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“IT’S CRAFT CLUB TONIGHT,” Zoe reminded her that afternoon. They’d been busy that morning, making lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas, as well as selling out of Ed’s apricot, and apple Danishes, and Lauren’s red velvets.
“I almost forgot.” Lauren chewed her lip. “Mrs. Finch is coming to the park tomorrow, isn’t she?”
“Yep,” Zoe replied cheerfully. “The senior center is giving her a ride in their minivan.”
“That’s good.”
The elderly Mrs. Finch was their friend and regular customer. Craft club, a Zoe invention, consisted of them visiting Mrs. Finch on Friday nights with their works in progress. Since Zoe’s latest hobby was making mugs and painting Annie’s picture on them, which she sold in the café, it was impractical for her to take her pottery with her.
Lauren usually brought her knitting in progress – the only problem was, she’d finished the leg warmers she’d made on the little knitting loom Zoe had given her for Christmas and was currently taking a break from wool.
But Mrs. Finch didn’t seem to mind when they arrived without a project in hand. They – and Annie – enjoyed her company.
“Do you think she’ll mind if I don’t stay very long tonight?” Lauren asked her cousin. “I’d better get up at five if I’m baking ten dozen cupcakes for the pizza contest.”
“I’m sure she’ll understand.” Zoe nodded so vigorously, her brunette pixie cut bangs bounced against her forehead.
“Brrt,” Annie agreed.
Lauren finished making a latte for a thirty-something woman, looking with satisfaction at her design of a swan on top of the micro foam. She and Zoe had taken an advanced latte art class a while ago, and it had really paid off.
“I’ll take it over.” Zoe appeared at her side, nudging Lauren in the ribs. “Mitch is here.”
“Thanks.” Lauren glanced over at the entrance door, her heart fluttering at the mention of her boyfriend’s name. Would she still have this reaction to him in twenty years’ time? If they were still together by then – which she hoped they would be.
“Hi.” She smiled at him, taking in his tall, muscular frame, clad in charcoal slacks and a blue button-down shirt.
His hair was dark and cut short, emphasizing his attractive features – a straight nose and brown eyes. When she’d first met him, his mouth looked as if he didn’t smile enough. But she hadn’t had that impression for a while now.
“Hi.” He strode to the counter, the light hum of conversation providing a backdrop to his greeting.
“Can you still make it to the pizza contest tomorrow?” she asked.
“Definitely.” He smiled. “I don’t have to work overtime this weekend.”
“Good.” Sometimes she didn’t see him as often as she liked because of his extra shifts. But she admired the fact that he was so dedicated to his job – just like she was with the café.
“Any red velvets?” He looked hopefully at the glass case.
“Sorry. They all sold out. But I do have your favorite – super vanilla. Unless you’ve changed your preference?” she teased.
“Nope.” He shook his head.
“In that case you can have two.” She smiled. “Here or to go?”
“To go.” He looked regretful. “I’ve got to get back to the office. I’ve got a new case to work on.”
“What is it?” she asked curiously.
“I’ll tell you later.”
“Okay.” She knew he was circumspect talking about his work. “Latte?”
“Please.”
She ground the beans, then steamed the milk, making sure to finish off the beverage with a swan design.
“Thanks.” He picked up the brown paper bag with the cupcakes, and the cardboard cup.
She waved away his offer to pay.
“I’d say I’d see you tonight but I know it’s craft club.”
“Yes.” But they’d planned on having dinner with Zoe and Chris the following night.
“If Zoe wins tomorrow, maybe she can treat all of us to pizza for dinner,” he joked.
“Please don’t suggest that.” Her tone held a hint of humor. “I’m looking forward to something else!”
***
TO LAUREN’S RELIEF, she and Zoe did not eat pizza that evening.
“Now I’ve decided on pepperoni and basil for my combo, and made a test one, I don’t need to make it again,” she told Lauren and Annie as they relaxed in the cottage kitchen. “Besides, I don’t have time if we’re going over to Mrs. Finch’s.”
“And leaving early,” Lauren reminded her. “Well, I am,” she amended. “You and Annie could stay longer if you’d like.”
Mrs. Finch doted on the Norwegian Forest Cat, and the feeling seemed to be mutual.
“Mrs. Finch might want an early night as well,” Zoe mused, “if she’s attending the competition tomorrow.”
“Good point.” Their friend was in her eighties and a little wobbly at times, but still managed to walk around the neighborhood with the aid of a cane.
“Is your cupcake batter ready for tomorrow?” Zoe asked, putting out two paninis on the kitchen table. She’d set them aside for their dinner earlier that day – that, along with making practice pizzas for the contest, was her loose definition of cooking.
“Yes.” Lauren sank down on a kitchen chair. Annie leaped up onto the one next to her and bunted her arm.
She stroked Annie as she wiggled her feet underneath the table. Deciding on only making eight dozen cupcakes instead of ten had filled her with a little relief – until she started to feel guilty. But, she’d reasoned with herself, Ed was only making four dozen pastries. She didn’t want to make so many cupcakes that she would have a ton left over – maybe even too many for Father Mike and the shelter to take.
“I’ll get up at five-thirty,” she told Annie and Zoe.
“I’m glad I don’t have to get up super early.” Zoe shuddered. After a pause, she added, “But I will if you need me to.”
“Thanks.” Lauren smiled at her. “But I should be okay. You need to focus on the competition.”
“Yeah.” Zoe nodded. “I’ve already picked the basil leaves for tomorrow and put them in the fridge.” She picked up her turkey and cranberry panini and bit into it. “The dompetition ith thupplying everything elthe,” she mumbled.
“That’s good.” She’d watched Zoe use store bought bases and sauce for her practice pies that week.
“I’ll put those paper bags away later.” Zoe gestured to the untidy stack of brown bags on the corner of the counter, near the catmint pot.
After they finished their paninis, they had fruit salad for dessert, with plenty of raspberries and strawberries. All the cupcakes had sold out that day, and besides, Lauren was sure they’d have at least one cupcake each tomorrow.
Lauren drove them around the block to Mrs. Finch’s house. Sometimes they walked there on light summer evenings but Lauren felt lazy.
“If you want to stay longer tonight, I’m sure Mitch could pick me up,” Lauren remarked as she pulled up outside Mrs. Finch’s sweet, cream Victorian house. A lot of the houses in the small town dated from Gold Rush days, including her cottage and café.
“Thanks,” Zoe replied. “What do you think, Annie?”
“Brrt,” Annie answered thoughtfully from her carrier in the back.
“I think that means she hasn’t decided yet.” Lauren smiled.
They trooped up the path, smooth green lawn on both sides. Orange poppies decorated the front of the garden, nodding in the cool evening breeze.
“Hello, dears.” Mrs. Finch opened the door and beamed at them. “How lovely to see you.” She wore a beige skirt and lavender blouse, her gray hair piled in a slightly untidy bun, and rouge on her cheeks that resembled the poppies from her garden. Wire-rimmed spectacles perched on her nose.
“You didn’t come into the café today,” Lauren said as they followed their hostess down the lilac hall. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” their friend assured them. “I thought I’d rest up for tonight – and tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait to compete,” Zoe told her, plopping down onto the fawn sofa in the living room.
Annie leaped on the arm of Mrs. Finch’s matching armchair.
“And I can’t wait to watch you,” Mrs. Finch replied, stroking Annie with a slightly wobbly hand.
Zoe told Mrs. Finch all about making pizzas that week. When she finally ran out of breath, Mrs. Finch asked, “Lauren, have you started on a new knitting project?”
“I’m afraid not.” Lauren shook her head.
“I love the legwarmers Lauren made for me.” Zoe grinned at her cousin. “And it was fun using the loom myself at times, but I do like pottery. I’m still deciding which picture to put on my next mug.”
“You must sell me one when it’s ready,” Mrs. Finch said.
“I’ll give you one.” Zoe grinned at her. “A present from me – and Annie.”
“Brrt!” Annie agreed, gently patting Mrs. Finch’s hand with her paw.
“You girls are very kind to me.” She smiled.
“You’re very kind to us,” Lauren told her. “Helping us with our handcrafts—”
“Yeah, I can’t believe you know how to knit and crochet,” Zoe interrupted, “and I bet you know how to sew as well.”
“I have had some experience.” Mrs. Finch nodded.
“Sewing.” Zoe shuddered.
Zoe had explored several hobbies before settling – for now – on pottery. Such as knitting, crocheting, string art, and jewelry making. Lauren had decided on knitting, the first craft they’d both tried.
Now, Lauren thought of her recent guilty pleasure – watching online sewing videos when she had the house to herself. She’d hesitated to mention them to Zoe, knowing her cousin’s dramatic reaction to anything sewing related.
But the instructors in the videos made it look all so easy. Surely it couldn’t be that hard to make something simple – like a cushion cover, for example?
“Would you like a cup of coffee?” Zoe jumped up.
“That would be lovely, dear.” Mrs. Finch beamed.
“Be right back.” Zoe zoomed to the kitchen.
“I’m afraid I’ll be leaving a little early tonight,” Lauren apologized. “I’ll be getting up at five-thirty to bake cupcakes for the event.”
“Of course.” Mrs. Finch nodded. “You mustn’t worry about me. The minivan is picking me up at eleven, and I think we’ll be making a few stops before we arrive at the park. An early night will be good for me, too.”
Zoe walked back into the room, carefully carrying a cup.
“Here you are.” She put it down on the little table at the side of Mrs. Finch’s chair.
“Thank you, dear.” Mrs. Finch picked it up and took a little sip. “Delicious as always.”
“You’re going to need some more pods soon,” Zoe informed her. “I can bring some over on Monday.”
“You must let me pay you for them,” Mrs. Finch insisted.
“Well – all right.” Zoe gave in.
Mrs. Finch had a capsule machine that her son had given her a while ago, but she hadn’t known how to use it until Lauren and Zoe had shown her. Now it was part of their craft club ritual to make her a cup of coffee.
“You girls aren’t having anything?” Mrs. Finch pointed to her cup.
“Did you want one, Lauren?” An oops expression flitted across Zoe’s face.
“No. Not if I’m getting up so early tomorrow.”
“Me either,” Zoe declared.
Lauren hid a smile. She hadn’t heard that Zoe was going to get up any earlier than usual.
After a short while, the trio said goodbye to Mrs. Finch, promising to look for her tomorrow at the park.
“Will Annie be there?” Mrs. Finch asked.
“No.” Lauren shook her head. “I think the crowds might be too much for her.”
“That’s if there are tons of people coming,” Zoe added. “I wonder how many people are entering the competition?” She frowned.
“I’m sure you’ve got a good chance of winning,” Mrs. Finch assured her.
“I hope so.” Zoe brightened. “See you tomorrow.”
They waved goodbye to her as they walked down the path to Lauren’s car.
“If I win, I’ll treat us all to pizza tomorrow night!” Zoe grinned.