Charms and Chocolate Chips: A Magical Bakery Mystery by Bailey Cates Page B

neck. Lucy, who had one as well, noticed and smiled.
    “I had a brief visit from one of my other guardians,” I said. “I stopped by the riverfront on my way back. Nonna came to me in the echo chamber in Rousakis Plaza.”
    Lucy’s eyebrows arched. “Mama?” She knew about my previous encounters with her mother—my grandmother.
    “Yep.”
    “What did she say?” she breathed.
    “She told me that as long as I kept my intentions good, I’d be okay. And that I have whom I need in my life.”
    Lucy’s laugh held genuine delight. “Well, I could have told you that. It is so wonderful that you have this connection with her.”
    I knew my sweet aunt would have loved her mother to visit her from beyond, but it would never even occur to her to be jealous or envious.
    “Hellloooo!” A woman’s voice, deep and fruity, called back to us from the front of the bakery. In a way, it reminded me of Julia Child.
    Craning my head around the refrigerator, I confirmed that it was one of our favorite customers. “Mrs. Standish—how are you?”
    Tall and plain-faced, she wore a flowing leopard print tunic over black slacks and a hat adorned with an enormous sunflower on the side that shouldn’t have worked with the animal print but oddly did. As I approached, the scent of her expensive perfume reached my nose.
    “I’m very well, thank you. I’m having a little get-together this evening and just knew I had to have some goodies from the Honeybee for my guests.”
    “By all means,” Lucy exclaimed, and hurried to grab a bakery box.
    “You’ll need at least two of those,” Mrs. Standish said. “I’d like three of everything you have left in the case. Oh! And throw in two dozen of those delightful cake pops.” She pointed to the bite-sized cakes impaled on sticks like frosted lollipops arranged in a large stone jar. “The kiddies will love those.”
    I grinned. “Good choice.”
    Mrs. Standish leaned one meaty hand on the counter. “Please tell me you’ll be putting your peach pecan mini-pies back on the menu soon.”
    Lucy and I exchanged glances. “We were planning on offering strawberry rhubarb mini-pies soon.”
    “I’m sure they’ll be delicious. Just remember that peaches and pecans are always in favor around here. I must say, though, I recently heard about your lovely berry shortcakes with the honey whipped cream made up fresh for each order. I simply must stop by and indulge in one soon.”
    I waved at the bakery boxes Lucy was filling. “You’re one of our best customers, Mrs. Standish. Stop in for a shortcake whenever you’d like—on the house.”
    Her face lit up, belying her murmured protest.
    “I insist. We really appreciate your loyalty,” I said.
    “Well . . . I might be able to make room for one right now. If it’s not too much trouble.”
    I laughed. “We’ll have it out in a jiffy.”

Chapter 10
    At one o’clock I turned the sign in the window to CLOSED and was about to lock the door when Uncle Ben came in. I finished with the door and closed the blinds as Lucy greeted him with a warm embrace.
    “Stop that,” she said with a giggle. “It tickles.”
    “I thought you liked my beard.” A smile crinkled the corners of his eyes behind his rimless glasses. He let her go and asked, “What would a nice witch like you recommend to a customer who wants to improve his golf game?”
    “Oh, Ben,” she said.
    “Specifically putting.”
    Lucy went behind the display case and snagged a chunk of sour cream coffee cake thick with chopped dates and speckled with poppy seeds. She handed it to him. “Try this.”
    His eyes widened. “Really?”
    “You’ll like it, but it’s not going to do anything for your putting—though it might relax you. Poppy seeds are sometimes a cure for insomnia. However, if you really were a customer, I’d recommend more time on the practice greens.”
    Looking rueful, he took the offered plate to a table and sat down. I poured the last cup of coffee out of the