“Sorry I’m late.”Bella slides into the seat I saved her.
“’Bout time.I practically had to fight people away from the damn thing.”No joke.There’s not an inch of space in this room.I arrived an hour early to get us seats and they aren’t anywhere near the front.No worries.We’re on the aisle so we can see whoever goes up to talk about their ideas.
Handing me a white paper bag, she smiles.“Here.Peace offering.”
I open the top of the bag and smell deliciousness.“Ooh.You made your homemade caramel corn.”I reach in and take a morsel and pop it into my mouth.Mm.Good.“You’re forgiven.”
I lean out into the aisle a bit to see what’s happening.“There’s even a microphone.We’ll be able to hear everything.”
“Awesome,” Bella says, chewing on her sweet treat.
“Who would like to go first?”Kitty says loudly.When no one makes a move, I frown.There’s two hundred people in this room and nobody wants to share their ideas on ways we can bilk the poor people who wander into our little flytrap we call Zodiac Hills?
“I’ll go.”Bella stands, raising her hand.
“What the…?”I’m sincerely shocked.“Bella?”She looks back at me and winks.
“Bella Truman.”Kitty hits her hammer onto the block.“Please come up to the microphone.”
Bella hands me her bag of popcorn and steps past my legs and out into the aisle.I’m tempted to eat hers instead of mine, but I’m riveted by the recent developments.I lean out and watch her walk to the mic.She’s wearing one of her cute summer dresses.This one is white with yellow and blue flowers all over it, and she’s matched up her sandals to go with the blue.
When she gets up front, she taps the mic.“Is this thing on?”
I snort at her words because that’s a running joke with us, only we say it about anything that has a power cord.
Yeah.I know.It’s only funny to us.
When I hear the tapping of her finger on the sensitive microphone, I know it is, in fact, on.“Well, first of all, I’d like to remind everyone to stop into Bella’s Bakery this Saturday.I’ll be introducing a brand-new pastry called Lou Lou’s Pecan Crisp.”
Oh, shit.She named a treat after me?I know I’m blushing.Plus, what a clever way to promote herself.She’s a smart cookie.
“Get there early.Trust me, they’re delicious.”
“Thank you, Bella,” Bill Schumacher says, beaming at her.
“All right.What I plan to do, if this show does what you think it’s going to do….”
“It will,” someone in the audience shouts.
“Right.”Bella nods.“I’m going to make cookies with each of the signs.Sugar, I believe, with royal icing.I’m also thinking shortbread, but I’ll work out the details soon.”
“Great idea,” Bill Schumacher says loudly.“What a clever idea.”
It’s notthatclever.
“Wonderful.Thank you, Bella.”Kitty hits the hammer once.“Next.”
By the time Bella sits next to me, we’ve already heard one idea from Joe, the owner and bartender of Brother’s Place.He’s going to make signature cocktails for each sign.Different vodka drinks that will each be a different color and flavor.
Sounds yummy.
Leaning over, I whisper to Bella, “You could have warned me you were going up there.”
“And spoil the surprise?”I get her smile.“Your expression was worth it.”
“And could Bill Schumacher be any more in love with you?”
“Stop.He is not.”
