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Andi had taken only five steps when the man with the bakery box turned his head and smiled
He probably thought she was co to find a date Why shouldn’t he? The Captain’s Port was filled with people looking for a connection If not for a lifetime, then at least for the few hours they shared within the friendly confines of the restaurant’s casual, communal atmosphere
She hesitatedforward Heat rushed into her cheeks Dressed in jeans and a navy blue tie and sportcoat jacket, he was even better looking than she’d first thought Thirtyish Light brown hair, fair skin, sparkling chocolate brown eyes Oh, irl in Astoria, Oregon
“Hi,” he greeted
Andi sed the nervous tension gathering at the back of her throat and ed a smile in return “Hi I’m sorry to bother you, but it’s my sister’s birthday, and I proh box and waved the ten-dollar bill “Is there any chance I can persuade you to sell the one you have here?”
The guy’s brows shot up “You want my cupcake?”
An Excerpt from
THE CUPCAKE DIARIES: RECIPE FOR LOVE
by Darlene Panzera
In the second installment of Darlene Panzera’s new series, another Creative Cupcakes founder discovers that a little redient in the recipe for love
Rachel pushed through the double doors of the kitchen, took one look at the masked man at the counter, and dropped the tray of fresh-baked cupcakes on the floor
Did he plan to rob Creative Cupcakes? Deister? Her eyes darted around the frilly pink-and-white cupcake shop The loud clang of thethe tile had caused several custolance in her direction Would the masked man threaten the other people as well? How could she protect them?
She stepped over the white-frosted chocolate e the distance to the telephone on the wall, and turned her attention back to the masked man before her Maybe he wasn’t a robber, but someone dressed for a costume party or play Thethe upper half of his face also wore a black cape
“If this is a holdup, you picked the wrong place, Zorro” She tossed her fiery red curls over her shoulder with false bravado and laid a protective hand across the old bell-ringing register “We don’t have any money”
His hazel eyes sparkled through the holes in thesmile “Maybe I can help with that”
He turned his hand to show an eun Then he closed his fingers and swung his fist around in the air three tiain, he held a quarter, which he tossed her way
Rachel caught the coin and laughed “You’re a ician”
“Mike the Magnificent,” he said, extending his cape ith one ar a bow “I’m here for the Lockwell party?”
Rachel pointed at the door leading to the back party rooinally been a tattoo shop, but the tattoo artist had relocated to the rental next door “The Lockwells aren’t here yet The party doesn’t start until three”
“I came early to set up before the kids arrive,” Mike told her “Can’t have the my secrets”
“No, I guess not,” Rachel agreed “If they did, Mike the nificent”
“Magnificence is hard to rin “Are you Andi?”
She shook her head “Rachel, Creative Cupcakes’ stupendous co-owner, baker, and promoter”
This tirin did escape his , masculine jawline
“Tell me, Rachel, what is it that makes you so stupendous?”
She gave him her most flirtatious smile “Sorry, I can’t reveal my secrets, either”
“Afraid if I found out the truth I reat?”
Rachel froze, fearing Mike the ht be a mind reader as well Careful to keep her sh off his comment
“I just don’t think it’s nice to brag,” she responded playfully
“Chicken,” he taunted in an equally playful tone,his way toward the party room door
Despite the uneasy feeling he’d discovered more about her in three minutes than most men did in three years, she wished he’d stayed to chat a few minutes more
Andi Burke, wearing one of the new, hot pink Creative Cupcakes bibbed aprons, came in from the kitchen and stared at the cupcake mess on the floor “What happened here?”
“Zorro caave me a panic attack, and the tray slipped out of rabbed a couple paper towels and squatted down to scoop up the cru before her OCD-about-kitchen-safety friend could comment further “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the mess”