Sweet Hearts Read Free

hope
for that kind of reunion. Sam shook off the haunting feelings as Marla pulled
away from the curb.
    The order called for red velvet
cake, and Sam found that the freezer contained a half-sheet of it that wasn’t
committed to anyone else. According to the tag it was baked yesterday, so it
would still be nice and fresh. She pulled it out and made space on the stainless
table. Working quickly with a serrated knife, she cut the sheet into pieces and
placed them together to form a cross. A coating of white buttercream sealed the
raw edges and she placed it into the fridge to set. In the morning, it would be
a quick matter to add flowers and borders.
    “Becky, hold back five of those
large red roses for me,” Sam called out to her assistant. “And when you get a
chance, could you do about a dozen white daisies, yellow centers?”
    “Sure thing. I could use a break
from making roses anyway.” Becky’s skills with the pastry bag had steadily
increased since the shop opened and Sam knew she could trust the young woman
for good results.
    At her desk, she turned to the
stack of orders, calculating quantities, and entering an online order for
supplies from her wholesaler in Albuquerque. A couple of the proposal cakes
required special elements. One was to be in the shape of a ring box with a
giant molded-sugar diamond in it. Apparently the groom wasn’t too intimidated
by the idea that his bride would see this thousand-carat thing right before he
presented her with something undoubtedly less sizable.
    She rummaged through the bin of
plastic molds until she found the one for the 3-D monster diamond solitaire.
Another cake, for a bridal shower, needed a glass slipper for the
fairytale-romance theme, and she had a mold for that as well. The technique for
cooking perfectly crystal-clear liquid sugar was tricky, and Sam knew that if
she could get it right in one try, she might as well make both items at the
same time.
    An absolutely clean pan, clean
molds, and pure white sugar were the essential elements. She let herself get
lost in the work, setting up the molds, cooking the sugar and checking it with
the candy thermometer. Watching the instrument reminded her that she needed
more practice on her chocolate techniques. Perhaps she could make time for that
a little later in the day, she thought as she carefully poured the clear,
molten sugar into the molds.
    But that never happened. Shortly
after lunch—two pizzas brought in and shared among the crew—Kelly called.
    “Mom, help! Riki left on an
errand and I have an emergency over here!”
    The panic in her voice sounded
genuine. Sam dropped the phone and dashed out the back door. The grooming shop,
like Sam’s own place, had a back door to the alley and luckily it was unlocked.
Sam flung it open to the roar of what sounded like a hundred dogs, all barking
at once. In the work area, a dozen wire cages lined the walls. The doors to two
of them stood open, and the dogs in three others loudly protested their own
captivity. A deep metal sink stood to one side, with a spray hose shooting
water toward the ceiling.
    “Watch out—the floor’s wet!”
Kelly scrambled after a sudsy dog with long reddish fur but the animal was far
quicker, completely undeterred by the water that pooled over the concrete floor
in the work area. As Kelly lost her footing and went down face-first, the dog
bolted for the short hall that led to Puppy Chic’s small reception area.
    Sam headed after the dog, arms
out to her sides to keep her balance.
    “You okay?” she asked Kelly as
she passed the prone figure.
    Kelly pulled herself to her
knees. “Not if that dog gets away. He belongs to the mayor.”
    “I got him.” Except that the dog
was out of sight now. Sam hustled as quickly as she could, following the soapy
trail.
    From the hallway, she could hear
the dog shaking himself vigorously. In the reception room, a medium-sized
Sheltie stood, cornered near the glass entry door. A black Lab was giving