Travis emptied the batter into the cupcake pans and put the pans in the oven. “Don’t blame yourself, Bethany. I don’t. Even if we have to close the business, no one can ever take our memories from us. We keep those memories alive whenever we make the old recipes.”
“What do you mean,if? Are you still holding out hope? There is none, Brother. Better let it go now.”
“There’s always hope. You never know what can happen.”
Bethany shrugged. If Travis wanted to keep hope alive for a little while longer, who was she to burst his bubble.
While Travis washed the dishes, Bethany turned on the mixer and sifted in powdered sugar a little at a time until familiar peaks began to form in the buttercream frosting. “Ido blame myself for the restaurant closing,” she said. “None of this was your fault. It pains me you’ll suffer the consequences too.”
“I’m okay. Closing Grandma Lou’s is hitting you harder than me. You’re the one who inherited Mom and Grandma’s cooking skills. I’m just your sidekick. If it weren’t for Desmond, you would have been set to keep this place running forever. Besides, think of all the cake I’ve gotten to eat over the past few years.”
As if Travis had ordered it to happen, the timer went off on the oven, indicating the cupcakes were done. Bethany grabbed the hot pads to remove the pans, and then she and Travis played cards and waited for the cupcakes to cool. By the time the dishes were back in the large plastic container, and they had resumed their seats on the stools, the cupcakes were ready to frost and eat.
“You first,” Travis said, pointing to the nearest cupcake.
“Nope. We’ll do it at the same time.” She handed her brother his own. “On the count of three. One, two?—”
A pounding sounded at the front door, and Bethany set down the cupcake and looked at Travis. “Who could that be?”
Travis quirked his eyebrow and stood. “I don’t know. Let’s go find out.”
Bethany reached the door first and opened it. “Elizabeth? I’m sorry, but we’re closed.”
Elizabeth’s hair was so windblown, it looked like she’d won a race. “Can I come in? Please, I’d like to talk to you.”
Bethany gestured for Elizabeth to step inside. She was followed by Susan Winchester, the reporter fromChannel Ten News, the cameraman from last time, and dozens of spectators, some of whom Bethany recognized as customers. “What’s going on?” Bethany asked, the hair on the back ofher arms rising as if in revolt. The last thing she wanted was to be on camera. She didn’t care if she never saw another one in her lifetime.
“I owe you a heartfelt apology. I’ve made a terrible mistake,” Elizabeth said.
“What’s with all the cameras?” Travis asked, beating Bethany to the question.
“I’ve asked them here.” Elizabeth stood by the counter, turning to face the camera. “I have a confession to make, and I want to be sure it’s recorded and shared on television.”
“Why?”
“You’ll understand in a moment. Trust me, there’s a good reason.”
Bethany couldn’t imagine what would be good enough to require a news story she would welcome, but Elizabeth had already turned to Susan Winchester.
“Let’s roll.”
Susan smiled at the camera. “As we reported earlier in the week, Grandma Lou’s Kitchen and Pantry, and its owners, Bethany and Travis Parker, were eliminated from being named the winners in a national baking competition sponsored by Fresh & Easy, makers of high-end cooking utensils. Up for grabs? Five hundred thousand dollars in prize money. Today, this story has taken an amazing turn, with Bethany Parker’s entry being reinstated, and the Chef King’s integrity being called into question.”
Bethany’s stomach churned like her mixer, starting out slowly and moving into high speed. She stared at Susan Winchester, trying to make sense of the reporter’s words. Her heartbeat stuttered, her thoughts frozen in space and time.
Susan turned to Elizabeth and held the microphone infront of her. “I’m here with Hank Haverill’s publicist, Elizabeth Fortenay, who first reported the thievery, resulting in Grandma Lou’s entry being disqualified. Elizabeth, can you describe for our viewers how you figured out the Chef King had stolen the Parkers’ family recipe?”
Bethany and Travis leaned forward like spectators at a racetrack.
Elizabeth held up a piece of paper, which all eyes, and the camera, zoomed in on.Grandma Lou’s recipe!How had it landed in Elizabeth’s hands?
“I met the Chef King, Desmond Mitchell, when I was in town assisting my client, Hank Haverill, with his newest business interest. Hank had purchased the historic Parker building as an investment. Bethany Parker, one of the former owners, mentioned the contest on more than one occasion to Hank and me, so we were well aware that she intended to enter her grandmother’s recipe in the contest.”
Bethany strained to hear Elizabeth even though the place was so quiet you could have heard a whisper.
“But in my conversations with Desmond, he described the recipe to a tee and insisted it was his paternal grandmother’s, whose name was Louise Mitchell. He told me he’d shared it on his television show not too long ago and sent me a link to the episode, so I knew what he said was true. I took the Parkers’ only copy of the recipe in their grandmother’s handwriting, intending to return it to the person I believed was the rightful owner, Desmond Mitchell.”
Bethany gasped. Travis looked like he was going to kick someone. Bethany laid a restraining hand on his arm.
