He gave her the same update he’d given Tyler. “Every business in the coalition has about maxed out its customer base. We’re running short of places to corner people. Without some kind of captive audience, I’m afraid the only thing we’ve got left is going door to door.”
Norah’s eyes narrowed with speculation. “Captive audience…”
“I wasn’t actually suggesting we hold people hostage.”
“We don’t have to. Circumstance already does.” With quick, efficient moves, she folded the map and shoved it into her bag, along with the rest of her stuff, before grabbing his hand and tugging him toward the door. “Come on.”
“What about your board?”
“Mama Pearl will keep it updated.” She pushed out onto the sidewalk and hit the ground at what he thought of as city speed. Woman on a mission.
“Where are we going?”
“Sweet Magnolias.”
“Do I get to eat when we get there? Because I think my stomach is trying to devour itself.”
“You can scarf while we work. How long do you have before you have to head back to the nursery?”
“Until about three.”
“We need more people.” She whipped out her phone and made a series of calls, requesting backup at Sweet Magnolias.
Cam shook his head, holding in a chuckle. Backup. God he loved this woman. Knowing she’d tell him what was up her sleeve when she was good and ready, he just kept walking.
The bakery smelled of vanilla and cinnamon, with a side of sweet cream butter. Or maybe that was icing. Cam started drooling the moment he walked inside.
On the other side of the counter, Carolanne wore her YES cap backward as she piped pink icing on a cake. “Be with you in a jiff,” she called, not looking up.
Norah peered into the display cases, the wheels clearly turning. Cam wasn’t sure if she was picking out lunch or plotting world domination. These days, it could kinda go either way. There’d been no further updates on the lawsuit, and she’d effectively compartmentalized so that all her focus was on the petition drive.
Carolanne finished the rim of tiny pink roses around the edge of the cake and finally looked up. “Well, hey y’all. Are you here to check my petition sheets? I’m afraid I don’t have too many new signatures.”
“I had something else in mind,” Norah told her. “We need to make up sample trays of everything you’ve got on sale today.”
“We do? Why?”
“We’re turning a negative into a positive. Y’all can’t fix the stoplight, so we’re taking advantage of our semi-captive audience to hand out pastry samples from Sweet Magnolias, along with information about the petition. So that’s advertising for you, getting the word out for us, and linking the whole thing to positive reinforcement with sugar.”
“It certainly sounds good.” Carolanne put the bag of icing aside. “I’ll pull together some trays.”
“Are you picky about having people in your space or can I come help?”
“Come on back and wash your hands.”
There wasn’t room behind the counter for a third person, so Cam stood to the side and felt like a useless dolt as the two women spun and cut and made up trays in what seemed like two minutes flat.
“There. Those look amazing.” Norah bit into a piece of scone and moaned. “If this takes off, you should consider baking cute little sample size stuff and doing it on a regular basis.”
“I wish I’d thought of it before.”
Cam snatched a piece of blueberry muffin and popped it into his mouth, pausing for a moment of reverence as the sweet tart flavor melted on his tongue. “So exactly how are we going to do this?”
“Watch and learn, Leonidas.” Norah hefted a tray, plastered on a beauty queen smile that would do Barbie proud, and pushed out the door.
Cam followed, clipboard in hand, as she approached a woman in a minivan at the head of the line waiting at the stoplight. After a moment’s hesitation, the woman rolled down her window.
“Hi! Can I offer you a sample from Sweet Magnolias Bakery? We’ve got blueberry muffins and orange cranberry scones this afternoon.”