CHAPTER ONE
The minutes right before ten a.m. were by far the most nerve-racking part of Cassidy’s day. She looked around the bakery with a critical eye, searching for anything that might be out of place. The Victorian couch and two high-backed chairs that she’d reupholstered sat at the front of the store, the lines from the handheld vacuum still visible on the fabric. The mismatched tables and chairs—yard sale finds she’d painted vibrant colors—had been wiped down. The display case next to the cash register overflowed with freshly baked cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and cakes, the front of the case wiped clean of the smudges and fingerprints from yesterday. She could still smell the key lime from the cupcake of the day mixing with the more traditional scents of chocolate and vanilla.
The minute hand on the large wall clock ticked to the upright position. Ten o’clock exactly. Cassidy took a deep breath, then flipped the sign on the glass front door from closed to open, praying she’d sell enough this month to cover her rent and basic costs—no easy feat in a town as small as Sunset Plains, where the customers were loyal but few. If her parents didn’t generously let her live at home rent-free, she’d never have been able to qualify for the bank loan that allowed her to open Cupcakes and Cowboys. And while living at home wasn’t ideal, she’d forever be grateful for their support of her dreams.
The next half hour was quiet, with only the soft sounds of the radio to keep her company. Cassidy didn’t let the lack of customers dampen her spirits and hummed along to the country song. Mondays were always her slowest day of the week, and mornings were even slower. She sat on the stool behind the counter, using the tablet that doubled as her cash register to respond to emails, when the bell on the front door jingled.
Cassidy looked up, her heart jumping in anticipation of her first customer of the day. The shadow against the frosted glass door was short and curvy, suggesting a woman. She hoped it was Mrs. Smith, who always bought one of the more expensive cakes to satisfy her sweet tooth. But it wasn’t elderly Mrs. Smith at the door. Anabeth Collins walked in, the morning sun highlighting her platinum curls briefly before the door swung shut. She set her sunglasses on top of her head and walked across the laminate floor, the click of her cowboy boots echoing in the empty room as her eyes took in everything. Anabeth and Cassidy hadn’t run in the same circles in high school, but they’d been friendly to each other. With a graduating class of only thirty-two students, they’d all known each other pretty well.
“Good morning,” Cassidy said, smiling at Anabeth. She wasn’t the type to eat carbs or sugar, but her mother was a frequent customer.
Anabeth looked around, her gaze approving. “This is a right fine shop you’ve got here. Mama talks about it a lot. I’ve been meaning to stop in.”
Satisfaction rolled through Cassidy, reminding her once again that everything she’d gone through in the past year was worth the opportunity to live out her dream. “Thank you. I’m really happy with how it turned out. What can I do for you today?”
Anabeth set her purse on the counter, the diamond in her engagement ring flashing. “I want you to bake my wedding cake.”
Cassidy inhaled sharply, her chest suddenly ice cold in direct contrast to the warm June day. Her mind flashed back to the last wedding cake she’d baked and decorated—her own. She’d spent hours on the gum paste flowers and baked a tier of spice cake—Seth’s favorite—even though the smell had made her stop three times to throw up. She still didn’t know what her mama did with the cake when Seth failed to show up at the church. It had been three hundred and thirty-nine days, but Cassidy’s heart still bled every time she thought about it.
She looked away, straightening the small stack of customer loyalty cards next to the cash register. “I don’t do wedding cakes. Sorry.”
Anabeth let out an exasperated sigh, like Cassidy was an obstinate toddler refusing to comply with a simple request. “I know you don’t like to do them, but you did that one in high school for Bethany Edwards and it was beautiful.”
“That was a long time ago.” Cassidy had turned down every single request since Seth left, despite how badly she needed the money.
“A wedding cake is the focus of the reception, and I need someone I know will do a good job. Here, I have a picture.” Anabeth pulled a wrinkled paper from her purse and handed it to Cassidy. The image looked like it had been torn from a magazine, and the left edge was jagged. It showcased a five-tiered wedding cake with white fondant and elegant silver piping. Pink sugar flowers trailed down the side.
Cassidy took a deep breath, fighting to control her emotions. It was remarkably similar to the cake she’d made for herself. Not that anyone had seen the finished product. It wasn’t like the cake had been served at a reception.
She thought about the money the cake would bring in—enough to pay an entire month’s rent on the bakery. She’d get a thirty day reprieve from counting cupcakes and praying to sell just a dozen more so she could make the payment. But then she remembered the way panic had engulfed her when her mama said no one could find Seth. She’d clawed at her wedding dress, the tight fabric on her growing stomach forcing her to lean over a trash can and empty her stomach before her mama could undo all the buttons.
“I can’t,” Cassidy said, forcing the words through her tight throat. “I’m really sorry. I’m happy to recommend a few alternatives.”
“You’re the only bakery in town.”
Like she didn’t already know that. But Sunset Plains wasn’t the only place to buy a cake. “There are lots of reputable bakeries in Tulsa. I’m sure any one of them would do an excellent job.”
“I want to order a wedding cake from you.” Anabeth folded her arms, her lips pulling down in a pout. “I won’t have time the day before my wedding for a two-hour drive to and from Tulsa to pick up a cake. Can’t you make an exception, just this once?”
Cassidy’s mind flashed to sitting on her bed, panic making her heart race and entire body clammy with sweat. She’d discovered blood when using the restroom. Her mother’s arms had wrapped tightly around her as she gasped, each cramp more intense than the last. She and Seth had planned to spend their wedding night at a bed and breakfast in Oklahoma City. Instead Cassidy had ended up in the small Sunset Plains emergency room without him.
“I’m more than happy to cater the reception or provide refreshments for the bridal shower,” Cassidy said, her voice thick. “But I can’t do the cake.”
Anabeth’s eyes flashed with anger. “I’d think a new bakery wouldn’t turn away a paying customer. I just want my wedding day to be perfect.”
And Anabeth Collins was used to getting her way. Cassidy gripped the countertop, her composure slipping. Any wedding day that ended with the bride and groom in the same room seemed pretty perfect to Cassidy. A sick pit lodged itself in her stomach as she thought about how much money she was turning away. “I’m really sorry, Anabeth.”
Anabeth folded her arms, her eyes narrowing into slits as she glared. “He’s in a movie, you know. With Jase Larson. I saw a trailer for it the other day.”
Cassidy’s knees trembled. Suddenly she was back in that sterile ER hospital bed hearing the words, “The heartbeat’s gone. I’m sorry.” The stress had proved too much for the unplanned pregnancy. Even though the thought of being a mother terrified Cassidy, losing the baby and Seth all at once had devastated her. “Wh—what?”
“It’s been a year, Cassidy. Get over it. He obviously has.”
The words hit Cassidy like a ton of bricks as Anabeth whirled and stomped toward the door, her blonde hair swaying against her back as she yanked it open. She walked past the front window and disappeared down the sidewalk, probably heading to the pharmacy her parents owned three doors down to complain to her mother.
Cassidy fumbled to turn on the tablet. She brought up the search engine and typed in Seth Harrington. Numerous articles appeared from various celebrity magazines. Her hand shook so badly it took three tries to properly tap the first link. The interview talked about how pleased Seth was to be in a movie with A-list actor Jase Larson, who’d taken Seth under his wing. It seemed the two had become close friends since Seth abandoned Cassidy for California.
She tapped on one article after another. By all accounts, the movie—a romantic comedy with a love triangle between two best friends and the girl they both loved—was supposed to be one of the blockbuster hits of the summer. Why hadn’t she heard about it before now? Had she been that out of touch?
Her finger hovered over a link for the trailer. This is what he’d abandoned her for.
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