Page 101 of Bountiful
“Right.” Out of the corner of my eye I saw two men walk into the store. “Hey guys,” I called. “Our power is out, so there aren’t any espresso drinks today. But I have iced coffee and whole lot ofcookies.”
“Oh, man,” a familiar voice said. “Roughday?”
I looked up into the sea-green eyes of David Beringer, and my heart flipped over, as it always did. “Hi! Yeah.” Once again, I’d forgotten how attractive he was in person, and it made me babble likeNicole.
“Sorry, baby.” Then he gave Nicole a smile. “Hi!Rememberme?”
“Dada!” Sheshrieked.
“That’s a girl! You said itagain.”
If jaws could literally hit the floor, mine would have done so. “She didnotjust say that! That was a luckybabble.”
Dave’s teammate stepped up to the counter, too. “I don’t think so. That sounded real to me. Hi Nicole!” he said to my baby girl. “Who’s that?” He pointed at Dave. “Is thatdaddy?”
“Dada!”
“Yeah, baby!” The younger teammate took Nicole’s hand in his and high-fived her. “Jobdone!”
You could have knocked me over with a feather. “Seriously? You decide to say your first word today of all days,andit’s…?”
“Dada,” my little girl said. Then she held out her hand for thecookie.
I gave it to her, because I knew when I’d been beaten. “You know you have to say mama next, right?” She gave me a drooly smile around thecookie.
“Could I have a cookie, too?” Dave asked. “I’ll be agoodboy.”
“Likely story.” I gestured toward the case. “Pick yourpoison.”
“Chocolate chip. And Castro wants—” He glanced at histeammate.
“Oatmeal raisin. And a double-shotcappuccino.”
“Without electrical power, Ican’tmake…”
Castro winked. “Just kidding. I’m a pain like that. If you still have iced coffee, I’dlovesome.”
I poured coffee and handed over baked goods. Then I waved off their payment. “Your money is nogoodhere.”
“Aw.” Dave’s eyes were worried. “Seriously, are you okay? You needanything?”
“I called a friend to come look at the generator and to tell me which repair guy to try next.” Just as I said that, the lights camebackon.
“Zara? You got power?” Zach called fromtheback.
“I do! And you’re the bestthingever!”
“Then don’t sell all the cookies!” heyelledback.
“Is that Zach?” Dave asked, taking a bite of hiscookie.
“Yeah. Good memory.” He’d only met him at thewedding.
“I pay attention. But really—is there anything I can dotohelp?”
I glanced around the bakery. “Not really. Now I wait for theelectrician.”
“You want me to hold the baby?” Dave asked. “She looks kinda squirmy in thatthing.”
