“Good news for us, I guess,” Charlie said. “I’m Cass. Cass Goodwin. This is my family’s bakery.”
“I’m Sarah,” the woman said. “Nice to meet you, Cass. I’m looking forward to these.” Sarah held the boxes in one arm, the bag of Starlight loaf in the other. “Maybe we’ll run into each other again.”
“Anytime you’re passing through, please come back and visit.” Charlie came out from behind the counter. “I’ll get the door for you. Do you need a hand getting these to your car?”
“I’m okay, thanks. Happy Holidays!” Sarah said, as she walked out the door.
“To you, too,” Charlie said, and was about to close the bakery’s door—the chill of the outdoors seeping quickly into her—when she saw someone approaching the bakery.
Someone familiar, and wholly unexpected.
She was about to say, “Cass?” when her twin turned, having been recognized by someone else. Someone tall, with red hair and a beard that worked so well on him it made Charlie’s knees weak . . . Oh no, this can’t be happening.
Unsure exactly what to do, Charlie’s instincts took over and she quickly shut the bakery door and then ducked behind the gingerbread house display. “Oh no no no no no . . .” she said, coming slightly out of her crouched position so she could see what was happening outside.
Jake and Cass stood just to the right of the bakery’s door, and while Charlie couldn’t hear what they were saying, she knew this was bad. Very, very bad. Charlie leaned closer to the window on the front door, trying to read her sister’s lips as she spoke with Jake. They hugged briefly, though it seemed awkward, and Charlie saw Cass was the one who let go before Jake did.
Charlie was paralyzed with indecision. Should she go hide upstairs to avoid being seen? Should she go out there and just blurt out the truth? Jake （and Cass） might never forgive her, but she didn’t see how this could end in any way other than sheer disaster.
Jake had moved his hands from Cass’s arms back to his pockets, and Charlie could tell from his posture that he knew something was wrong. His shoulders rolled forward, his head was dipped. Cass, for her part, looked mostly confused. Then she pointed to the bakery, and Jake nodded, and then just stood there as Cass smiled, gave him a small wave, and headed for the door. He briefly glanced at her as she made her way to the front door, then shook his head and walked in the other direction.
“Jake. I’m so sorry,” Charlie whispered. She was so busy watching Jake retreat that she was still crouched in front of the doorway when Cass pulled it open, and she tumbled out onto the sidewalk.
“Charlie?” Cass said, looking with concern at her twin lying in the snow.
Cass kneeled down and pulled her into a tight hug. “Are you feeling better? How’s your head?”
“I’m fine. But . . . why are you home? Why aren’t you on set?”
“We have a lot to talk about,” Cass said, finally releasing her sister. Charlie’s stomach filled with dread as she took in the expression on Cass’s face. There was something wrong. “But let’s go inside first, okay?”
* * *
? ? ?
“What did you say to Jake?” Charlie asked once they were back in the warm bakery. She was preoccupied about how he’d looked moments before as he walked away from Cass.
“Yeah. That was weird,” Cass said, looking outside to where Jake had stood moments before. Charlie cringed and shrugged her shoulders. “What, Charlie? Why was that weird?”
“Like you said, we have a lot to talk about.” Charlie took a deep breath. “But you aren’t supposed to be back for two days. What’s going on with the show? Did it wrap early? Why didn’t you call me to say you were coming home?”
Cass paused, then said, “I’m not on set because I called—well, you called—in sick, and then some . . . other stuff happened.”
Charlie looked her sister over. She looked tired but otherwise she seemed perfectly fine. “What’s the matter?”
“Charlie, I’m not actually sick, but I—”
Just then Walter came out from the kitchen. “Cass, I have some less than fantastic news . . . Oh, hey, Charlie!” Seeing the twins standing together in the bakery stopped him short. Then he strode over and held out his hand to Cass, blushing slightly. “Charlie! Welcome home.”
Cass didn’t miss a beat, reaching out to shake his hand. “Thanks, Walter. It’s good to be home.”