My Sweet Valentine (10 page)

After cleaning up Beast's mess, Allen finished setting up the dog bed and toys he'd purchased in the mudroom. The puppy spent the next few hours sniffing around the house, trying to mark anything he could. Allen knew all too well how to train a dog and right before bedtime he placed Beast back in the laundry room and shut the door. Immediately the whining started, and half an hour later, he progressed to howling. By the time Allen was showered and sitting down to watch the evening news, the dog had fallen quiet. But when the TV turned on, the barking started again.

Allen walked over to the door and opened it. Beast sat on his bottom looking up at him with his tongue rolling out his mouth. There was a huge smile on the puppy’s face, if Allen had ever seen one.

“Fine, you can come out and watch the news with me. But no more messes on my floor. And you go right back in when I go upstairs to bed. Is that understood?” The puppy looked at him and then walked between his legs and into the living room.

An hour later, after cleaning up two more accidents, Allen headed upstairs and lay in bed listening to the puppy bark. He tossed and turned for the first half hour, then finally got up and brought Beast in bed with him. The small dog turned three circles then lay next to him on his giant bed and closed his eyes.

“Just this once, buddy. We are not going to make a habit out of this. I've got an early morning and you'll just have to get used to your new room.” The dog looked up at him for a second, then went back to sleep.

Allen tried to roll over, but the eight-pound puppy was lying on his legs and felt like a ton of bricks. How is it he had the largest bed known to man, yet one small dog could take up so much room?

“
W
hat about this one?” Allison stood next to a small desk in one of the largest antique stores in Edgeview. Sara walked over to it and looked down. The desk looked solid, but there were a few scratches on the top. Nothing that couldn't be sanded out. She didn't like the light stain either, but supposed once she sanded it she could always stain it a darker color. The size was right and she liked the design. Taking out her measuring tape from her purse, she checked that it would fit in her small office.

“Yes, it's perfect.” She smiled at her friend. “Now all I need is a chair.” She looked around the room. “Maybe we can find something over there.” Sara marked the desk with a yellow tag to show that the item was taken then followed Allison into a smaller room that had over a hundred old chairs.

It was just after lunch and so far that morning they had already found four small, round maple tables for the front eating area, and two high-top tables that matched. Then she'd stumbled upon the perfect mission-slat-backed chairs. There had even been some higher ones for the high-top tables. She'd purchased a few extra chairs and decided to make a mock waiting area for custom orders.

Now all they needed was an office chair for her and a small table for just inside the door where customers could place their dirty dishes and silverware.

“Are you really going to make breakfast sandwiches?” Allison asked as she turned a chair around to get a better look at it.

“That's the plan. I've got this recipe for these yummy honey bread buns that go great with eggs and ham. I'll also have bacon and turkey sausage, but I like them with ham the best.” Sara sat in a chair, trying it out, but when she leaned back, the entire chair almost fell over. Shaking her head, she got up and continued looking.

“What about custom cakes? Like wedding cakes? Have you done a wedding cake yet?” Allison looked eager.

“You're already married, silly.” She smiled at her friend.

“Not for me.” Allison rolled her eyes. “I spent weeks drawing my own wedding cake, but I found I just didn't have the talent for it.” Her friend smiled and pointed to a dark cherry chair, the same color she'd been thinking she would stain the desk.

“Oh, it's perfect.” They walked toward it, “Let's just hope it's as comfortable as it is beautiful.”

When she sat down in it, she closed her eyes and sighed. This was what she'd been thinking of. Dreaming of. This was a chair she could sit and relax in for a few minutes and do some paperwork in. She held her breath as she leaned back a little, testing the chair out. When it leaned back smoothly and stopped short of tipping her out backwards, she tried the swivel and was rewarded with a smooth ride.

“Perfection.” She smiled at her friend.

“Good, now we can get all this delivered and go have a cup of coffee.”

An hour later, they sat in Starbucks on the busy side of Edgeview. It was right by the hospital and the large windows overlooked the emergency room doors.

“I didn't know they'd opened this up here.” Sara frowned a little. “Didn't this used to be a gas station?”

Allison laughed. “Yes, but shortly before Conner was born, they opened this up. It's in a perfect location, I think.” Her friend looked out towards the hospital. “I was just here the other day.” Allison chewed her bottom lip.

“Oh? Is everything okay? Nothing wrong with Conner is there?”

“No,” Her friend shook her head and smiled. “We were getting an ultrasound.”

“Ultrasound? You mean…you’re pregnant?” When Allison nodded her head, Sara jumped up and hugged her.

“Oh, congratulations. How far? What sex? I'm asking too many questions.” She laughed.

“I'm fifteen weeks. According to the ultrasound and the nurse on duty, we're having a girl. But Iian keeps saying it's a boy.” She laughed as she pulled out her cell phone. “Maybe you can tell? I can never make heads or tails out of these pictures. Even the artist in me can't see anything but a blob.”

Sara looked at the screen and could see clearly that Iian was right. “It looks like a blob to me. A wonderful, beautiful blob. I'm so happy for you two. Does everyone know?”

She shook her head. “Just the family. We figured we'd tell a few people and let it get out. So feel free to spread the word.”

“If you wanted the word spread in Pride, all you'd have to do is mention it while shopping at Patty's.” They both laughed.

“How do you think we told everyone we were pregnant the first time? Megan and I talked about it while buying diapers for Sara.” They laughed.

“Is it true that you and Allen are an item?” Allison leaned closer over the table.

Sara rolled her eyes. “I knew Patty would spread that one around. I don't know what we are, but I can tell you I've never been kissed like that before.” Sara smiled, then gasped. “Oh, that reminds me. He's taking me to the Christmas party this week. I haven't even gotten a dress yet.”

Allison clapped her hands. “Goodie, dress shopping. I had a dress picked out, but I think I'm already too big for it.” She held her hands over her stomach and Sara could see the small bump now.

“What do you say we stop by Jasmine's boutique? I bet they'll have the prefect dresses for us.”

“Sounds great. I bought my prom dress there.”

“So did I.” Sara laughed.

By the time Allison dropped her off at home, she was exhausted. Her car had been picked up by Rusty first thing that morning with a promise he'd have it back to her by the next morning. She was dying to go into the shop, but decided to try a new cupcake recipe she'd been tossing around. Her menu was pretty much set already, but she wanted to do weekly specials. She carried her new black dress and heels up to her room then got to work in the kitchen. Her mother was sitting in her usual spot, eyes glued to the computer screen.

“Mom, what do you do all day on that thing?” she asked as she pulled out the pans.

“Internet porn.” Her mother chuckled when Sara gasped. “No, I'm just gambling your inheritance away, dear.”

Sara stopped and put her hands on her hips and glared at the back of her mother's head.

Her mother turned around and smiled at her. “If you must know…As you know, I've been running my own accounting firm for the past few years. Well, I've gotten a couple of high-paying clients and at this point, I've been contacted by a company in San Antonio. They'd like to buy me out and I'm giving it some serious thought. I'm tired of sitting in this corner, working ten hours a day.” Her mother leaned back and closed her eyes. “I want to be on a beach somewhere, with young studs handing me fruity drinks.” Sara smiled and could just picture her mother harassing the staff.

“You should do it.” She pulled out the butter and eggs from the refrigerator.

“Not yet. At least not until after Becca is taken care of.” Her mother's smile dropped a little and she turned back around and started clicking on her keyboard.

Sara had never really thought about the responsibilities her mother must have faced alone. She'd always thought of her mother as a flake. Never really cooking a good, healthy dinner for her or Becca. She'd never thought that the reason was she'd been too busy working to take the time out. She'd never once asked her mother what she wanted.

“I'm sorry, Mom.” Sara set everything down and walked over to kiss her mother's cheek. “We appreciate all that you've done for us.”

Her mother reached up and patted Sara's hand, which rested on her shoulder. “I love you girls. I'm so proud of you for starting this bakery. Just don't let it get in the way of life. You're still young. You should have some fun while you can.” Her mother's smile widened. “That Allen Masters looks like he could show you a good time.”

“Mother!” Sara pulled her hand away and turned her back on her mother. She didn't want her to see her flaming cheeks.

“What? Just because I'm old doesn’t mean I didn't see the sparks flying from his eyes when he looked at you.”

“
Really, you make him sound like some sort of demon.” Sara laughed at the cartoon image of her and Allen, sparks and fire flying from his eye sockets when he looked at her.

Her mother sighed and turned back to her computer. “All I'm saying is take some time to stop and smell the roses. You'll regret not doing so when you’re my age.”

Her mother's statement played over and over in her mind a few days later as she balanced the large container of cupcakes, her laptop, her purse, and a steaming cup of coffee as she walked from her newly windshielded car to the front door of the bakery. Juggling everything, she unlocked the front door and knew immediately something was wrong.

The sound of water running caused her to set everything down and rush to the back room. Her mind raced to images of the roof leaking again. What she saw when she got there shocked her to her core: The room was destroyed and the back door was kicked in where someone had broken in.