Page 7 of If You Were Mine
“Stew, I think. It’s already made.”
“Good. He can cook for you from now on.” She rolled her eyes.
I understood. I did tend to mother my brother sometimes just how he liked to be overprotective.
But it was what we did.
We were each other’s family, along with Lucky.
We went through our busy rush, selling out of bagels and muffins far quicker than I was planning. However we had backups of other things, and Melody was fantastic at selling what we had on hand.
The Caged Bean was close by and was the town’s gourmet coffee shop. While we sold drip coffee, and any type of sugar or creamer that you wanted, the Caged Bean was where people got their cappuccinos, Americanos, specialty coffees, and even a coffee flight featuring sweet and elaborate lattes.
We worked together, rather than as adversaries. They sold my baked goods, and I made sure that my customers knew exactly where they could easily get coffee, and at a discount if they found my card.
It worked well for me, and for them, and I was just happy that things were working out.
Even if, once again, the Cages were involved.
As Melody worked the front, I went back to decorating a few cakes that we had as orders, as well as a few that I wanted to set out front. Sometimes people bought cakes on the fly, and that was always a sight to see.
By the time lunch rolled over, I remembered I hadn’t eaten, but I knew I would get to it eventually. I had a few big orders to get through, thanks to a family reunion taking place up at the lake, and I didn’t want to get behind.
However, as I turned the corner, my chest seized, and I had to stop and slowly let out a breath. Thankfully Melody didn’t see and wouldn’t ask questions.
She didn’t know after all.
No, the only one who did was Joshua, and I was glad that my brother wasn’t here yet.
I told myself to breathe, going through the exercises I had learned as a child. When I caught my breath, I looked down at my phone, and realized it was later than I thought.
Joshua should have been here by now.
Well, I’m sure he would text soon. Maybe there was traffic getting up the mountain.
I went back up front to work with Melody, when a familiar face walked into the shop.
I smiled at Hudson Cage, one of Dorian’s numerous brothers. The fact that Dorian had not only one family, but two thanks to his dad’s philandering ways, still surprised me. He had eleven siblings.
I wasn’t sure how that had happened, but then again, remembering Dorian and Hudson’s dad, I guess I knew exactly how it happened.
The man had always been a jerk to me, but then again, he had been rude to anyone he thought beneath him.
Hudson however was not like his father. In fact, other than the growliness, he was the exact opposite. He was a loner and liked being the cabin man. You know, the type of guy who lived and worked in the woods, and you never knew exactly what he did. Some of the women in town couldn’t help but fall for him, you know because he was the broody, bearded type, the one with secrets and stories to tell even though he would never tell them.
I just thought he was Dorian’s brother.
There was probably something wrong with me. Okay, there was seriously something wrong with me and I knew what it was.
A crush that wouldn’t quit.
I opened my mouth to tease Hudson since he rarely showed his face these days. He liked staying out of the spotlight now that one of their many sisters had moved to town and had taken up some of the Cage responsibilities that Hudson had been forced into.
But then I saw the paleness of his features underneath his beard, and my throat went dry.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice soft.
“Oh my God, there’s been a plane crash out on the private airfield!” Ms. Patty screamed before Hudson could say a thing. She was the mayor’s wife, a busybody with a heart of gold, and bile crept up my throat.
