Sweets Shop Cozy Mysteries Boxset Read online

  “Someone parked their car in the road, and it was blocking the driveway,” she said. “But I’m here now, and I got pizza. I’m going to go out front and hang up the grand opening banner.”

  “You sure you want to do that?” he asked. “I know you put a date on it and all, but are you sure you’re actually going to have this place ready by then?”

  “Sure, as I’ll ever be,” she said confidently and headed towards the storage closet where she pulled out the ladder. She’d had to use this thing far more times than she would have liked, but the ceilings in the dessert shop were tall and she’d already had to paint and hang up new light fixtures. She dragged the thing outside feeling a bit disgruntled that Tripp had not offered to help. Peering through the window, she could see that he was making himself a plate of the day-old pizza. Not that she could blame him – it was far past lunchtime by now.

  Once she had the ladder set up in front of the door, she went back to the car to dig around for the banner. She was a bit jittery at the idea of finally hanging it up to let people know the date of the grand opening. The street was fairly empty that day as it had been just about every day she had spent working, and this made her a bit nervous. Brooks had a main street with a few old shops, along with a part-time library. Frankly, she was beginning to worry if anyone would come to the shop at all since the road seemed usually empty. Mary told herself to keep her chin up. It was too early to tell what foot traffic was going to be like, and she had already done some pre-opening promotions that were bound to attract some attention.

  She climbed up the ladder, and almost as soon as she got to the top she dropped the banner. “Tripp!” she called, not willing to climb down and back up again. Peering inside, she could see that her teenaged grandson had put headphones on while he was chowing down on pizza, obviously facing away from the window. “Perfect,” she grumbled, and she hit the glass, but he still did not turn around.

  She sighed, and just as she was starting to climb down she heard someone call out, “Hold on! I gotcha!”

  Glancing to the side, she spotted a younger woman, probably in her late thirties or so, scurrying over to bend down and pick up the banner. The woman looked like something straight out of a 1950s style magazine. She had on a gorgeous sundress, bright red lipstick, and her hair done up in curls. Frankly, Mary was instantly mesmerized by this woman’s appearance – she was precious. “Thank you so much!” Mary said, taking the banner from her.

  The woman continued standing at the base of the ladder. “Whoa, there, this thing is pretty rickety,” she said, holding onto the base. “Let me hang out here for a second while you finish up.”

  “I appreciate it,” Mary said.

  “You’re new in town, right?” she asked, and Mary almost didn’t hear her, as she was incredibly distracted by her dazzling bright red heels.

  “That’s right,” Mary said. “Just moved in a couple of weeks ago.”

  “I’m really excited about this sweets shop,” she said. “We haven’t had anything like this in town in a long time.”

  “I’m glad someone is excited,” Mary said, finishing up with the sign and climbing down the ladder. “I’m Mary. Mary Hopkins.”

  “Huh?” she asked, staring blankly at her for a moment. “Oh! Hopkins! I swear, I thought you just told me you were Mary Poppins.”

  Mary laughed so hard that she snorted. “Yeah, I should make sure I enunciate when I introduce myself, I suppose.”

  “I’m Cindy True,” she said, and Mary bust out laughing. “What?” Cindy questioned.

  “I thought you said Cindy Who for a second there,” she said.

  Cindy began laughing as well. “Gracious! Don’t we just make a lovely pair? Well, Ms. Poppins, it’s a pleasure to finally meet the owner of this adorable shop. I peered in the window last night to take a sneak peek, and I just love the frogs on the wall in the back.”

  “Thanks,” Mary said, beaming with pride. “I did the mural myself.”

  “Aren’t you talented!” she said. “Well, we’re going to be business neighbors, it seems.” She pointed across the street and a few buildings down. “That’s my antique shop there on the corner surrounded by all those old oak trees.”

  Mary smiled. She had been meaning to go visit the unusual-looking antique shop for weeks. It was a large, white, wooden building that looked as though it had once been somebody’s home. The old building sat on a small lot with gravel parking and was surrounded by odds and ends on the lawn. “I’ve wanted to come check that shop out,” Mary said.

  “Well, you should,” Cindy said. “It’s a pretty amazing shop. You should see some of the antique clothes I get in there. Lots of 40s –style dresses.”

  “Ah,” Mary said, eyeing the woman’s outfit yet again. “Big on clothes?”

  “A little,” she said. “Honestly, I don’t like the whole dress and heels thing, but my daughter loves the style on me, and, well, whatever makes her smile, you know? I’m more of a sweatpants and t-shirt kind of lady myself.”

  “Aw, how old is your daughter?” Mary asked.

  “She’s fourteen,” Cindy said. “Thinks she’s the boss of me like most do at that age.”

  Mary beamed. “Does your daughter hang out at your shop any?”

  “During the summer and after school during the school year,” she said. “Hannah’s actually there a good bit.”

  “I love that name,” Mary said and then nodded towards her own shop. “That’s my grandson in there. Tripp. He’ll be spending a lot of time here at the shop. We just moved from LA, so he doesn’t really know anyone around here his age just yet.”

  “Then we’ve got to get the kiddos together,” Cindy said. “Probably a little old for playdates at this point, But allow me to invite you folks out as a way of welcoming you to town. Maybe we could do a movie or something?”

  “I would love that,” Mary said, smiling. “I am a little worried about moving my grandson all the way out here… away from all his friends. Some rather unfortunate circumstances has led to our current living situation.”

  “I can imagine. Is it just the two of you?” Cindy asked.

  “Yes. His father just recently passed,” Mary said hesitantly, not quite ready to unload all the details on a woman she had just met. “So, he’s with me now.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that,” Cindy said. “But, we would love to get to know our business neighbors!”

  “Same,” Mary said as she grinned, glad knowing that she herself was making a friend. If Tripp hit it off with this woman’s daughter, things would really be looking up.

  “Ooh,” Cindy said, looking up at the grand opening date on the banner. “Your opening is coming up quick. You going to be ready in time?”

  “I think so,” Mary said.

  “You should consider getting a booth at the Brooks Day event. It’s this weekend. If you’re interested, I could talk to the event coordinator and try to help you out,” Cindy suggested. “It would be a great way to promote to the locals that your shop is opening up soon.” Then, the shop’s door opened, and Tripp came wandering out.

  He had on a frown like he did most days, but he smiled slightly at Cindy – likely just as amused by her attire as Mary had been moments ago. “Tripp, this is Cindy. She works the antique shop down the way,” Mary said, pointing towards the ancient-looking white building.

  Tripp grinned. “I like the metal rooster you have sitting on that porch.”

  Cindy beamed. “Me too. Cute, isn’t it? So, you’re Mary’s grandson? Welcome to Brooks, Georgia, Tripp.”

  “Thanks,” he said.

  “Cindy, you were just mentioning something called Brooks Day to me?” Mary asked.

  “Oh, yes… well, it’s a Founder’s Day celebration. It’s held at the ballpark just down that way,” Cindy pointed towards a slope in the road that led down into a gulley-like area that was the entrance to the Brooks ballfield. “There will be music, a few games, snacks, and performances. It’s really fun. We go ev
ery year. What I was saying is, if you want to let everyone in Brooks know about your shop opening, I’d do a booth and sell some of your treats you’ll be offering.”

  “And, it’s this weekend?” Mary asked hesitantly.

  “Give me the word, and I’ll call the coordinator to see if she can squeeze you in,” Cindy said. “What do you say?”

  “I say that’s a lot to try to get ready for in just a few days,” Mary said.

  “Oh, this is perfect!” Cindy said, clapping her hands together. “Hannah and I can help you put little dessert boxes together and bake with you.”

  Mary was a bit taken back by this generous offer. “You’d actually come help complete strangers bake and set up dessert boxes?” Mary asked.

  “Of course I would,” Cindy said. “It’s called being neighborly, and frankly Hannah could stand to get out of the house. She’s been moping around the house all summer – she’s either there or at the shop, and I think she’s getting into a rut.”

  “Who’s Hannah?” Tripp asked.

  “That would be my daughter,” Cindy said. “She’s about your age. Fourteen?”

  “That’s right,” he said.

  “What do you say, Mary?” Cindy asked. “Just give me the word, and I’ll make the call.”

  Mary looked at Tripp. “What do you think? Want to help me get ready for a festival this weekend?”

  Tripp shrugged. “Not like I have anything better to do. Plus, if you want this shop to work, it would probably be a good way to advertise to the locals.”

  “Great,” Cindy said and immediately exchanged numbers with Mary. “I’ve got to get back to my shop, but I’ll call and find out if there is any space left for your booth. If there is, we’ll plan a time to come by and help you and Tripp get ready for this weekend. This is going to be fun! Plus, I really want to try out some of your desserts.”

  “Wow… I don’t know what to say, Cindy. You are just too sweet to offer to help with all this,” Mary said.

  “A thank you should suffice,” she said with a wink before trotting off down the road towards the antique shop, her frilly dress swaying back and forth as she did so.

  Chapter Three

  Mary made sure to wake up early on Thursday morning, the morning that she and Cindy had decided they would work on the dessert boxes. They were coming to their home, and Mary hadn’t realized how bad of a shape it was in until the night before. She and Tripp had spent Wednesday evening emptying and stacking up moving boxes in a corner, not wanting the first guests they ever had to think they were total slobs. She had brought three trash bags full of empty pizza boxes to the road.

  This morning, however, she busied herself with setting up the kitchen. She pulled out all the ingredients for the various summer seasonal desserts she had in mind for the Brooks Day event, having spent a considerable amount of time that week at the grocery store shopping for baking supplies. Tripp, as usual, came fumbling out of his bed way later than she would have hoped, his hair a complete mess. “You realize Cindy is bringing a girl here your age, right?” Mary said sternly, as Tripp poured himself a bowl of cereal.

  “So?” he questioned.

  “You are fourteen, yes?” Mary questioned.

  “I don’t even know her. She might be weird. You saw the way Cindy dresses,” Tripp said. “You barely know the woman, and you invited her to our house.”

  “What can I say – I like her style,” Mary said and then pointed out of the kitchen. “Finish your breakfast and then get upstairs.

  Put on some clean clothes and deodorant, brush your teeth, and try to tame that hair of yours before our guests get here. Don’t you want to make a good first impression?”

  “Okay, okay, fine,” Tripp said, scarfing down his cereal before disappearing.

  Mary finished tidying up her kitchen and went ahead and pulled out all the dessert boxes she had gotten at a local craft store. Her goal was to one day order personalized dessert boxes for her business, but for now she had found these and had ordered sticker paper for her to print out some labels to put on the top of the boxes with her shop’s information on it. “Hey, Grandma, car!” Tripp called from upstairs, and Mary scurried to the front door, peering out the window.

  She hadn’t really played hostess for anyone in a long time, so Mary was rather excited that she was going to have some guests in her home. Truthfully, she would have preferred to wait until her home was a bit tidier, but she and Tripp had gotten it in an acceptable condition for people who were in the middle of a move. Mary waited by the door, not wanting to burst out on them too quickly.

  Tripp came barreling down the stairs, stopping by Mary in the foyer. “She still out there?” he asked. “And, don’t you think it’s weird to be leering by the door like that, Mary?”

  “Grandma,” Mary said sternly. “And maybe you’re right.”

  They went back into the kitchen, and Mary laid out some recipe cards – each one with a lily pad scribbled in the top corner. “What kind of stuff do you bake anyways?” Tripp asked. “Anything good?”

  Mary frowned. Had Tripp really not ever had her baking? “Have I never made anything for you before?” she asked.

  “Seriously?” he questioned. “When would you have?”

  Mary frowned. “Well, that changes today. What is your favorite dessert?”

  “Gran-gran used to make some pretty awesome chocolate chip cookies with walnuts,” he said.

  Ah, yes, Gran-gran, Mary thought with a twinge of annoyance. Gran-gran, his father’s mother, had passed away many years ago from breast cancer. She had been the primary mother figure in Tripp’s life growing up, and she had hated Mary and her daughter with a passion. “Chocolate chip cookies with walnuts, huh?” Mary asked. “You know, I don’t know about walnuts, but I got an awesome chocolate chip recipe I do with pecans.”

  Tripp nodded approvingly. “That sounds good. I always liked pecans more than walnuts.”

  Score one for Grandma, Mary thought, somewhat amused as she pulled out her chocolate chip and pecan cookies recipe. “They sure are taking a while,” Mary said at last, as she began to pour flour into a mixing bowl.

  “Should we check on them?” Tripp asked. “They might be trying to figure out if they’re at the right house or something.”

  “I didn’t even think about that,” Mary said, and the two of them made their way towards the front door.

  Tripp nearly stumbled over some boxes trying to position himself to peer out of the dining room. He shoved them aside. “You really think we should be doing this? I mean, we haven’t even finished unpacking yet. Between the house and the shop, should we really be worrying about this Brooks Day thing?”

  “I asked you if you wanted to do it, and you said yes,” Mary reminded him, as Tripp then just shrugged.

  Mary opened the front door, and she immediately spotted Cindy. Cindy was dressed down today. Her hair was no longer curled but was tied up in a tight, messy bun. She was dressed in bootcut jeans and an oversized t-shirt. Mary saw her standing behind her car, and she poked her head around and smiled. “Hey, Mary!” Cindy called, and Mary noted that despite dressing comfortably, the woman had still put on her bright, red lipstick. “We’re coming.”

  Mary was just about to ask what was taking so long when a girl appeared from behind the car, rolling herself in a wheelchair. Tripp jolted a bit beside Mary, and Mary promptly stomped his foot as a warning not to act so stunned and uncomfortable. He glared at Mary for a moment before putting on a smile. “What’s up!” the girl in the chair called, pushing herself up the steep incline that was Mary’s driveway with very little effort. “You must be Mary and Tripp, right?” she asked.

  She was very cute. Much like her mother, Hannah had dark hair – though her eyes were a sparkling blue. There were youthful freckles all over her nose and cheeks that made her seem almost precious—though the seriousness in her gaze seemed to almost contradict the look. “Yeah, that’s us,” Tripp said, and Mary could tell he was looking at t
he steps leading up to the porch.

  Cindy and Hannah wasted no time. Hannah seemed to almost shove her own chair back for Cindy to catch to force up the stairs; the transition happened so smoothly that Mary didn’t even have time to ask if they needed help getting Hannah’s chair up onto the porch. “Easy, Mom,” Hannah said when Cindy slammed the wheels down a bit too hard at the top of the porch.

  “Sorry, hon,” Cindy said and then perked up at Mary. “So, we going to bake or what?”

  “Of course,” Mary said, inviting them all inside.

  They headed into the kitchen, and Cindy ooed and awed at the place. “I love this open floor plan,” she said. “I would have liked something like this when Hannah was little. You can see straight into the living room.”

  “So, where are you going to be going to school?” Hannah asked. “I go to Whitewater.”

  Tripp shrugged. “Do you know, Grandma?”

  “You’re zoned through the school district for Whitewater too,” Mary informed Tripp.

  “Sweet,” Hannah said and then looked from Mary to Tripp. “Wait, are you his grandmother? Dang, you do not look that old.”

  “Hannah!” Cindy scorned. “Seriously?”

  Mary laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “Your folks live around here?” Hannah asked.

  “No,” Tripp said.

  Hannah glanced at Tripp curiously. “Where are they at?”

  “You ask a lot of questions,” Tripp huffed.

  “Hannah, that’s enough,” Cindy said.

  “Don’t be rude, Tripp,” Mary said.

  Tripp practically growled in response. “It’s none of her business, Mary.” Hannah rolled her wheelchair forward, and she went right over Tripp’s foot.

  “Oww! What’s wrong with you?” Tripp snapped.

  “My legs don’t work – what’s wrong with you?” Hannah said matter-of-factly, and the comment took Tripp really off guard, leaving him tongue-tied.

  “Hannah!” Cindy wailed, looking very embarrassed.

  “What? He’s the one being all rude,” Hannah said. “Who calls their grandmother by their first name?”