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She wanted that. To be his friend. She missed him too.
“Quit staring at your phone and just call him, why don’t you?” Kelly hugged her around her middle from behind and rested her chin on her shoulder. “Tell him you want him back. That you were confused and made a mistake.”
Katie slipped her phone back into her apron. “I didn’t make a mistake.”
“But I liked Cam,” her aunt protested, rocking her from side to side.
“Me too.”
Kelly let her go to pull a batch of pumpkin muffins out of the oven. The baking for the shop was usually left to Stacy—that was her thing, but she was conspicuously absent this morning. Katie didn’t have classes on Fridays, so she agreed to come in early and help out. It wasn’t like she had anything better to do, right?
“So, what’s up with Stace?” Katie assembled the ingredients to make cream cheese frosting while the muffins cooled. “Where is she?”
Kelly let out a long sigh and perched herself on a stool. “I was going to tell you tonight.” She blew at a lock of honey-colored hair that fell into her eyes. “Stacy’s moving out.”
“What?” Katie was stunned. She hadn’t seen that coming. “But why?”
“We broke up.” One shoulder lifted in a shrug. “That’s all.”
Katie set the bowl on the table and went to hug her aunt. Kelly’s head rested on her shoulder and she combed Katie’s hair with her fingers. How had she not known something was wrong? She never liked the woman, so maybe she just ignored all the signs.
“I’ve known for a while. She’s, ah, opening a bed and breakfast in Door County with her new friend.”
Ohhh.
“She has movers coming this morning.” Kelly lifted her head from Katie’s shoulder and gave her a wan smile. “I’m interviewing a baker—someone who can help you and me run this place, yeah?”
Katie nodded. “Yeah.”
Considering Stacy and Kelly had been together for a few years, she would have expected her aunt to be more upset than she appeared to be, and for some reason it worried her that she wasn’t. “You okay?”
“I’m fine, sweetie.” She scooted off the stool. “You will be too.”
Kelly went upstairs to the loft. Katie didn’t know if it was to get Stacy’s keys from her or to say goodbye, but she saw the moving truck roll out onto First Avenue about thirty minutes ago and she still hadn’t reappeared. Maybe Kelly needed some time alone. She could understand that. It was that slow time in the afternoon anyway. Katie could handle things here without her.
She had just finished topping two hot chocolates with whipped cream for a lady and her little boy dressed up as Spiderman, when Chloe came through the door like a gust of wind pushing a stroller. It looked like the girl she’d introduced as her sister a few months ago was with her. Oddly, there was no family resemblance between the two of them whatsoever—like none. Zero. The only thing they had in common is they were both stunningly beautiful.
Chloe reached the counter, unwinding her scarf and out of breath. “Hey, Katie. Can I get my usual, hot, and an americano, please?”
“Of course.” She peered over the counter to get a glimpse of the baby and smiled.
“You remember Linnea?”
Katie glanced at the tan blonde with Chloe. The blonde didn’t speak, but raised her hand in a small wave. “Yeah. Hi,” Katie said. “How are you?”
Chloe answered for her. “Linn just came home from her honeymoon in Hawaii. She married Brendan’s cousin, Kyan, you know.”
No, I didn’t, but I guess that explains the tan.
“Oh, congratulations!”
“Thank you,” Linnea said. Katie was surprised the girl was able to get two words in.
“Brendan caught the garter, didn’t he, Linnie?” Chloe winked with a giggle. “You know what that means.”
Nope. Not even going there.
Katie sniggered. Chloe didn’t need any encouragement. “You going to drink these here or are you taking them with you?”
