Raspberry Kisses (The Bakery Romance Series Book 1) (17 page)

Chapter Sixteen

Rhea opened her eyes and peeked at the alarm clock. Five in the morning. Staying up late the previous evening with Martin, baking desserts, and now getting up early, she really needed more sleep. What was she going to do? She’d been up, off and on, all night, thinking about the time she’d spent with Martin, working in the kitchen.

She couldn’t get him off of her mind. But, there was no way she could allow herself to act on these feelings. She couldn’t make a move on Martin since Raven claimed she was in love with him.

Or could she? She sat up, her feet dropping to the floor, the blanket tumbling off the bed. How could she even consider doing that? Just thinking about all that she’d been through, being married to Stan, proved a cold reminder as to why she needed to steer clear of Martin. They had a business relationship – that was it.

But, if that was it, then why did it feel as if her and Martin shared a much deeper connection? She pulled the blanket off of the floor, rested her head on the pillow. Maybe she could get a couple of hours sleep in before church. But, torrid thoughts rushed through her mind like tumbleweeds blowing in the wind. She finally got up, trudged to her kitchen, started a pot of coffee. She approached her windowsill herb garden, and sniffed. The rustic scents of cilantro, basil and oregano filled her nose, making her feel a bit better. She fingered her herbs and watered them.

Once her coffee had been percolated, she poured a cup and sat at the kitchen table and read her devotional. After consuming two cups of coffee and some toast, she got herself ready for church. She placed the previous evening’s cookies and tarts onto two huge platters, covering them in plastic wrap.

When she arrived at her morning Bible study at church, she spotted Dana, one of the study group members, brewing coffee in the back of the room. As soon as Dana saw the treats, her eyes widened. “Those look delicious! I don’t want to wait until after the Bible study to try those.”

“Why don’t we try some now?” They usually ate a snack after Bible study, but, Rhea didn’t see why they couldn’t enjoy the sweets before the Bible study started. Knowing how anxious she’d been, she’d probably have a hard time concentrating on the Bible study. During the study, she’d be wondering if the group liked the desserts.

Dana un-wrapped the platter and selected an apple tart. She bit into the treat, her red-painted lips curling into a smile. “Girl, these are delicious! That crust is so flaky that it melts in your mouth!” She gobbled the tart before selecting a cookie. “You’re going to make me break my diet.” She patted her ample hips, consuming the cookie in two bites.

Wow, if everybody in the Bible study group enjoyed her desserts this much, then, maybe there was hope of revamping her bakery after all. Maybe her sales would skyrocket and she would no longer be in the red.

Several of the Bible study members entered the room, spotting the tray of treats. In minutes, the 10-person group had consumed an entire tray of treats. Dana had to start another pot of coffee.

One person in her study group arrived a bit late, seeing the others eating the desserts. “Those look good.”

“Have some.” Rhea gestured toward the platter.

She shook her head. “I can’t. I’m diabetic. Have you ever thought about making some sugar-free desserts?”

Rhea nodded. She’d tried a few recipes using artificial sweetener, but, she did not think the flavor was as vivid as it should be. Maybe Martin could help her enhance her sugar-free recipe. “I’m still experimenting on a recipe.”

“Well, as soon as you’ve perfected that recipe, I’ll be your guinea pig,” she said with a smile.

The group leader arrived, and it was time to start the study.

Since Martin’s desserts were a big hit, then maybe she should listen to him about his other suggestions. Could she really turn her tiny bakery into a café, serving desserts and sandwiches? The thought twirled through her mind during the entire Bible study, but she still could not get used to the idea.

*

Martin pushed the door open to the cabin-style, rustic coffee shop. Patrons lined up at the counter, placing their orders. Young people, some he assumed were college students, occupied the rough, wooden tables, typing on laptops. Some had earphones in their ears, swaying to the rhythm of their music while they downed cups of coffee.

He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. Would Raven ask him about his feelings for Rhea? Did she somehow know how he felt? How would he get through this meeting if she asked him about that?

He scanned the small place. Where was Raven? Maybe her doctor’s appointment was running a little late. The door to the ladies room screeched open and Raven hobbled out, using a pair of wooden crutches.

She glanced up and saw him. Dark circles were under her eyes. Why did she look so tired? Hadn’t she been sleeping well? She seemed thinner, more fragile. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she resembled Rhea so much that his heart tugged.

Her cheeks appeared sunken and she wore a loose-fitting T-shirt and shorts. Her leg was in a brace. She grimaced.

Taking his time, he approached her. “What’s the matter?”

“My ribs hurt and I need to take my pain medicine. I’d forgotten about our meeting. I finally remembered when my friend reminded me when she dropped me off at the doctor’s office.”

“Really?” She’d forgotten about their meeting? That was weird. She’d been so pressed, calling him, wanting to speak with him, that he’d assumed she’d been looking forward to seeing him. Maybe she’d been feeling sick, and that’s why the meeting was no longer a priority for her.

Maybe her forgetting their meeting proved that she no longer had feelings for him! Could that possibly be? What a relief if she finally understood that they’d never had a romantic relationship. Inwardly, he cheered, relief flowing through him like warm honey. Maybe they would not be talking about his feelings for Rhea after all!

She patiently stood with her crutches, grimacing.

“I’m sorry.” He’d been so preoccupied that he’d forgotten his manners. “Come on, let’s sit.” He chose the table closest to the bathroom so that she wouldn’t have far to walk. He pulled out her chair and she plopped into it, her mouth set in a tense line. He took her crutches, leaned them against the wall.

“Did you want to meet another time?”

“No. Could you do me a favor? Could you get me some water?”

“Okay.” He approached the counter, ordered a bottle of water for Raven and he got himself a cup of coffee. He returned to the table, eyeing her prescription bottle. “Is this your pain medicine?”

“Yes, it’s pretty strong.”
Perhaps the medicine was so strong that it made her forgetful? Was that possible? Curious, he lifted the bottle, glad when she didn’t object. The medicine was supposed to be taken with food. She grabbed the water bottle from his hand. “Thank you,” she gushed. He gave her the container of pills and she opened it, removed a tablet and popped it into her mouth before guzzling the water.

“Did you want something to eat?”

She groaned. “No. I need to watch what I eat since I’m not working out like I used to.”

“But, you’re supposed to take your medicine with food.”

She waved his comment away. “You sound like Rhea. When she returned from the retreat, she made me spaghetti and meatballs.” She made a face, scrunching her nose.

Why was she upset because Rhea had made her a meal? “What’s wrong with that? Your sister is worried about you and she wants you to take care of yourself.”

“Yeah, but Rhea knows me. She knows I’m watching what I eat. I’m only eating salad and meat while I’m waiting for my leg to heal. No carbs.”

Martin shook his head. Didn’t Raven realize she needed to take better care of herself? Would she share what the doctor had told her during her appointment? He doubted it. Besides, if he’d asked how her doctor’s visit had went, she’d probably misunderstand his concern, mistakenly thinking he had romantic feelings toward her. But, he needed to know if she was okay. Maybe it would be best for her to go home and rest, and they could meet another time. “How’re you feeling?”

“Rotten. That medicine makes me loopy. Plus, it makes me irritated, but it takes the pain away.”

“Did you eat the spaghetti that Rhea made for you?”

She paused, nodding.

“Did you feel better when you ate it?”

She sighed. “Yes, but I’m afraid of getting big. The last thing I want is to blow up like Rhea.” Her voice filled with disdain.

There was nothing wrong with Rhea’s size. He loved the flare of her hips, which contrasted nicely with her small waist. But, he wasn’t here to advocate Rhea’s attributes. He needed to get to the bottom of Raven’s phone calls.

Raven needed to be in a better mood so that they could talk. If she ate something, she’d probably feel better. Resisting the urge to grumble, he went to the counter and ordered her a sandwich.

He returned to the table with her food, setting the plate in front of her.

“I didn’t ask you to get me a sandwich.”

Was she always this irritable when she was hungry? “You’re probably starving. Just eat. I’d wanted to talk to you, but I don’t want to talk to you if you’re not in a good mood.”

She eyed the food before gobbling it down within minutes. She then guzzled her water. When she was done with her meal, she leaned back against the chair, closing her eyes. He cleared his throat, and her eyes popped open. “Feeling better now?”

She nodded. When she remained silent, he continued. “Look, I know we spent some time together.”

“We went out four times, and it was great. Didn’t you have a good time when we dated?” Her voice had turned whiny and Martin inwardly cringed. “I made you laugh, and laughter is good.”

She made a good point about laughter. Raven could be funny at times, but, that didn’t mean he was interested in her as a future mate. “Yes, laughter is good, but…” How could he say this diplomatically? “I know we spent time together, but we never dated.”

She scowled, narrowing her eyes. “We did date. You were attracted to me. You spent time with me every week.” She eyed him from head to toe, pausing. “When a man spends time with a woman regularly, that means he’s interested.”

Why was she being so difficult? Did she really not understand
why
he’d spent so much time with her? “I never meant to give you that impression and I apologize if you misunderstood what I was doing.”

She pressed her lips into a tight line, glaring at him. “What do you mean?”

He blew air through his lips, choosing his words carefully. “We weren’t dating, and I think you know that.” He paused, glanced at her a few times. “You had a lot of questions about God and salvation. You were struggling about accepting Christ. Part of a pastor’s job is ministering to others, helping them find Jesus.” He looked directly into her caramel-colored eyes. “That’s all I was doing.”

“You can’t deny you were attracted to me.” Whew, what a change in her voice! No longer whiny, her words practically dripped with icicles. He paused, taking in her cold, calculating tone. What was she up to, now?

There was no way he’d tell her that he thought she was beautiful. He was sure most men would agree that Raven’s flawless cocoa-brown skin and slim, gorgeous figure were appealing. “To me, attraction is more than just physical appearance. I can’t date a woman unless she’s a Christian. It goes against my beliefs to be with a woman who doesn’t share my faith in Jesus.”

“Humph.” She waved his comment away. “I don’t believe you. Most men want a good-looking woman on their arm, a woman who looks like me.”

Raven was probably one of the most vainest people he’d ever met. Her constant reminders about her good looks spoiled his mood. Did she act this way whenever she went out on dates? Did she honestly think that her good looks were her only appealing attribute? How sad if that were true. Rhea had mentioned that Raven was smart, good with numbers, an adept accountant. If she thrived so much at her job, then, why did she never mention her work? 

He needed to be careful about how he handled this conversation. “I know you’ve been calling me a lot lately, and I’ve been too busy to call you back.” He paused, trying to find the right words. “But, I just wanted to tell you that it’s probably best if you stop.”

She folded her thin arms in front of her chest. “You just said you were interested in helping me find Jesus. Now you’re saying not to call you anymore. Were you lying about saving my soul?”

He closed his eyes for a few seconds.
Lord, help me with this woman.
“No, I wasn’t lying. I was going to suggest you contact my father or one of the deacons with your questions.” Had she been listening to a word he’d said? He checked the clock on the wall, trying to avoid her cold, calculating stare. “You know the address for the church’s website. You’ll find their phone numbers there.” Still, she said nothing. “They’ll be happy to help you. I’ll tell them to expect your call.”

“Are you seeing somebody else?”

Oh, no, she had to go there and ask that question. He thought he’d been off the hook, not having to tell Raven about his feelings for Rhea. Now, how should he answer her question? He was falling in love with Rhea, but they weren’t officially
seeing
one another, were they?