Page 82 of Sugar Rush

Her hair curled to her shoulders and she wore a t-shirt printed with the word “sarcasm” made up of elements of the periodic table.

“Hi!”I was overly cheerful, running on fumes and pleased to see a familiar face after a morning of strangers.

“Hi.”She offered a sympathetic smile.“Laurie sent me.Said you needed a hand and that Jenny’s sick, and your college girls couldn’t pull an extra shift.”

“I—” I hesitated.Ididneed a hand if I wasn’t going to crash and burn in the next half hour.But need warred with my natural British reserve to ever admit that I needed assistance.“Thank you,” I settled for saying.“Yes, please.Isobadly need a hand.Are you sure?”

“Bar doesn’t open until six, so you got me until three at least.Use me or lose me.”She grinned, with a shrug.

I was planning on shutting by three anyway, assuming I could stay upright that long.I’d burned the candle at both ends for too many days in a row, wanting to do a perfect job covering for Jess.But with Aunt Laurie, the backbone of the operation, out of action, I was pushed for timeandstressed, and ultimately, something had to give.

Despite the fact she barely knew me, Molly took my direction well and without complaint, restocking cookies, making all the coffees and teas that were ordered, and preparing sandwich fillings.We worked together through the lunch rush, bumping into each other a few times, but on the whole, we made it work.

At one-thirty in the afternoon, I called it a day.I could barely keep my eyes open, and I needed to film some more content for my channel later, assuming I lived long enough to get home and take a nap.

I thanked Molly profusely, stowed all the goods that would keep until tomorrow in the big fridges, and sent the rest away with Molly.She said she’d share them with the bar staff working tonight.

I wrote a sign for the door, telling customers we closed early for the day.

Even though I felt awful for shuttingCake Awayhours early, my heart was light.This miracle of someone showing up at a moment’s notice to help a friend’s niece might never have happened in London.Molly hardly knew me, but she’d stepped up to the plate.

The close-knit community of Redwing Falls might be awful for some things, the gossip mill being one, but for others, like calling on a friend when in need, it was invaluable, and I thought that when I flew back, I’d miss it.

As soon as I got home, I texted Jenny to see how she was doing.

Me: How are you feeling?

Jenny: Terrible.Toby must have given me something.He’s always touching stuff and then putting his hands in his mouth.I really hope he doesn’t give it to my parents.

Jenny: I am so sorry to let you down.

Maddie: Don’t even think that.You can’t help it.

Maddie: I hope you get well soon.We’ll work something out.Do you need anything?

She didn’t respond.I succumbed to fatigue and had an hour’s nap on the sofa.

When I woke up refreshed, she still hadn’t replied.

I got on with making the bottom two tiers of Cathy’s wedding cake.The batter smelled divine, and as the stand mixer whirred, I remembered her excited face from our meeting and I felt happy to do this for her.

This was why I baked.To make people smile.To fill them with joy in edible form.

By the time the bottom tiers of the cake were baked, I still hadn’t heard from Jenny, and I decided she deserved, and needed, some cheering up, so I’d bake something for her.

I set up my lights, made sure I had all the ingredients measured out, fluffed my hair and washed my face, then started recording as I baked a batch of Chinese almond cookies.They were one of my favorite comfort snacks, buttery and bite-sized, and my dad’s all-time favorite kind of cookie to have with coffee.I sometimes added matcha to these when I baked them, but I’d used all my supply on the Mississippi cake and hadn’t found any more at Sureway, so plain almond it was.

I texted Jenny to see if I could come over, and I packed up the cookies when she replied.

* * *

Ten minutes later, having used that time to freshen up in case Rick was home (vanity, thy name is Maddie Liu), I knocked on the door.

He answered it, Toby on his hip.Thankfully, the brain fart did not reach my lips.

“Hi,” he greeted me, his smile was slow and sweet.I wanted to kiss him, taste that grin.

“Hi.I brought cookies.I know Jenny is under the weather, and I thought she could use a pick-me-up.”

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