“I tossed the egg salad,” Jenna declared when Callie walked into the kitchen twenty minutes later to find her youngest sister standing in front of an open refrigerator.
“Which one?”
“All of them. A whopping twelve.” She motioned to a nearby trash can. “In my defense, it wouldn’t all fit in the fridge.” She indicated the overflowing Frigidaire. The avocado-green monster had seen better days like most everything else in the Tucker household, but with a few creaks and groans it kept churning along.
Thankfully.
Callie had enough to deal with without adding a broken appliance to the list.
“Even Jezebel turned her nose up at it.” She indicated the tiny dog yapping at her heels. Jezebel was a Yorkie/poodle/Grade A mutt blend that Jenna had picked up out near the interstate and nursed back to life at the veterinary clinic. She’d brought the tiny dog home until she could find her a permanent place.
That had been over six months ago, during which time they’d also picked up three more dogs, a cat, and a rabbit named Hoppy.
“You have to get that dog out of here.”
“I will.” Jenna retrieved a Milk-Bone from a nearby container and fed it to the excited animal. “Just as soon as she’s back on her feet, she’s history.”
“She’s on her feet.” Callie glanced at the dog dancing around the kitchen. “She’s on my feet. She’s on your feet.” She caught Jenna’s gaze. “I know you love them, but we can barely look after ourselves. We don’t have enough room for so many foster babies.” That, and who was going to look after them when Callie was gone? Jenna worked hellacious hours, especially since she’d decided to specialize in equine health. With so many ranches nearby and an overwhelming horse population, Jenna barely made it home before dark on most nights. Ditto for Brandy. And so it was Callie who got stuck looking after all the strays. “You have to get them out of here.”
“I’ll start looking first thing tomorrow.” Jenna crossed her heart before slipping the dog another treat. “I’ve got immunizations out at the Gerber Horse Farm in the morning, but after that, I’m on it. Swear.”
Callie turned her attention back to the counter and the stack of empty egg-salad containers. “You should have saved at least some of this stuff. I could have taken it to the open house tomorrow.”
“Trust me, no potential homeowner with even a sliver of taste is going to show up for egg salad. Maybe these pigs in a blanket.” She pulled a container from the fridge and popped the lid. “I’ve got to say, I can’t stand to be in the same room with Genevieve Hanson. The woman is old and cranky and the nosiest person I’ve ever met, but she sure can cook.” Jenna pulled a tightly wrapped sausage from the green plastic and took a big bite. “These things are amazing,” she said around a mouthful.
The conversation with Les played in Callie’s head and her gaze went to the container in her sister’s hand. “Please tell me you didn’t eat them all.”
“No way.” She shoved the last bite into her mouth and reached for a soda. “There’s still one left. Say,” she motioned to Callie, “why don’t you try making some? You could ask Genevieve for her recipe.”
But Callie didn’t cook. Sure, she’d stepped up to the plate years ago, to make sure the girls had a hot meal every night and she’d even managed to master the basics—eggs, pancakes, meatloaf, a decent roast beef on those rare days when the planets lined up. But she didn’t like to cook. Not like her sister Brandy, who would gladly spend all day slaving in front of a hot oven. A passion she’d inherited from their mother. The woman had made a mean brownie. She shrugged. “Les will just have to make do with pimento cheese pinwheels.”
“Then I’m guessing it won’t matter if I finish these off?” Without waiting for a reply, Jenna grabbed the sole survivor and took a bite. “And don’t think I’m going to forget about you,” she told Jezebel as she pinched off a piece of the goody and fed it to the yapping dog. “I know, I know. It’s time to watch our show.” She took another bite. “I TiVo’d the season finale of The Bachelor and Jez and I just know he’s going to pick Lacey. I mean, Bella’s nice, too, but she’s sort of a slut. His parents definitely like Lacey better. She teaches Sunday school and she has a schnauzer.” Jenna winked at the tiny dog. “Jez has a thing for schnauzers.”
“You’re not seeing Alex tonight?”
Jenna shrugged. “We broke up.”
“Does he know that?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That you have a tendency to beat around the bush when you break up with someone.”
“It’s called letting them down easy.”
“It’s called being a chicken shit.” Callie eyed her sister. “Remember Kevin Rickers? You told him you couldn’t breathe and he thought you meant you had asthma. He bought you a humidifier and a case of Primatene.”
“I can’t help it if he misunderstood me.” A smile curved her full lips. “That was sort of sweet, though. Remind me why I cut him loose again?”
“Because he wanted to be your one and only and you’re much more into plural arrangements. That’s PC for you’re a big fat ’fraidy cat when it comes to commitment.”
“I can commit. I just don’t see the point.” She frowned. “Besides, I’m too busy for commitment. I barely have time for fun.”
“Again, did you make that clear to Alex? Because we don’t need another humidifier.”
“Cross my heart I didn’t say a thing about not being able to breathe.” She shrugged. “I just told him in a nice, it’s-not-you-it’s-me way, that I was just feeling crowded.” She seemed to think. “Or maybe I told him I was feeling overwhelmed.” She waved a hand. “Either way, we’re done.”
“And he realizes this?”
“He got the message loud and clear.” She seemed to think. “I’m pretty sure he did. He was definitely standoffish at the funeral. He only tried to hold my hand one time.”
“Here we go again,” Callie mumbled as she turned back to the fridge.
“Where exactly are we going again?” Brandy walked into the kitchen wearing yoga pants and an oversized T-shirt. Her long hair had been pulled up into a ponytail and she wasn’t wearing a stitch of makeup, yet she looked every bit as beautiful as if she’d been dressed to the nines. That was the thing about Brandy. She was a natural beauty, unlike Callie, who just looked tired when she wasn’t wearing any makeup.
Then again, she was tired. Tired of looking out for everyone and carrying the weight of the entire family on her shoulders.
Now, but that would end soon. She would figure a way out of the financial mess, secure the house, and then get those resumes off in the mail.
Callie held tight to the sliver of hope and retrieved a knife from a nearby drawer. “Stalkerville,” she told Brandy. “That’s where we’re going again.”
“You broke up with Alex, didn’t you?” Brandy shot a glance at Jenna. “Or rather, you didn’t break up with Alex. You just think you did.”
“Trust me, I did.”
“Sure.” Brandy shrugged. “I get dibs on the humidifier this time. I want one for the employee break room. Ellie, my new baking assistant, has allergies.”
“Very funny,” Jenna said. “There won’t be another humidifier.”
“She was too crowded this time,” Callie chimed in, “so he’s probably going to get her a few therapy sessions to deal with claustrophobia.”
“Wow, you guys are on a roll tonight.” Jenna grabbed her chips and soda and whistled at Jezebel. “Later haters. We’ve got a date with The Bachelor.”
“Another date? Isn’t that what keeps getting you into this mess?” Brandy called after her. Jenna paused to make a crude hand gesture. Jezebel yapped. And they both disappeared into the living room.
“She has a problem,” Brandy remarked. “She’s what you call a serial dater. I saw it on Dr. Phil. He did a show on addictions and serial dating was right up there with the lady who wipes herself down with antibacterial wipes at least twenty times a day and this guy who ate his own toenails.”
“At least she puts herself out there,” Callie said, eyeing her sister. “Which is more than I can say for present company.”
“Men are a distraction, and I can’t afford that right now. I’ve got everything tied up in this bakery. It has to have my undivided attention.”
Jenna loved men. Brandy avoided them. And Callie just didn’t have the time.
Unless they showed up unannounced to lift boxes for her, that is.
Brett’s image snuck into her brain and she stiffened. “How goes it at Sweet Somethings?”
“I’ve been open all of one month and I managed to make enough to meet all of my bills. I’d say that’s a good start. Next month’s projected numbers look even better.” She smiled. “I just might pull this off.”
“You will. Your cakes are divine and there isn’t a better decorator for a hundred miles.”
“You know,” a serious look pinched her smooth face, “I can’t thank you enough for helping me through pastry school.”
Callie shrugged. “Family does for family.”
“Exactly. Which is why I’m going to pay you back. Every single cent, plus five percent interest. Just as soon as I’m running in the black. Right now, I’ve got to bring in a second oven if I ever want to up my production…”
Brandy went on for the next fifteen minutes about the latest in high-tech baking equipment while Callie finished off a platter of pinwheels and moved on to a mountain of ham and cheese sandwiches. She’d just finished cutting off the last of the crust when Brandy glanced at the clock.
“Wow, would you look at the time? I need to get to bed. I’ve got to be at the bakery at four a.m. to get the bread in the oven. I’m featuring apple loaves for tomorrow’s special.” She glanced around. “You about done here?”
“A little Saran wrap”—Callie indicated the overflowing platter of finger sandwiches—“and then I’m off to bed myself.”
Unfortunately, twenty minutes turned into an hour before Callie managed to put away the last of tomorrow’s snacks.
She’d just shut the refrigerator and killed the kitchen lights when she heard the knock on the back door.
“Are you expecting anyone?” she called out to Jenna, but the girl had already fallen asleep on the sofa, the small dog cuddled on her lap.
“Never mind,” Callie murmured as she headed for the back door. A strange tingle of excitement whispered through her as she thought of Brett.
Not that he was knocking on her door now. He had no reason to drive all the way out here.
At the same time, she couldn’t deny the whisper of hope as she glanced past the curtains at the dark shadow that stood on her back doorstep.