Cliff’s jaw dropped when she held out the container. For a moment he could only stare in stunned disbelief. But the muscles in her bony arms began to tremble, so he hastily took the cookies. “I think you must be confusing me with someone else.”
She waved a hand and issued a pshaw sound. “I may be old, but my memory’s as sharp as a tack. You’re Vampire Cliff. Now set that down so I can hug your neck.”
What… was happening?
He shot Emma a glance.
Her lovely lips stretching in a grin, she looked as though she were struggling not to laugh. “You’d better do as she says.”
Cliff set the container down.
Sure enough, Sadie moved closer, wrapped her arms around his neck, and gave him a hug. The scents of lavender and vanilla wafted over him. “It’s okay,” Sadie told him cheerfully. “You can hug me back. I won’t break.”
Nonplussed, he closed his arms around her and gently patted her back.
After a moment, Sadie withdrew with a smile. “As soon as I heard you’d been spotted up here in the cafeteria, I knew I had to bake you some cookies. I hope you like them. It’s a recipe passed down by my Danish grandmother.”
Emma smiled at the woman. “Sadie, would you like to join us?”
“Oh yes, dear, I would. Let me go get my lunch first.”
Cliff watched the woman shuffle over to the serving counter, then looked at Emma.
She grinned. “I wish you could see your expression right now. It’s absolutely priceless.”
“I have no idea what’s happening.”
She laughed. “I know. She’ll explain it when she gets back.” Leaning forward, she nodded at the container. “Sadie treats everyone under the age of sixty like they’re her grandchildren. She’s ninety-three, so to her we’re all just kids.” Her eyes crinkled with mirth. “I even heard her refer to Sebastien Newcombe as that handsome boy with the glowing eyes who caused such a fuss.”
He laughed at the description. “Bastien is more than a century older than Sadie.”
“I know. But he looks like he’s thirty, so to her he’s just another kid in need of cookies.”
Sadie returned and shocked Cliff again by setting her tray down beside his.
Rising, he pulled her chair out for her.
“Oh my. So gallant,” Sadie said with a happy smile. “You remind me of my Henry.”
Cliff retook his seat. “Who’s Henry?”
“He was my husband for sixty-two years until the cancer took him.” She spread a napkin on her lap and sighed. “He was so handsome. Tall and broad-shouldered like you. And he always did little things that made me feel special.” She winked. “Like pull my chair out for me.”
Cliff smiled as he watched Sadie take a delicate bite of her sandwich. “May I ask why you baked me cookies?”
“Of course! I did it because I wanted to thank you for saving my life.” She smiled at Emma. “And for saving Emma’s. This precious girl means the world to me.”
Emma smiled. “Awww. Thank you, Sadie.” She patted the woman’s hand. “I’m afraid Cliff doesn’t remember much about that morning though.”
Sadie sent him a commiserating look. “I know how that is.” Leaning closer, she whispered, “I lied. My memory isn’t what it used to be. I forget stuff all the time. Mr. Reordon only keeps me around because he likes my cookies.”
Emma laughed. “I’m pretty sure it’s because you’re a whiz with the stock market and make the network tons of money.”
“That, too,” she agreed.
The next hour passed quickly. Cliff enjoyed the women’s banter. They seemed to really care about each other. He also enjoyed the Danish cookies. “Mmmm. Sadie, these are delicious.”
She grinned big, the wrinkles in her face multiplying. “Oh, I’m so glad! That’s really saying something, coming from you. I imagine your taste buds are so sensitive that you could tell me every ingredient.”
He nodded as he devoured another. “But not the proportions. These are perfect. Have some, Emma.”
Emma took two. “Thank you. The only thing I don’t like about Sadie’s cookies is that they’re incredibly addictive.”
“I can see why.” The cookies were so good they almost made him forget his concerns about Reordon.
He didn’t know how many cookies Sadie had baked, but there were still a dozen left when Emma’s lunch hour ended. Cliff handed the older woman the container.
She waved a hand. “Take it with you and bring it back when you’re finished. If you don’t see me, just give it