“Saint Valentine.”
“Ah, ya the cookie guy?”
“I think so?” Unless someone else has brought cookies.
Merv grins. “Thought so. Well, son, we’re a little packed in here, and Mikey’s rushing around like a chicken with her head cut off trying to get these cars fixed. Are ya okay waitin’ ‘round for a bit?”
“Yeah, sure. I don’t have anywhere important to be.”Lies.I should be at the shop or my house proofing dough and preparing pudding for tomorrow, but… I can just wake up extra early.
“I bet ya don’t,” Merv grumbles, grabbing a clipboard and the familiar paperwork. “Gimme your keys and fill this out. I’ll get ya back as soon as possible."
“Thank you.” I take the clipboard, hand over my keys, and quickly fill out the paperwork then hand it back to Merv, who shuffles out the door.
As soon as I sit down, I pull my phone out and send a text to Ruby.
Saint: I’m going to be here for a while. Everything good there?
Ruby: *side eye emoji* Where have you been disappearing to?
Saint: *shrug emoji* None of your business.
Ruby: It sure the hell is when you’re leaving me to man the café AND the bakery more in the last six months than you ever have.
Ruby: Is it a woman? Are you seeing someone?! If you are, I’m going to kick your ass for keeping it from me.
I haven’t toldRuby about Mikey. I’ve only confided in Slater because I needed his expertise. If Ruby knew I was driving almost two hours away and purposely breaking my van to talk to the pretty mechanic I think is the love of my life, she’d call me crazy.
And she wouldn’t be wrong.
Saint: No. Just running errands, but the thing I need won’t be ready for a few more hours. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way back.
Ruby: Fine. Drive safe. You owe me.
Saint: I know. Thank you.
I oweRuby not only for manning our business alone every time I’ve come to Salem but also for keeping secrets from her. We don’t do that with each other. We’re the only family we have now, and we promised to always be open and honest.
It’s not out of the ordinary for me to run errands in a bigger city to get supplies, but I try to keep it to a minimum. I only go every six months or so, once a year if I can help it. To be leaving the shop three times in six months is unheard of. I don’t like leaving the bakery or Cupid’s Cove.
What if Mikey doesn’t like Cupid’s Cove?
I shake the thought away. We haven’t even gone on a date, so I shouldn’t be worrying if she’ll like my quirky little town.
As soon as I think her name, she bursts through the door of the shop. She does a double take when she sees me, and I give her a small wave. Her eyes widen, and she smooths down a hair that’s come out of her braid before she fixes her face into a smile and addresses the woman with the little girl.
“All right, Mrs. Roper, your van is all done. I replaced the tie rods, so you shouldn’t hear that weird clanking sound anymore.”
“Our van won’t splode?” the little girl asks.
Mikey squats down so she’s eye level with her. “Nope. I fixed it so your van is all better.”
The girl’s mouth drops open. “Youfixeded our car? I thought only boys fixed cars.”
Mikey smiles indulgently at her, leaning in like she’s telling her top secret information. “Girls can fix cars, too.”
“Mommy, I want to fix cars when I grow up just like her!”
“That sounds like a great idea, baby.” She turns to Mikey. “How much do I owe you?”
