Parker gave him a wide-mouthed wink, then looked at Wilder. “Do you have any more of the fizzy gin ones?”
Parker looked disdainfully at the display case and frowned. “Banana?”
“That one was a tester. I haven’t got the recipe right yet.”
“Cherry?”
“Also no.”
“What’s that one?” Parker jabbed his finger at the glass.
“Vanilla,” Wilder answered.
“Anything but,” he said, “but fine.”
“One?” Wilder pushed Theo out of the way and opened the display case, grabbing one of the remaining vanilla cupcakes out from behind the glass.
“Two. My husband would be sad.”
“Two it is.” Wilder arranged them in a small box and folded the lid down, sealing it with a sticker and setting it on the counter.
Parker narrowed his eyes at Theo and asked, “Did you have something for me too?”
Theo bent down and rummaged around, pulling out a beat up looking bag, which he passed to Parker over the counter.
“What’s in there?” Leonidas asked with a smirk. “More bagels?”
“Really?” Wilder feigned disgust. “You’re trafficking black market bagels throughmybakery?”
“It used to be Levi’s, so it’s fine.” Parker explained.
Wilder rolled his eyes and took Parker’s money just the same.
“Ronan also said to tell you that he left something for you on the porch,” Parker said, pushing his sunglasses back up over his eyes. “I don’t know what that means and I’m not sure I want to.”
“I don’t either,” Leonidas said with a shrug. “But thanks for letting me know.”
Parker slipped out the door and Leonidas bought the last cupcake from Wilder and ate it on his way back to the lake. When he reached the cabin, he found a large paper bag on the porch, with the top rolled down. He picked it up and went into the cabin, then opened the bag.
He couldn’t stop himself from laughing at two sets of clean sheets and a box of grocery store wine. A small notecard slipped onto his lap and he picked it up, reading the obvious doctor-scrawled message.
I heard your man is coming home, so make a mess but don’t spill the wine.
Love, Ronan.
PS. Not really Ronan.
PPS. Parker.
Leonidas laughed, dumping the card and the bag into the trash. Then he went into the bathroom and fought not to come as he pulled the thick, black plug out of his ass and got ready for bed.
31
Andy
“And here you go.”
The cab driver pulled up the gravel road that led to the cabin. Andy swiped his credit card through the unit behind the glass separator, tapped the button to leave a tip, and pushed open the back door.
