. “I just need to focus on the bakery, Fuzzy’s continued training and our Comfort Paws holiday fundraiser. Between those three things, I won’t even have time to think about Jace Martin.”
Perhaps she also needed to stop making personalized baked goods for boys who didn’t deserve it. That seemed like a vitally overlooked part of the plan.
“I’m always here if you need to vent. You know that.” Maple checked her watch and winced. “Except I’ve got an appointment with a lethargic goldfish in about thirty seconds.”
Adaline waved a hand. “Go. I feel better already. Thanks for listening.”
“Anytime at all.” Maple gathered Fuzzy in her arms, pressed a smacking kiss to the top of his head and handed the sleepy puppy to Adaline as she stood. Lady Bird lifted her head from Adaline’s lap and moved to Maple’s side, ready to assist with the goldfish exam. “Speaking of the fundraiser, we’re still meeting at the town square tomorrow morning to get things started, right?”
Adaline nodded. “Absolutely. I confirmed everything with the mayor’s office two days ago. The gazebo and surrounding green space is all ours from tomorrow until Christmas Day.”
If Comfort Paws was going to start holding training classes, they needed a bigger headquarters than the kitchen table at Maple’s Sunday house. But a space big enough to hold dog-training classes cost money. Adaline had proposed a holiday fundraiser where people could come to mix and mingle with therapy dogs while they had their Christmas packages gift wrapped for a reasonable donation to the organization. She envisioned a puppy kissing booth and a bake sale featuring her most popular items from Cherry on Top. Adaline had even managed to recruit one of Gram’s gentleman friends from the senior center to dress up as Santa Claus so they could offer Santa photos for children and pets on afternoons and weekends. With a prime location like the town square, they were sure to have enough funds to rent a space for Comfort Paws after the first of the year.
“Super! Then we’ll see you tomorrow bright and early. Right, Lady Bird?” Maple said.
The golden retriever woofed.
“And try not to worry about Jace. Anyone who would talk like that behind your back isn’t worth your time or energy, full stop, no matter how young he was when it happened.” Maple punctuated her point with an arched eyebrow. “Right?”
“Right. I solemnly swear not to give Jace Martin another thought for as long as I live.” Adaline held up a palm, as if making a vow.
Lady Bird immediately mistook the gesture as a cue for a high five and touched Adaline’s hand with one of her big gold paws. It was official: the promise was set in stone.
After all, few things in this world were as pure and sacred as a high five with a golden retriever.
Chapter Three
Adaline woke with a start at four o’clock the following morning, surrounded by the evidence of her indulgent self-care session the night before. The television was still streaming her favorite reality baking show on a seemingly endless loop, tiny bottles of nail polish littered the coffee table and each of her ten fingers was tipped with a different color, à la Taylor Swift. If anyone knew how to put a member of the male persuasion in her rearview mirror with style, it was Tay. After pizza, a sheet mask and a mug of hot cocoa topped with a generous dollop of peppermint cream liqueur, Adaline had been more than ready to do whatever it took to shake Jace Martin off for good.
The healing powers of her multihued manicure were yet to be seen, but Adaline didn’t have time to worry about that now. Waking up at four was borderline sleeping in for a baker. The shiny glass display cases at Cherry on Top weren’t going to fill themselves before opening at nine. Plus, today she needed to prepare a few special items for the Comfort Paws bake sale. They needed to start the fundraiser off with a bang.
Fuzzy blinked up at Adaline with sleepy eyes until she uttered the magic word: breakfast. A writhing happy dance followed, and as soon as Adaline set Fuzzy’s bowl on the kitchen floor, the puppy dove for his food, scattering kibble everywhere. Adaline wound her hair into a messy bun and secured it with a red rhinestone cherry barrette while he chased down each and every crumb. Once the puppy’s belly was full and Adaline was dressed in one of her standard bakery uniforms of jeans, crimson sneakers and a pale pink sweater boasting hand-crocheted cherries, they were off.
Adaline walked Fuzzy the short distance to the town square until Bluebonnet’s white gazebo came into view, trimmed in twinkle lights and shimmering like a Christmas dream in the silvery moonlight. Adaline slipped the key into the bakery’s front door and flipped on the overhead lights. Cherry on Top was always the first business on the square to come to life in the mornings. Adaline loved this time of day. She always cranked her music loud while she rolled out the dough that she’d laminated the day before and let rest overnight.
