Cupcake Cutie (Plus Size Romance 1) Read Free Page A

cupcake.
    Initially, Adaira paid Ella in cupcakes, but now that business was booming, she was easily able to meet Ella’s fees.  Ones that covered new brochures, business cards and window flyer designs.  Ella had just finished arranging them on the table when Adaira came bounding over.
    Leaning into the booth, she gave Ella a hearty hug.  “Hey, girl! Sorry to keep you waiting, but it’s your own fault for making my cupcakes so doggone popular.”
    Ella’s smile was wide and full of pride.  A few months ago she wouldn’t have had the self-confidence to pitch her graphic designs to anyone.  Living too many years under the critical thumb of her self-centered mother had nearly cost Ella what tiny bit of self-esteem she possessed.  It took a close brush with death to turn things around for her. 
    It was a sunny day in May.  She had been traveling down the interstate, running more tedious errands for her domineering mother.  Out of the blue, an eighteen-wheeler came barreling past Ella.  The big rig must have been doing well over a hundred miles an hour.  Recklessly, the driver of the truck swerved in front of her, clipping the front fender of her Toyota Camry.  The impact sent Ella’s car spinning into oncoming traffic.  After bouncing between several speeding cars, what was left of her Camry—the front seat and the steering wheel she had in a death grip—landed smack in the middle of the median.
    It was in that moment, Ella realized, that everyone only gets one life, and it was high time she started living hers.  Her mother was not entitled to a life of her own and Ella’s as well.  The next morning Ella packed her things and left home.  She rented a car and purchased a map of South Carolina.  Closing her eyes, she took a push pin and blindly stuck it into the crisscrossed grid.  It landed right in the center of Pleasant View.  The fact that it was nearly two hundred miles away from her mother’s house was an added bonus.
    Looking into her friend’s beaming face, Ella thanked God for that crazy truck driver, for her own courage and for the new life she was now living.
    “No apologies necessary, Adaira.  I’m tickled that things are going so well.  I have a feeling that these new designs are going to triple your business in no time.  In fact, I threw in a help-wanted poster for free.  Woman, you are definitely going to need some extra hands around here.”
    “Oh, I hope so.  I’ve been wanting to expand.  Maybe even add a delivery service.  What do you think?”
    “I think you can do anything you set your mind to.”
    Adaira’s expression changed from bubbly elation to soft appreciation.  “I couldn’t have done any of this without you, Ella.  Seriously, if you hadn’t shown up when you did, I would have had to close this place down.  But you came riding up in here like the cavalry, giving me invaluable marketing advice, taking me on as a client and allowing me to pay you with pastries.  Most importantly, you gave me your friendship.  If not for you, Ella Skye, me and The Little Cupcake Company would have folded.”
    “Well, I can’t take all the credit.  What with your dynamic personality and delicious cupcakes, you made it easy.”
    “Okay, we’re both fabulous and sweeter than sugar.  Oh, that reminds me.  I wanted to ask you to be my date for the annual Spring Fling Barn Dance tomorrow night.  I was hoping Craig could take me, but he won’t be back in town for a week.”
    “Oh, no, I couldn’t.  I mean I’m super busy and it’s kind of short notice, and I don’t have anything to wear.”
    “Uh-huh.  Now that sounds like a whole lot of hemming and hawing to me.  We’ll only be gone for a few hours.  You can set your work aside for that long.  Connie’s country-and-western shop is right across the street.  She’s open for three more hours and has any and everything you might need for a barn dance.  Did I diffuse all your excuses?”
    Ella dabbed at the