y

Macie, what shou

cupc

was ever on this girl's mind. But how could I refus

. She and I both liked chocolate best so we made those and decorate

cupcakes. She stood at the counter, on a chair, and showed them h

cake or one more cookie. No one could say no to her puppy dog face and it worked to my advantage. A

was

were frosting another batch of cupcakes. She'd sold all

" He ca

re!" I c

w dropped when he saw us. We

making cupcakes!"

n see

ying not to laugh. Macie was looking back and forth between me and Mr. Cole and I bur

choking down my

inally got my laughter to stop and wiped them a

counter. The breath was sucked from my lungs when he came c

eyes as he slowly wiped

he said and backed away, snapp

d up a step myself.

nds of frosting. She was worse off than I was but not

have fun?

Macie said. "I sold

ing an eyebrow. I always loved

doubled my earnings. No

ue," Mr. Cole said, a

n Macie up while I boxed u

said, handing the

I'm going to

again snapped to mine. "My

nk I'll live

im. "Please,

ou call me

.Bran

lled off my tongue and by h

e L

Bra

nd I found myself sighing. Why? I don't know. I

entire life all alone, I haven

yet another pint of ice cream. Maybe mint chip. I'd have to stop at the store before I could

't have it in me to wash them; I just wanted to collapse on my couch with my

ng anything that would cause me to exert energy, I hailed a cab. I'

didn't have anyone I could actually call, but this would p

new this store like the back of my hand and quickly found the ice cream section. Naturally, they were out of

re you

oice and turned t

mean to scare y

. And um, I

rry is the best, but it's

n't like strawberry ice cream so I had to trust Brandon on t

s?Macie?

eeper is watching he

walking to the fron

ok?" Brand

find it in me to actually say

the walk to the checkout counter

sure yo

r. I started walking away when Brandon's

hink it was p

." It wasn't a ques

king a cab,

not. I'm dr

pped. He's

ead towards a really

passenger door for me. I slid in and he closed t

driving. "Are you going

y nothing was wrong, but it didn't come out.

nything Maci

him. "She was the br

m g

at my bakery. "Th

yti

oor locked to pull away. Once he was gone, I went u

The cookies an