Life Next Door (Love Not Included Series Book 2) by J. D. Hollyfield Page B

moaning his owner’s name while he stares at me.
     
    Thank God it’s Wednesday. Hump Day. The middle of the week with two days down, three more to go. Work is back to being busy, and if I stopped to count, I would have to say that I batched, baked and iced over three hundred of my special cupcakes today. Ever since May let me take the reins, I started bringing in my secret batter recipes. Seems they are making some headway because two hours into us being open, poor Katie has to break up a fight between Betty Davis and Mayvis over who was going to get the last dozen and bring it to bunko night. Maybe that’s what I should do. Join a Wednesday night bunko league. Cut down on the wine and be more social with the town ladies.
     
    HA! Yeah right. Wow, it was hard to keep a straight face for that one.
     
    Moving on.
     
    Fast-forward to the moment my feet hit the threshold of my humble home. I sigh. I toss my bag on the couch and call for Jake. I see him coming from my bedroom. Bunking up in the ladies’ den, are we? “Hey, Jakie baby, how was your day, you little hunk of fluffy love?” Get it?
     
    I go into the kitchen to grab a cereal bowl to feed Jake. I have a feeling he’s going to be disappointed with this lousy dog food I bought. “Sorry, buddy. I’m sure it doesn’t top your roast beef sandwich breakfast but we can’t be razzing you up and having your daddy suspect anything.” I go and fill his bowl. Of course, he attacks it. No hard feelings. Roast beef isn’t really my favorite sandwich, either.
     
    Even though I spend my whole day baking, sometimes I like to just relax and bake in the comfort of my own home. It’s a different feeling. Different mood. I pull out my wine and head back to my creative room for this recipe I have been dying to try. If mocha Kahlua mint bourbon cupcakes don’t sound delish, then something is seriously wrong with you. Anything that has liquor and chocolate combined should be illegal. And should also vibrate.
     
    By the time I get back to the kitchen, I already need a refill. Sometimes I wonder if there’s a hole in my glass. They always go so fast. Mental note: I definitely need to go online to search for some larger wine glasses.
     
    With all ingredients laid out on the counter, I get to work. It has taken some time to master the perfect measurements, but I feel good about this. Before I know it, the timer dings and I am pretty lit. Between the wine and the remainder of the liquor shots, I’m pretty sure I’d think streaking through the neighborhood would be a great idea if someone proposed it to me. I pull the cupcakes out and set them on the cooling rack. I know it’s going to be some time before I can ice them so I head into the living room to catch the last of Letterman and do some Internet shopping. I mean business with these wine glasses. I spend about twenty minutes searching websites until I give up and just go straight to Pottery Barn. They have every drinking glass a girl can dream of. I put all the stuff my drunken goggles want in my checkout basket and reach under my coffee table for Jeff’s credit card. Of course I don’t put it in my purse in case I get mugged. I have to have one make it through to replenish all my things!
     
    I enter in all of Jeff’s info, confirm purchase and submit. Ahhh, the feeling of cyber-bliss when that ‘thank you for your order’ page pops up. Do I want expedited shipping? Of course, thanks for asking! Do I want to have it gift wrapped for an additional fee? Why, yes, thank you! I love presents! I rest my laptop on the coffee table and look to my right at Jake who is staring at me. He definitely thinks I’m cuckoo. I wonder if Trent sits around and talks to himself all day long. My phone buzzes and cuts off my thought process. I look at the Caller ID and to my disappointment, it’s Jeff. What does that dingbat want?
     
    Now, if I haven’t proved it yet, I am about to now. There is one thing that I seriously lack in