Adams Grove 03-Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes (8 page)

“Don’t let me scare you away. I get a little overenthusiastic about it sometimes, but I swear it’s such a great workout and life balancer. A good thing these days.”

“Life balance is something I’m not too good at.”

A flash of recognition crossed Anita’s face. “You’re the lady lawyer working with Connor Buckham, aren’t you?”

“That would be me.” Carolanne extended her hand. “I’m Carolanne Baxter.”

“I thought I recognized you from your picture in the
County Gazette
last month. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Anita Foster.”

“I know you from the paper, too. For a paper that only comes out twice a month, they sure do a good job of getting us all in it.”

“Slow news days around here. Part of the charm of Adams Grove.”

Carolanne thought about the number of times her dad had been in the news. She’d have given anything for them not to have had room to run those stories back then.
Charm? Depends on your vantage point.
“Somebody was just telling me I need to free my mind a little. They suggested I jog, but that’s really not my thing. I thought maybe yoga would be a better fit for me.”
At least, I did before I saw you doing it. Looks more like really slow dancing than exercise.

“Running is hard on your joints. Yoga would be so much better. It’s like a little gift to yourself. You have to make time to relax. It’s absolutely essential to a healthy life.”

Carolanne pictured herself all twisted up like the bow on a package. She couldn’t deny this lady’s enthusiasm was a little contagious. “When are you going to start classes?”

“Not until August. I’m trying to talk Mac into entering a couple cake competitions this summer. He was so close to winning last time. Can you imagine what that would do for his business?”

Carolanne pasted fake enthusiasm on her face to match Anita’s, because honestly, she didn’t quite see how Mac winning a competition would really help his business at all, since his business was local and everyone around was already his customer.

“Anyway,” Anita said, “that doesn’t matter, because I could get you started on some basic moves. In fact, why don’t you stop by Monday and I’ll show you some stuff that you can do on your own until the classes start?”

Carolanne liked the thought of that. “You wouldn’t mind? I’d pay you, of course.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. I’d enjoy it. I’ll see you around four, if that works for you.”

She’s so nice.
“Well, thanks. I’d say I’m sorry I interrupted your workout, but this seems to have worked out very well.”

“I agree. I’ll see you Monday.”

“Thanks.” Carolanne left, feeling a little more relaxed just having talked to Anita. She could only imagine what the yoga might do for her.

Carolanne said hello to a couple walking down the street, then paused in front of Jacob’s Diner. Every table was full, and all but two seats at the long Formica counter were, too. She turned to leave, then stopped on the sidewalk out front.
Why am I always in a hurry? I have time. Relax.
Besides, the smell of fresh local bacon and sausage was too yummy to resist. So she slipped inside and took one of the last seats at the counter. Several folks issued good mornings to her as she settled in.

She eyed the menu on the wall, but she knew what she was going to order. The clanking of the pans and loud murmur of the patrons reminded her of the feel of a New York diner on an early weekday, only friendlier.

The waitress, Lara, took her order, poured her a cup of coffee, then whisked by her to greet someone near the cash register. Lara gave the person’s shirt a friendly tug, and when she stepped aside, Carolanne recognized Gina standing there.

Gina dug something out of her purse and handed it to Lara.

Lara wiped her hands on her apron and took it, then gave Gina a hug and rushed away, yelling over her shoulder for Gina to wait as she ran back to the kitchen, shouted out two orders, then reappeared from the back with two big brown grocery bags. “You said you wanted them all, right?”

Gina looked excited. “Yes! Oh my gosh, you just don’t know how much I appreciate this. Thank you so much.”

“No problem. This is the best kind of recycling I know of. Have fun.”

“I will.” Gina took the two brown paper bags and practically ran from the diner.

Lara slid Carolanne’s breakfast in front of her, and Carolanne couldn’t resist asking her about Gina. “I saw you talking to that girl. She’s new around here, isn’t she?”

“Oh yeah. Sweet girl. She’s from out of town.” Lara pulled the change purse from her apron pocket. “Look at what she made for me. It’s made totally out of old candy wrappers. Is it absolutely adorable, or what?”

Carolanne took the handcrafted item from Lara and turned it over in her hands. “Did she make that purse she carries, too? Those things sell for hundreds of dollars in the city.”

“She did. I’d never seen anything like it before. I mean, we used to turn gum wrappers into key chains in camp when I was a kid, but I never thought anyone ever made nothin’ else from them. I’ve been saving potato chip bags for her. She’s working on some project using potato chip bags with the foil inside.”

Carolanne held up the change purse. “It’s great. I bet Jill would love to have these for sale in the artisan center.”

Lara’s eyes widened. “That would be great. I get the feeling Gina is a little short on cash. I’ll tell her to contact Jill next time she stops by.”

“Great. Or tell her to stop by and see me. I gave her my business card the other day. I met her at the
Gazette
and showed her to the library. She’ll remember.”

Lara tugged the towel from her waistband and swept an area of the counter clear. “I gotta run, girl. Eat up.”

Carolanne finished her breakfast and then walked back down to the office, looking forward to the short day and the afternoon at the auction with Connor.

Once she cleared all the work from her desk, she sat there thinking about some of the things she needed to change in her life. She opened a new page in her notepad and wrote
balance
across the top. There was something to be said about life balance; she preached it to others all the time. Not that she practiced what she preached. Her whole life centered around her work.

Maybe that’s why I’m struggling with the slower pace. Maybe Connor’s right about me needing other things in my life. But what? Work has always been enough.

The words painted around the yoga studio played in her mind. She closed her eyes and thought about them and what she’d tell someone else about life balance.

Health. Family. Work. Play. Friends. Give.

She eyed the list and crossed out the words
family
and
play
, then reluctantly the word
give
. I’m healthy. But then, she knew
being
healthy and
living
healthy were not the same thing. She crossed that one out, too. Two out of six wasn’t a winning combination.

Health. Family. Work. Play. Friends. Give.

I’ve got work to do.

She crumpled the piece of paper and tossed it in the trash can next to her desk. Then she leaned over and retrieved the wadded paper and smoothed it back out.
Health will be easy. I already have that time to meet with Anita on Monday for the yoga. I could do some walking.

Family.
Even looking at that word was hard.

Harsh realities. Jill was right. I’ve never been good at dealing with them.

Carolanne folded the piece of paper and stuck it in her front pocket, then Googled information on the estate auction in Hale’s Vineyard. There were tons of items listed. She scrolled through some of them, then stopped and looked at the jewelry. Some of the pieces appeared to be quite old. She glanced at her watch. Connor would be back any time—why not close up early for the day?

Chapter Seven

Carolanne raised her number in the air for the fourth time in a row.

Connor nudged her. “Is that necklace worth that much money?”

“I have absolutely no idea.” She threw her bidder number up again. “It’s worth exactly what I’m willing to pay, right?” Carolanne leveled her stare on the bleached-blonde woman standing next to the fat guy who kept trying to outbid her on the antique pendant. “At this point, it’s the principle!”

Been there, done that.
Connor laughed. “All righty, then. Don’t get swept up in the competition of it, or you could way overspend.”

“Don’t spoil my fun. I didn’t spoil yours when you spent a fortune on that gun.”

“But that wasn’t just any gun, and it was still a steal.”
She’s tuning me out.

“Well, I really like this piece. It’s special.” She thrust her number in the air again. “I’ve got to have it.”

I know how you feel.

The couple at war with Carolanne over the necklace started muttering between themselves. That was a good sign they were
nearing the end of their purse strings. “One more time,” Connor encouraged Carolanne, “and don’t drop your arm.”

She threw her number in the air and didn’t lower it.

The auctioneer scanned the crowd for last bidders. “All in. All done. Sold to the little redhead.”

“It’s mine? I got it?”

“You did,” Connor said.

Carolanne pumped both fists in the air, then turned and hugged Connor. He could feel her heart pounding, and the scent of something mystically spicy and flowery all at the same time filled his head. “Thank you! I was getting ready to quit. You knew.”

“Shhhh.”

Carolanne shrank back, apologizing to the people sitting around them. “Sorry. I’m so excited.” She leaned close to Connor and whispered, “What do we do now?”

He took her hand and led her out of the room as the auctioneer began a round of bidding on a piece of nineteenth-century artwork.

“That was practically dizzying.” Carolanne could barely stand still.

“I’ve created a monster.”

Joy bubbled in her laugh. “You might have. Who knew this would be so much fun? Battling with that couple over the necklace—now, that was cool.”

“That’s because you love to win.”

“Guilty as charged,” she said.

Since the auction was still in full swing, the line to check out was short. Connor settled his tab, and then Carolanne did the same.

They both stepped over to the second counter, where they traded paid receipts for their goods. Connor walked out to his car while Carolanne waited for her jewelry.

He placed his rifle in the back of the car, then turned and leaned on the trunk lid just as Carolanne came out of the building.
She walked toward him, clutching a black velvet box like she was one of the three wise men offering up a gift.

“So, let me see this to-die-for necklace up close.”

Carolanne snapped open the jewelry box and held it out in front of him. A diamond-crusted bow hung from the center of a delicate chain, and below that, a stunning teardrop-shaped emerald matched the color of Carolanne’s eyes.

“White gold?” he asked.

“No. It’s platinum.” Carolanne’s hands shook as she lifted the chain out of the box.

“No wonder it was so expensive.”

She lifted the chain to put it on.

“Here. Let me.” He took the necklace from her.

Carolanne spun around with her back to him.

He took the delicate clasp between his fingers and then raised his hands up and over her head. The pendant settled just right at her cleavage. He could feel her racing heart as he hooked the chain. Then he unhooked the barrette that held her hair back and slowly pushed his fingers through the loops of her braid, freeing her rich auburn waves.

She turned around, taking a deep breath and looking up at him. “What do you think?”

He stared for just a second. Something innocent—hopeful, maybe—seemed to dance in her eyes.
That you’re the most beautiful girl I know.
He leaned forward and pulled her closer to press his lips to hers, then gently covered her mouth. He felt her shiver beneath his touch, and as he roused her passion, his own grew even stronger. Her response was undeniable, but she pulled away all of a sudden.