“No, this is new. Some wealthy out-of-towner building a mansion on the river north of town.”
“Nice. How’d you score that?”
Zachary shrugged. “He looked me up. Called and asked if I’d work for cash. Obviously yes.”
“Why is some rich dude paying you under the table?” Luke asked.
“I don’t know,” Zachary said. “Don’t really care.”
“Sounds sketch.”
“It’s fine,” Zachary said.
He was probably right. But a rich guy building a mansion outside town? I was surprised I hadn’t heard about it. That was the kind of thing to get the Tilikum gossip line buzzing.
Then I remembered I didn’t talk to people. That explained it.
Luke pulled his phone out of his pocket and scowled.
“What’s up?” Zachary asked.
“Aunt Louise. She will not leave me alone about this girl.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out,” Luke said. “After the Jill incident, I don’t trust her.”
Zachary snickered.
Luke glared at him, then pocketed his phone. “What time tomorrow, Josiah?”
“Eight.”
“Got it. See you then.”
I pulled some cash out of my wallet and gave it to Zachary. “Thanks.”
He held up the bills. “No, thank you. And if I get done early, I’ll call. Make sure this gets done.”
“Thanks, man. See you later.”
I followed my brothers out and locked up, then left. I probably should have given myself more time so I could go home and change before meeting Audrey at the bakery. Too late for that. I gave my armpit a quick sniff. I wasn’t exactly clean, but I didn’t stink. It would have to do.
Angel Cakes Bakery was downtown, in a building painted to look like a fancy dessert. Audrey was already there. I parked next to her car and went inside.
If heaven has a smell, it smells like Angel Cakes Bakery. It washed over me as I walked in, sweet and sugary with a hint of vanilla.
Audrey was waiting by the front counter with Max on a leash. He saw me first and jerked forward, apparently forgetting he was tethered to his mama. He almost pulled Audrey across the lobby.
“Whoa, Max,” she said with a laugh. “Careful.”
I scratched his head, then slid an arm around Audrey’s waist, bringing her close so I could kiss her. With a deep inhale, I breathed her in. She smelled better than the bakery.
“Hi,” she said. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I kissed her again.
“Oh good, you’re here.” The owner, Doris Tilburn, came out with a big tray of cake samples. She had to be at least seventy, but she didn’t show any signs of slowing down. Her gray hair was braided and she wore a white apron that said Angel Cakes on the front. “Take a seat over there and we’ll get started.”
We sat at a small table. Audrey tried to get Max to sit but he kept popping back up, his tail wagging, every time his butt hit the floor.
“I have something for you, good boy.” Doris pulled a dog treat out of her apron pocket. “You knew it was there, didn’t you? That’s a good boy.”
“That was sweet of you,” Audrey said. “Thanks, Doris.”
Max settled down with his treat and Doris set the tray of samples on the table.
“Take your time,” Doris said. “The little cards will tell you the flavors. And keep in mind, we can mix and match some of these if you want. Let me know if you have any questions.”
She went back behind the counter, leaving us with the cake samples.
We tried them one by one. They all tasted good. Mostly I just liked watching Audrey take each bite, her lips closing over the fork. Her eyes would close briefly, as if she needed all her concentration to decide whether or not she liked it.
When she tasted the lemon, she let out a moan that made me want to take her home. Immediately.
“You like that one?” I asked.
She paused with the bite still in her mouth and her eyes rolled back. “So good.” She swallowed. “I thought for sure I was going to be boring and want vanilla, but this lemon is amazing. Did you taste it yet?”
“Yeah. It’s good.”
“Do you like it? Is it your favorite? Or you do like another one better?”
“The lemon is great.”
“You didn’t answer my questions.”
I gently grabbed her chin and leaned over the table to plant a kiss on her lips. “The lemon is good and if it’s going to make you moan like that again, we should take some home with us.”