“Cheese what?”
“Scones. They’re like a cross between a muffin and a biscuit. I found the recipe online.” Sure, she’d happened to Google sugar-free baking and Scottish recipes. But it had nothing to do with her moody-as-hell boss with a hatred of sugar.
Pure coincidence.
“There’s no chocolate in them?” Van asked.
“Nope. No sugar, either.”
“What the hell? Are you ill? Have you undergone a personality transplant?” Van laughed. “I don’t think you’ve ever made something without sugar before.”
“I’ve made bread.”
“Yeast needs sugar,” Van pointed out.
“You know a lot about baking for somebody who hates going near an oven,” Becca said, shaking the flour from her hands. “And I thought food made you feel sick.”
“Your food doesn’t.” Van smiled sweetly at her. “Your cakes always make me feel better.”
“Have you already finished the carrot cake I made you?” Becca knew when she was being flattered for a reason.
“I might have. It’s the only thing I can keep down, so I’ve been eating it for lunch and dinner. I figure it’s got grains and vegetables in it, so it has to be good for me, right?”
Van was sitting on an easy chair on her porch. The setting sun was tinting her face with an orange hue, her golden hair glistening beneath its dying rays.
“How are you feeling?” Becca asked softly, running her hands under the tap.
“Tired. Sick as a dog. And I hate your brother.”
Becca laughed. “Which one?”
“All of them. But especially Tanner. If it wasn’t for his killer sperm I wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“Can we avoid any talk of how you got into this situation, please?” Becca wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want to have nightmares tonight.” Her face softened as she looked at her tablet screen. “And it’ll be worth it in the end. You should talk to Maddie or Courtney; they both have experience with pregnancy after all.”
“I will. I just want to wait a few more weeks. Tanner and I agreed not to tell anybody until the second trimester.”
“He told me,” Becca pointed out.
“Ah, but we always let you into our secrets,” Van said warmly. “Remember when we used to drag you along on our adventures?”
Van and Tanner had been best friends as kids. The two of them had been known in Hartson’s Creek for being practical jokers, always pulling off antics that drove the townsfolk crazy. Sometimes they’d let Becca tag along, her tiny stick legs struggling to keep up with them as they ran away from the scenes of their crimes.
“I remember. And I was always the first to be caught.”
“Yeah, but you used to charm whoever caught you. One little cheeky Becca smile and all was forgiven. You could talk yourself out of anything.”
Becca let out a lungful of air. “I wish I still could.” The memory of Daniel Carter’s stupidly pretty mouth twisted into a scowl flashed through her mind. She’d spent the afternoon ruminating on their meeting. And as soon as she’d gotten home she’d poured herself another glass of the GSC International Blend and let the earthy liquid swill around her tongue. It still tasted good. More than good. But the annoying man was right, the flavor held a little too much smoke.
It wasn’t perfect. And that knowledge felt like a dagger stabbing at her chest.
That’s why she was baking now. She’d tried sitting in front of her TV watching Netflix, but her mind kept wandering back to their meeting. Baking always made her feel more zen. The combination of measuring the right quantities, along with mixing everything together, helped her to zone out.
“What’s up?” Van asked, her voice low. “You look sad.”
“I had a meeting with my new boss today. He hates the new blend.”
Van’s eyes widened. “Nathan’s brother? Mia told me about him.”