Honey Pie (Cupcake Club) - By Donna Kauffman Page 0,84
so much that she hadn’t noticed he was also quite gorgeous. If aunt Bea hadn’t already dearly departed, she’d have killed her for not mentioning the ridiculousness that was the stunning male population on Sugarberry.
Of course, Bea had spent her formative years in Hollywood and Vegas, so maybe good-looking men had just been a blur of sexy grins and six-pack abs for her. Of course, that made Honey think immediately of Dylan. Thank you for leaving one for me, she thought with a private grin.
“Taste test,” Alva called out above the thumping bass beat of Vicki Sue Robinson singing “Turn the Beat Around.” It was disco night at Cupcake Club.
“I’m game.” Honey gladly put down the pastry bag Lani had trusted her with. She could handle sharp carving tools with ease, could mold a lump of clay into the cutest little garden sprite you’d ever seen . . . but give her a bag filled with rich, creamy Italian mascarpone and hazelnut filling and ask her to shoot it into little carved out cupcake holes and . . . well . . . let’s just say she made a better taste tester.
“Oh, look. They are too cute!” Honey watched as Alva carefully lifted out one of the perfect little miniature apple pies and set it on a tiny plate.
“You don’t have to go to all the trouble,” Honey assured her. “Just give me a fork.”
“Oh no, dear. This pie is meant to be eaten only one way.”
Lani popped up behind Alva with a carton of vanilla ice cream and a big metal scoop. “A la mode! After this early heat wave we’ve been having, we’re all taste testing this one.”
Franco groaned. “I’m so glad you talked me into staying,” he said around a mouthful of ice cream and pie. “But I’m going to hate you in the morning. Fair warning.”
“It’s really wonderful,” Honey agreed. “Like your own individual cupcake.”
“Only it’s pie,” Kit said, her eyes closed in bliss as she licked her spoon. “I’m sorry. I know cupcakes are my future, but Alva, this is a genius tribute to my past.”
“Well, you’re the one who helped figure out the recipe,” Alva said, but it was clear she was loving the adoration and praise.
Lani and Honey ended up at the industrial kitchen sink at the same time with their empty tins and spoons. “I haven’t had the chance to even tell you,” Lani said, “but Morgan put together a folder for you. It has all the documents—copies of the lease agreement, the licenses, and inspections we went through during renovations, including the agreement signatures of the management company—okaying every change.”
“Lani, I didn’t think you did anything wrong—”
“I know, but I still feel like I’ve put you out on the curb. And as my new landlord, you’ll need all of this stuff, anyway.”
“I got copies of most of it this morning from the courthouse and management company, but it’ll be good to have both sets in case I’ve missed anything.”
“So . . . it’s true, about the bookstore space?” Lani clasped a hand to her chest. “I have to tell you, I’m so relieved and excited for you. Is it—are you okay with it?”
“I’m a little overwhelmed, to be honest. It’s bigger and in need of an undetermined amount of work because it’s been empty so long.” Honey couldn’t stop the smile from turning up the corners of her mouth. “But I am excited. It’s really the perfect space. Better than Bea’s would have been, to be honest, if I can get it where I want to. I’ll know more in the next few days after I get it looked over.”
“Oh! I can give you a list of everyone who did work for me, renovating this place and Bea’s—with notes on who to use, and who to run screaming from.”
Honey laughed. “Thank you. That’s a big help.”
“I almost hate to ask this because things seem to be turning out decently, but . . . have you figured out where you’ll be staying?”
“Staying? Oh, I’ll . . .” Honey more or less froze. She’d been so focused on the should she–shouldn’t she question of taking Dylan up on his offer, she hadn’t even thought about that part. She couldn’t afford to keep paying B&B rates for a room, so . . . huh. “I haven’t figured that part out yet,” she admitted. “Maybe I’ll camp out at the store space, at least for the time being. It would be convenient, anyway.” Not to