Raspberry Kisses (The Bakery Romance Series Book 1)

Chapter One

Rhea and her assistant, Candy, piped white icing over the cupcakes. The enticing scent of chocolate filled the air as Rhea glanced at the clock. While swirling frosting over the last treat, her hand shook, and the sugared topping spread into a wavy line. “I can’t believe I messed up another cupcake.”

“You need to calm down, Rhea.”

Using a spatula, she wiped the frosting off and re-iced the last one. The customer would arrive soon to pick up her order. Wiping sweat from her brow, she stared at the cakes. This three-hundred cupcake order would bring in much-needed revenue for her dwindling business.  She really needed this money to pay her growing mountain of unpaid bills. She’d dealt with this customer before and she’d always been nit-picky about her desserts, making changes at the last minute. This order was not a done deal until the customer showed up and paid.

She dropped the pastry bag into the sink. “We finished in time.”

Candy dropped her pastry bag into the sink, too, her nose stud twinkling under the bakery lights. “I’ll box them up before—”

The phone rang and Rhea lifted the receiver. “Maple Grove Bakery.”

“Hi, I’m calling about my cupcake order.”

Rhea gripped the receiver, heart thudding. The client’s high-pitched, emotional voice resonated in her ear. Hopefully, she’d be arriving soon to pick up her order. “Oh, we just finished icing them. We’re about to—”

“I’m canceling.”

Rhea’s mouth dropped open, and she paced the bakery. “You can’t do that!” In order for her bakery to survive, maybe she needed to change her policy, requiring the client to pay a deposit when the order was placed.

“Yes, I can. I got them for half the price you’re charging over at the Grove Mart.” The customer hung up, and Rhea slammed down the phone.

She pressed her hands together, gritting her teeth, forcing herself to stay calm. She’d lost two hundred dollars on the cupcake order. What could she do now? She shut her eyes, pressed her suddenly aching head into her palm.

Candy touched her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

Rhea struggled to control her voice. “The customer canceled. She got them for half price from the grocery store.”

Candy rolled her eyes. Her light brown skin reddened with anger. “This is the fifth cancellation we received this month.” She shook her head, her dreadlocks swaying. “We can’t go on like this.”

Struggling to control her anger, Rhea kicked a cabinet before slumping onto a stool, silently agreeing with her assistant. She could not go on like this. She’d already lost over one thousand dollars in sales that month because of the recent opening of the new Grove Mart. How could she get her customers back?

She eyed the trays of recently-decorated cupcakes. Unable to resist, she selected one, shoving most of it into her mouth. The wonderful taste of moist chocolate cake and creamy vanilla frosting comforted her. She gobbled two more cupcakes, stopping when she eyed her size-twelve hips.

Candy grabbed two cupcakes. “This has been an awful day. I need to take a walk.” Candy shoved the door open, the bell above the door jingled as she went outside.

Pacing on the sidewalk in front of the bakery, Candy gobbled two cupcakes before walking up and down the street, talking on her cell phone, while Rhea struggled to come up with a plan. She needed to figure out how to compete with the grocery store bakery. If she didn’t, she’d be forced to close her business.

*

Rhea pulled into the empty space in front of her apartment complex, removing the paper sack of baked treats from her passenger seat. She’d be eating baked goods for dinner, not wanting to waste money on food. Her stomach rumbled with hunger as she unlocked the foyer door and stopped at the mailboxes, hesitating.

She unlocked her postal receptacle and envelopes tumbled out onto the floor. The bright pink and blue notices from the creditors reminded her about the delinquent bills. Bending over, she lifted the unwanted bills, stuffing them into her bag.

She trudged up the steps toward her unit on the third floor.

Leonard, her obese landlord, stood at the top of the steps, stooped down, sliding something underneath her door.

“Oh, no, now what?” she mumbled to herself. Her shoulders tensed. Did she have enough time to run outside and hide before he spotted her?

Almost as if he sensed she stood behind him, he turned toward her, his signature cigar hanging from his thick lips. His gray hair looked like crinkly cellophane under the bright lights, and his eyes widened when he spotted her. His too-small T-shirt lifted slightly, giving her a peek of his fat, hairy stomach. He pulled his shirt down, shoving the hem into his dirty blue jeans. “Rhea! I need to talk to you!”

Lord, help me.

She swallowed, walking up the steps, grasping her keys so hard that they dug into her skin. Hopefully, he wouldn’t try to ask her out again. He always leered at her as if she were a thick slab of meat that he wanted to gobble up. “Leonard, what do you want?”

“Your lease expires in four months.”

“So?”

“I’m not letting you renew it.”

She gripped the stair rail, groaning. “What do you mean?” Leonard charged the cheapest rent in Maple Grove. There was no way she could afford to live elsewhere.

“My nephew just graduated from college. He’ll be needing a place to stay later this summer. So, I’m letting him have your unit.”

“You can’t do that!” Balling her hands into fists, she glared at him.

“Yes, I can.”

She scowled, getting into his face. “You have an entire apartment building. Why’d you choose my unit to give to your nephew?”

Smoke curled from his cigar, the stench making her stomach clench. He pulled it from his mouth, licking his lips. He continued standing in front of the entrance, unmoving, like a statue. Why didn’t he answer her question?

She pointed toward her door. “I need to go inside.”

He shook his head. “Not until we talk.” His hot, musty breath fluttered around her face, almost making her gag. “You think I’m too old for you, but, if you go out with me, I might decide to choose another tenant’s apartment for my nephew.”

He took another puff of his cigar. She gritted her teeth. Could she really stand here, continuing to talk to this man any longer?

“Move!”

He refused to budge. “Make me move.” His taunting voice broke her patience. She reached forward, pushing, her fingers sinking into his fleshy arms. “I love seeing you angry,” he purred, leaning toward her, pulling her to his chest, his foul lips descending toward her cheek. The stench of his body wafted over her. When was the last time he had a bath? Her heart pounded, and using all her strength, she kicked his shin with her hard-toed shoes.

He hollered, his lit cigar, dropping from his mouth, landed on the dirty carpeted floor. Cursing, he turned away from her, lifting his cigar from the floor, placing it back into his mouth. “That’s the last time I try and be nice to you! You better find a new place to live! I don’t want you in my building anymore.” He narrowed his eyes, glaring at her. “You think you’re such a high and mighty broad, but, I got news for you, you’re gonna wish you’d taken me up on my offer when you’re homeless!”

Chapter Two

“Get out of my way!” She gave Leonard another push, and he backed away from her door, glaring at her before toddling down the steps.

After unlocking her door, she opened it, rushing into her apartment. Her cell phone buzzed. Dropping her bags, she rummaged in her purse until she found her phone. She glanced at her caller ID, groaning. What did her twin sister Raven want now?

She gripped the phone, hesitating. The last time she’d ignored Raven’s call had led to a disaster. Raven had been out on a date and the guy had left her stranded in a fancy restaurant, more than an hour’s drive from home. Raven had called Rhea to come and give her a ride.

She’d better answer. “Hi, Raven.”

An incoherent mumble made her heart stop.

“Raven?”

“I’m in the hospital.”

Rhea gasped. Childhood memories clouded her mind from the last time Raven was in the hospital. She’d almost died and their relationship had changed drastically during that fateful time. She slumped into a chair, finally finding her voice. “Why? Are you sick?”

“No, I was in an accident.” Rhea breathed with relief. At least it wasn’t another cancer scare. “My co-worker and I were on our way home from happy hour, and a drunk driver rear-ended us. We slammed into a cement wall.”

“Are you two okay?” What would happen if Raven were seriously injured and didn’t recuperate? Rhea didn’t know what she’d do with herself. She’d been rescuing her sister, playing a responsible role in Raven’s life for so long that it almost felt routine.

“I’ll be okay, eventually. My co-worker has to spend the night for observation. But they said I could go home. Can you come get me?”

“Of course.”

Raven told her which hospital, and Rhea rushed out the door, relocking it, before hurrying back to her car. The hospital was only a ten-minute drive. Still worried, she pulled into the parking lot. She found the triage nurse in the lobby. “I’m here for Raven Simms.”

The strong antiseptic hospital odor surrounded her, forcing her to recall the last time she’d visited this place, right before her husband died. Memories of him lying on his bed hovered in her mind, but she pushed those memories away. She couldn’t think about that now. She just needed to find her sister.

The nurse gestured down the hall. “Third unit on the left. Another nurse will be coming soon with the release forms.”

“Thanks.” After rushing down the hall, she found Raven lying on the bed, her leg propped up. A bruise marred her brown skin, staining her cheek and dark circles ringed her eyes.

Rhea approached the bed, gingerly embracing her sister. Raven groaned. “Careful, my ribs are cracked.”

How wonderful it would be if she could lift away Raven’s pain, making her feel better.
Lord, help Raven to heal.
“Besides your ribs, are you badly hurt?”

“I broke my leg, too. The doctor said I can’t go to work for a few weeks. I won’t be able to drive until my leg gets better.” Raven’s slurred voice made her pause.

“Did you get drunk at happy hour?”

Raven groaned, glaring at Rhea. “No. The drugs they gave me for my pain are making me feel funny.” She pointed to her black leather purse. “Get my purse. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Rhea tensed, Raven’s commanding voice grating on her nerves. She wanted to give her a piece of her mind, but, her twin was obviously not feeling well. She’d do what she could to make her feel better. Perhaps there was something important in her purse that she needed. Rhea grabbed Raven’s handbag, offering it to her. Raven shook her head, wincing. “Just open it and get my phone,” she snapped.

Leonard’s threat hovered in Rhea’s mind. She had so much she needed to take care of, and she didn’t want to listen to Raven’s drama. Huffing, Rhea pulled out the phone, handing it to Raven. Raven touched the screen, showing Rhea a list of sent calls. “This is what I wanted to show you. Remember Martin, the guy I met awhile back?”

Where were those release forms? The nurse had still not arrived with the release papers, and she wanted to take Raven home. “What about him?”

“I
love
him.”

As usual, her sister exaggerated her facts, making her sound delusional. It also didn’t help matters that she was drugged, probably clouding her mind even further. “You barely know him.”

Raven mashed her lips into a hard line, her eyes narrowing, making her notorious mean face. Oh, no, now her sister was about to start criticizing, finding fault. Filled with dread, Rhea resisted the urge to tell Raven she sounded ridiculous. “Why are we talking about this?” Rhea threw her hands up into the air, defeated. Where was the nurse with the release papers? Maybe Raven could tell her more about this during the drive home.

“Look at this.” She handed Rhea the phone. Rhea accepted it, staring at the image. “That’s Martin. Isn’t he gorgeous?”

Like a male model. His dark brown eyes sparkled with warmth, and his chocolate-brown skin and amazing smile filled her with a feeling of
déjà vu
. Where had she seen him before?

“What’s the matter? You don’t think he’s cute?”

Rhea bristled at Raven’s irritated tone. “Of course he’s cute. Why are you upset?”

“I’m not upset. When I showed you his picture, you didn’t say anything.”

“You need to chill. I’ve got a lot on my mind. I don’t feel like talking about Martin right now.” She tossed the phone onto the bed, and Raven picked it up.

Dropping her phone onto the blanket, she gestured toward her busted leg. “This happened at the worst time. Tomorrow is the Christian singles’ retreat, and Martin is supposed to be there. Last time we spoke, he said we’d spend some time together during the retreat.”

“You’re going to a
Christian
singles’ retreat?” As far as she knew, Raven had not been to church in years, and she always said negative things about organized religion.

Raven pressed her lips together, narrowing her eyes. “I believe in God, so, I can go to the retreat,” she said in a hard voice. “Who are you to judge if I should go or not?”

“I wasn’t judging. I’m just saying I’ve never seen you go to a Christian event.”

“Well, now I can’t go,” she repeated.

What was the big deal? So Raven couldn’t go to the retreat. If Martin wanted to see her, they could always meet later. “I don’t have time to talk about this now.”

“Why not?”

She closed her eyes, sighing. Where would she live when Leonard reclaimed her apartment? Tears filled her eyes, sliding down her cheeks. She finally opened her eyes, swiping her tears away.

Raven touched Rhea’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?” Her voice softened.

Rhea’s hand shook while she removed a tissue from the box, wiping her face. She cleared her throat, lowering her voice. “My landlord, Leonard—”

“You’re talking about that nasty smelling fat man who tried to make a pass at me the last time I came to your place?” Raven shuddered. “What’s he done now?”

She told her about her altercation with Leonard. Raven groaned. “That lousy pig!”

“Plus, I’m broke. I lost a couple hundred dollars today on a cancelled cupcake order. My bakery is still failing, and my bills are piling up.”

Raven gasped. “You told me months ago that you would have to let Candy go. You can’t afford to employ her…”

Rhea sobbed. “But, she’s an ex-con! She might not find another job!”

“I could slap you right now! You’re sacrificing your money for someone that you can’t afford—if you’d let her go, then you wouldn’t be so financially destitute.”

Raven briefly closed her eyes, still fisting her blanket. “How much money do you need to pay your rent?”

Rhea jerked back, widening her eyes. “I can’t ask you to loan me money. Besides, you’re saving up to buy a house.”

“You didn’t ask, I’m offering…with a few conditions.” Rhea tensed at Raven’s frosty tone. It sounded like these conditions were going to be unpleasant.

“Conditions?”

Raven nodded. “How much did you need?”

Since Raven seemed so determined to loan her the funds, she may has well tell her how much she needed. Maybe her loan conditions wouldn’t be so bad after all. She took a deep breath, told her the amount.

“I can loan you the money.”

The gleam in Raven’s eyes made Rhea pause. What did her twin want in return for this loan? “Raven…”

“Martin’s been ignoring me for over a week. He’ll be at the retreat. I want you to go in my place.”

“Are you crazy?” What was wrong with her sister? They had not switched places since they were kids. “Martin will know that I’m not you! I’m much bigger than you are!” Since Rhea’s husband had been killed two years ago and she’d opened her bakery, her size eight frame had grown to a size twelve. People had no problem telling the twins apart anymore.

Raven took Rhea’s hand, squeezed her fingers. “We’re not switching places. I just want you to spend time with Martin.”

Was she serious? Rhea blinked, looking at Raven as if she were a fool. “You want me to spy on him?”

“Well, not really spy, but…I figure if he’s seeing somebody else, then that person might be at the retreat?”

Rhea shook her head. “He knows you’re coming to the retreat, right? Why would he have a girlfriend there?”

Raven rolled her eyes. “Well, I don’t necessarily mean a girlfriend. There might be somebody who’s there like me, somebody that he’s dated and whom he might be interested in.” She paused, sipping from the cup of water beside her bed. “Just tell him about my accident and that it was too late for me to get a refund and I sent you in my place. It’s not a lie.”

Rhea shook her head. “No. I’m not going.”

“You’ll go if you want the loan.” She paused for a moment, as if she wanted that news to sink into Rhea’s brain. “Just do this for me, Rhea.” She paused. “I’ve been so worried about you. Since Stan was killed you haven’t—”

Rhea shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about Stan.” How many times would they have this conversation? Raven would mention Rhea had not been out on a date since her husband’s death, and Rhea would calmly tell her that she wasn’t interested in dating. Stan had been dead for almost two years, and Rhea still grieved for him each day.

Couldn’t Raven understand that she found warmth, comfort, and solace in her bakery and that Candy had almost become like another sibling to her? She didn’t need or want a man in her life and no matter how many times she’d told Raven, Raven refused to listen.

“You need to talk about Stan. Since his death, you’ve gained so much weight…maybe you should see a therapist or something.”

Rhea winced. “A therapist? You’ve got to be kidding.”

“I’m just looking out for you. You need to get out and meet more people. That’s what you can do at the retreat.”

Rhea shook her head. There was no way she could go to this retreat to “look after” some guy that Raven had a crush on. 

A nurse appeared, bearing release forms. As Raven read and signed the forms, she gave Rhea a shrewd look. “Just think about it on the drive home. I’m sure you’ll come to the right decision.”

*

Leonard’s dark chunky face came closer, while he attempted to kiss her with his thick lips. Dark, rotten yellow teeth showed in the dim hallway lighting. He dropped his cigar, searing a smear on her brown skin. Screaming, she pushed him away, running down the unlit stairway.

Stepping outside, she spotted her stained couch, surrounded by her scarred coffee table and her broken lamp. All of her clothes piled around her furniture, her white blouse lying in a puddle of mud. Leonard grabbed her, forcing her to turn around. “I told you I’d put you out on the street! You need to listen to me, you crazy broad!” He squeezed her arm, and Rhea screamed.

She opened her eyes, shaking her head. The sheets twisted around her sweaty body and sweat smeared against her pillowcase. Taking deep breaths, she got out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen, glancing at the clock. She’d only slept for an hour. Pulling a glass from the cupboard, she turned on the spigot, letting water rush into the glass. She guzzled the liquid, still trying to calm her racing heart.

Leonard would take her apartment away—he wasn’t bluffing. She dropped the glass into the sink, lowering her head, staring at the faucet. She knew what she needed to do if she wanted to get that loan from her sister.