Page 32 of Son of a Preacher Man
“C’mon.” His arm went around her shoulders. “I’ll make some tea.”
“Okay.”
Steering his sister into the kitchen, away from the album on the coffee table, the memories that hung on the walls, Kodiak put the kettle on the stove. Linnea sat down at the island, and looking up at him, a tremulous smile appeared on her face. “Come quick. Give me your hand.”
She held it to her belly.
Beneath his fingertips, Charlotte made her presence known.
A gentle ripple. He closed his eyes to it. Remembering. Once, there was a time he’d dreamt of this, but he couldn’t allow himself to dream those dreams anymore.
“Close the circle.”
A thin veil of clouds parted, just enough for a blast of sun to come pouring through the storefront window, momentarily blinding her. She blinked, adjusting her vision to the intensity of the light, only for it to disappear as quickly as it came. Kelly glanced at the time, returning her gaze to the screen. Fifteen minutes until cutoff time. She had to get this supply order in now if she wanted a delivery here tomorrow.
From apple pie bars to pumpkin snickerdoodles, Leo had come up with an entirely new menu board of goodies for fall. And don’t forget the cupcakes. Jesus. He’d heard it on the down-low, the Lebanese place next door wasn’t renewing their lease—God, she missed their falafel already—and suggested they snag it and expand Beanie’s.
It wasn’t a bad idea.
Leo could have a whole case of fucking cupcakes. And they could use the extra space. More often than not, the place was packed.
But that would require talking to Brendan, which she’d rather not, and capital. Lots of it. Renovations, equipment, more employees, higher rent. Ugh. Until she finished paying Stacy off for her half of Beanie’s startup, Kelly couldn’t even begin to dream of it.
Too late. The seed was planted now.
Maybe she could get a loan for enough to fund the expansion and get the high and mighty bitch off her back. She’d been open for business, and profitable, for more than a couple years now. Beanie’s was a sound financial investment. Wouldn’t hurt to try. At the very least it was worth a shot.
After confirming her order, with barely a minute to spare, Kelly submitted it, and snapping her laptop shut, got up to join Katie and Leo behind the counter. “I’m gonna go for it.”
“Go for what?” her niece wanted to know.
She didn’t get a chance to answer because Kodiak, looking every bit as delicious as the chocolate espresso buttercream cupcake in Leo’s hand, came walking in with Bo carrying his little girl behind him.
“Mmhm, if I was you, ma chérie, I’d be goin’ for that, too.” His pink tongue peeking out, Leo licked the frosting off his cake.
“But…but…but…” Doing a poor imitation of her, Katie wrinkled up her nose in distaste and giggled. “…he owns a penis.”
“I know.” Leo grinned, swiping buttercream from his lips. “Succuleux.”
“Shut. Up.” Glaring at the two of them, Kelly turned on her heel and smiled. “Hey there, pretty girl. I bet you’d like a cookie.”
Emery looked up at her father, who grinned, and she nodded.
“I can do better than that, ma belle fille.” Leo blew the drummer and his daughter a kiss, giving the toddler a cookies ’n’ creme cupcake. “For you.”
“What do you say, darling?” Smiling, Bo kissed her on the head.
Taking the Oreo off the cupcake, she grinned. “Thank you.” But it came out ‘dank you’ as she stuffed the cookie into her mouth.
Kodiak leaned across the counter. “Hey, Snicks.”
“Hey,” Kelly softly murmured, suddenly feeling shy. Well, she knew they had an audience and it felt like she had ‘Yes, I fucked him’ written all over her face. “What can I get you?”
His eyes slowly traveling her body, he smirked. “Americano.”
“Make that two,” Bo chimed in. “And a hot chocolate for Emmy.”
“I got it,” Katie called out from where she stationed herself at the espresso machine.
