Cindy Bates and I lived two houses down from each other until we finished elementary school. She and I were inseparable until her family moved to a neighboring town.
“What are you doing here? I thought you guys all put down roots over in Shelburn.”
“We did. My house is still over there, but I am thinking about opening up a shop here in Lilly Leaf Falls.”
“Shop? What kind of shop?” I ask.
“Cookies. I own a whole slew of stores across the Pacific Northwest.”
“No shit?” I ask. “That’s great.”
She takes out a business card out of a purse that I’m sure cost more than my car and hands it to me. Well, I’ll be damned. Cindy Bates has business cards. I remember when she used to get in trouble in school for pulling her dress over her head and showing all the boys her underpants.
“I’ve always loved this town,” she says. “I think a cookie shop would work wonderfully here, and now that I’m back, I really miss this place. Maybe my husband and I will get a second house in town.”
“Oh, you’re married?” I don’t know why I’m questioning that. She’s fucking stunning.
“I am!” She holds out her hand to give me a peek at the enormous ring on her finger. “He plays for the Seattle Seahawks.”
“Wow,” I stammer. “A football player. Good for you.”
“Yeah, it’s a little hard with the kids since we both travel so much, but we make it work.”
“Kids? As in plural?”
She nods. “We have four.”
If I had a drink of something in my mouth right now, it would have shot out through my nose when she told me that. Four kids? Good lord.
With a smile, she says, “What about you? What’s going on in your life? I remember last time I heard your name, someone was telling me you were off traveling the world.”
“Something like that.” My lips try to form into a small grin, but I’m sure it’s coming off more like I’m in pain. “I traveled for a while, but I just couldn’t find anything that made me want to stay in one place for too long, so I decided to come home.”
“That’s great! Did you find that something here? Are you married?”
Oh, she’s just full of the questions.
“No, not married. Just dating, but I have a really great boyfriend. He just asked me to move in with him.” As I say the words, I’m wondering if they sound as pathetic as they do in my head.
“Do you have any kids?”
“Nope. No kids.”
“What are you doing for work?”
More questions.
“Uh, I’m kind of between things right now. I was working at the auto shop for my brother-in-law for a bit, and then, I was helping my parents out at Andre’s. But neither one ofthose things are really panning out, so I’m going to try to find something else.”
I hate that I’m being so honest with her, but in a small town, I know I couldn’t get away with lying—-especially if she’s going to open up a shop here. it would be pretty obvious if I lied and I actually wasn’t engaged to the prince of Spain or something.
“Oh, well, good for you!” She says, trying to sound as chipper as possible. “It must be nice to be able to do whatever you want. I kind of miss that stage in my life.”
Sure, you do.
She pulls out a pen and writes her email and personal cell phone number on the back of another business card. As she hands it to me, she says, “How about when I get the shop going, you can come work it? I’m always looking for a new cookie baker.”
I can’t help but laugh. “If you want me baking cookies, I hope you have really good insurance.”
