admonishing.
Reed gritted his teeth. “I'm here because you ordered them for today.”
“ But why do you have them?”
“ I was helping Sophie.”
Sounding a tad snide, she asked, “What kind of business is she running? Why can't she make her own deliveries?”
Reed rubbed at his temples to ease the tension building there. It didn't work.
“ No, Mom. Not when she's staying up all night baking a few hundred cookies that you ordered for today by noon. You're not the only one who ordered cookies. She's exhausted.” Reed took a deep breath and decidedto start over. “Look, Mom, you made a cookie order from Sophie, right?”
Dot replied, “First of all, I don't like your tone. To answer your question, yes, Reed, I did. But I'm telling you, I didn't order fifteen dozen for Thursday. That's absurd. Why would I order that many? I ordered five dozen for Tuesday after next. As a matter of fact, I remember distinctly ordering five dozen root beer floatcookies. I tried a sample and thought the ladies would like them.”
If it had been any other day, he might be convinced she was telling the truth.
“ Mom, Sophie had the order form. She said it was for today.”
“ Yes, I understand that but didn't you say that she was exhausted?” His mom was holding on to her story with both hands. “Maybe she wrote the order incorrectly, which is a shame becauseI still need those cookies for the twenty-ninth. Tell Sophie that when you see her, please. If she can't do it, I'll take my business elsewhere.”
Her voice held not one drop of remorse or sympathy.
“ Fine, I'll tell her.” Reed gritted out. “What am I supposed to do with all of these cookies?”
Obviously, she didn't consider that her problem. “ You don't have to do anything with them. It's hermistake so take them back to her. She sells cookies for a living. I'm sure she'll figure it out.”
At that point, Reed said his goodbyes and got off the phone before he said something he knew he would regret later.
* * * *
Keith looked up in surprise when Reed walked in carrying a stack of cookie boxes.
“ Doesn't Dad normally do this on Friday? Reed, he only brings about half of that. Not thatI'm complaining, but what's going on?”
Reed set the cookies on a side table and put his hands on his hips. “I'm taking over for him this week. Grab what you want and take the rest over to the crew. Tell them they did a great job staying on track this week.”
Keith stared over at him. “Why do you look like you want to kick someone's ass?” He put his hands up in a show of innocence. “For the record,whatever it is, it wasn't me. Well, it might have been me but I've been too busy to piss off anyone.” Then he added, “At least on purpose.”
Opening the box, Reed took a handful of cookies and headed out the door. “Remember, send these over to the crew as soon as you can.”
Before he could leave, Keith stopped him. “Wait! What's going on with you?”
Reed forced his lips into a smile to put himat ease. “Nothing I can't fix.”
“ What?”
“ Never mind. I gotta go. See ya.”
Keith gave a nod and headed for the cookies.
* * * *
Sophie woke to the feel of a large, warm hand gently stroking her cheek. It felt solid and comforting, so she nuzzled into it. She was drifting back to sleep when she heard a man's voice. “Sophie, sweetheart, wake up.” It was a nice voice. It reminded her of Reed. Wait a minute. This was either another great dream or there was a man in Tracy's apartment!
Sophie shot up so fast she almost knocked heads with him. He dodged back in just enough time to avoid a collision. Then she got a good look at his face and realized it really was Reed.
“ What are you doing here? How did you get in?” The adrenaline rush cleared away the cobwebs in a hurry.
He was croucheddown on the floor next to the couch looking sexy as sin. He was wearing a crimson red T-shirt and faded jeans. He smelled like a combination of citrus cologne and
Reed gritted his teeth. “I'm here because you ordered them for today.”
“ But why do you have them?”
“ I was helping Sophie.”
Sounding a tad snide, she asked, “What kind of business is she running? Why can't she make her own deliveries?”
Reed rubbed at his temples to ease the tension building there. It didn't work.
“ No, Mom. Not when she's staying up all night baking a few hundred cookies that you ordered for today by noon. You're not the only one who ordered cookies. She's exhausted.” Reed took a deep breath and decidedto start over. “Look, Mom, you made a cookie order from Sophie, right?”
Dot replied, “First of all, I don't like your tone. To answer your question, yes, Reed, I did. But I'm telling you, I didn't order fifteen dozen for Thursday. That's absurd. Why would I order that many? I ordered five dozen for Tuesday after next. As a matter of fact, I remember distinctly ordering five dozen root beer floatcookies. I tried a sample and thought the ladies would like them.”
If it had been any other day, he might be convinced she was telling the truth.
“ Mom, Sophie had the order form. She said it was for today.”
“ Yes, I understand that but didn't you say that she was exhausted?” His mom was holding on to her story with both hands. “Maybe she wrote the order incorrectly, which is a shame becauseI still need those cookies for the twenty-ninth. Tell Sophie that when you see her, please. If she can't do it, I'll take my business elsewhere.”
Her voice held not one drop of remorse or sympathy.
“ Fine, I'll tell her.” Reed gritted out. “What am I supposed to do with all of these cookies?”
Obviously, she didn't consider that her problem. “ You don't have to do anything with them. It's hermistake so take them back to her. She sells cookies for a living. I'm sure she'll figure it out.”
At that point, Reed said his goodbyes and got off the phone before he said something he knew he would regret later.
* * * *
Keith looked up in surprise when Reed walked in carrying a stack of cookie boxes.
“ Doesn't Dad normally do this on Friday? Reed, he only brings about half of that. Not thatI'm complaining, but what's going on?”
Reed set the cookies on a side table and put his hands on his hips. “I'm taking over for him this week. Grab what you want and take the rest over to the crew. Tell them they did a great job staying on track this week.”
Keith stared over at him. “Why do you look like you want to kick someone's ass?” He put his hands up in a show of innocence. “For the record,whatever it is, it wasn't me. Well, it might have been me but I've been too busy to piss off anyone.” Then he added, “At least on purpose.”
Opening the box, Reed took a handful of cookies and headed out the door. “Remember, send these over to the crew as soon as you can.”
Before he could leave, Keith stopped him. “Wait! What's going on with you?”
Reed forced his lips into a smile to put himat ease. “Nothing I can't fix.”
“ What?”
“ Never mind. I gotta go. See ya.”
Keith gave a nod and headed for the cookies.
* * * *
Sophie woke to the feel of a large, warm hand gently stroking her cheek. It felt solid and comforting, so she nuzzled into it. She was drifting back to sleep when she heard a man's voice. “Sophie, sweetheart, wake up.” It was a nice voice. It reminded her of Reed. Wait a minute. This was either another great dream or there was a man in Tracy's apartment!
Sophie shot up so fast she almost knocked heads with him. He dodged back in just enough time to avoid a collision. Then she got a good look at his face and realized it really was Reed.
“ What are you doing here? How did you get in?” The adrenaline rush cleared away the cobwebs in a hurry.
He was croucheddown on the floor next to the couch looking sexy as sin. He was wearing a crimson red T-shirt and faded jeans. He smelled like a combination of citrus cologne and
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