“Can you imagine anybody coming up with Yummy Tummy for their business?”
“They can call themselves Botulism Betty’s for all I care. They just made an order for six assorted fruit pies, our choice. They’ll pick them up on Friday at five.”
“Oh, that’s great!” Dana looked even more pleased.
“And you’re the reason they found us.”
Last Tuesday—a particularly slow day, since Sunshine Bakery had run a two-for-one special—Dana had called a dozen caterers chosen at random from the telephone book and asked if they would like to sample a pie. She had delivered four of the day’s leftovers on her way home, and promised four more for the following day. And now the giveaways were paying off. This was the first real order from a caterer, but another had called with questions, and another had dropped in to see the shop and sample another slice. That young man had promised to keep Wanda in mind when he got too busy to do dessert on his own.
“Well, tonight’s going to be even better advertising,” Dana said. “The pies are gorgeous, especially the Elvis Surprise. And we know they’re delicious. So everybody’s going to be impressed, and some of them will want to know where the pies came from. You’ll get more orders.”
“I hope so.” Wanda checked her watch. Lizzie had a late-afternoon dentist’s appointment, and though Dana had offered to postpone, Wanda had recruited Janya to help with the delivery instead. “I guess you’d better scoot on out of here.”
“You’re sure you and Janya can manage?”
“We’re borrowing a van from her husband so we can set up everything in the back. Don’t worry.”
“Then I’ve done everything I can. The Elvis pies, and the luscious lemon and Key lime, are in the racks. The fruit pies are all in boxes.”
“You drop by tonight and I’ll tell you how it went.”
Dana smiled her thanks, as if she might really do it, but Wanda knew she wouldn’t. Dana kept to herself. Even when she was socializing, she always seemed on guard, as if every word she spoke had been weighed and judged before it was allowed to pass her lips. She never suggested a get-together, even though she’d been living at Happiness Key for a month. She seemed to like everyone, but she seemed to like them best at arm’s length.
Dana went back to the kitchen and returned with her purse. “Good luck. I know the pies will be a success.”
Janya passed her in the doorway, and the two women greeted each other quickly, but Dana didn’t stop to chat.
Janya was wearing one of her India getups. Wanda could never remember what she called them. A long raspberry-colored tunic over gauzy matching pants that ended inches above her ankle. She had silver bracelets on both arms, and her hair was woven in a French braid pinned under at the nape to show her lovely neck.
“You look too pretty to deliver pies. Even prettier than usual.”
“Rishi and I are going to dinner afterward.”
“That sounds like progress. Hasn’t he been working too hard lately?”
Janya’s tone was crisp. “Rishi works hard all the time.”
Wanda finished closing out the register and locked all the bills in the safe Ken had installed under the counter. Most days he stopped by and took her cash to the bank before closing time. She’d also put a Palmetto Grove Police Department sticker on the front door, and anybody casing the place would see that cops were her most frequent customers.
“Okay, let’s roll,” she said. “I got the address. You got the van. We’re in business.”
Fifteen minutes later, with the pies safely wedged together in the back and Wanda at the wheel, they were heading toward the most exclusive gated community in Palmetto Grove.
“There is an Indian restaurant at a motel outside of town. It has just opened. We are going with his staff.”
“Have something to celebrate?” Wanda was ever hopeful.
“I am not pregnant, if that’s what you mean.” She glanced at Wanda. “Rishi is…” Her voice trailed off. She shrugged.
Wanda knew she ought to tread carefully, but that wasn’t what she did best. “Rishi is what? Unhappy? Unsure if he wants children?”
“Rishi is not cooperative.”
For a moment Wanda couldn’t speak. Then she exploded. “What man in his right mind would not cooperate with you? A man and a woman decide to have a baby and suddenly she’s saying yes every time he asks for sex. It’s a man’s dream come true.”