She’d only have to take the kitchen offline for about five weeks,which she could do with her current wedding cake schedule. She’d just have tocommit to the time frame and turn down any requests that came in. Difficult,but doable.
“Tell me about the contractors you work with.” She’d done someresearch ahead of time, but it seemed like Quinn’s firm worked with a number ofcompanies.
“For this project, my first choice would be Bauer and Sons.They’re based in Ithaca. I’ll need to see if we can get on their calendar. Ipenciled us in after our first meeting, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Amanda frowned.
“Is something wrong? I can’t imagine you’ve heard something badabout them.”
“No. I trust your judgment.”
“But?”
She sighed. “I had this fantasy of hiring a woman-ownedbusiness.”
Quinn grinned. “This is close.”
“Really?” She imagined this swarthy older woman with a brood ofstrapping young men doing her bidding.
“Joss Bauer is one of the ‘and sons,’ even though she’stechnically a daughter. Or maybe it’s granddaughter. It might be thirdgeneration by now. Anyway, she’s the one I work closest with. She’s great andhas a ton of experience rehabbing older buildings.”
The description made her smile. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
“I’ll set something up before work gets started for sure.”
“Perfect.” She considered leaving it at that but thought betterof it. “I really can’t thank you enough for putting in the time on an idea youweren’t sure would fly. It’s so much better than what I could have imagined.”
“I’m glad I took a chance, and I’m even more glad you like it.”
Again, Quinn’s words struck a chord. She wasn’t one for good omens,but this certainly felt like one. “I’m glad you took a chance, too.”
“Now that I know we’re on the same page, I’ll do full renderings.I’d like to run them by you again before taking them to the zoning and codeofficers. Especially the kitchen layout.”
“Makes sense.”
Quinn pulled out her phone and poked at the screen. “How’sFriday?”
“It’s good. I can come to you if that’s easier. I feel bad youalways drive out my way.”
Quinn grinned. “But you have cupcakes.”
She did. And it really was easier to meet at the bakery. It meantshe only had to step away from her work for as long as the meeting took. “Well,if you don’t mind, I’ll happily provide you with all the cupcakes you can eat.”
“Both a delightful and a dangerous proposition.” Quinn stuck outher hand. “Deal.”
The handshake was a friendly gesture, practically a joke. Itshouldn’t have sent a spark buzzing through her. But that’s exactly whathappened. Amanda cleared her throat and stood. “I’ll look forward to seeing yousoon.”
Quinn didn’t seem to pick up on the abruptness of the move. “Me,too. And not just because of the cupcakes.”
Quinn left and Amanda returned to the kitchen. She’d no soonerfinished the first batch of cake batter when her phone buzzed in her pocket.Mel. She’d ignored the last couple of texts. Still. There was always the chancesomething was wrong. “Hello?”
Chapter Seven
Amanda lay sprawled in her bed, completely naked in broaddaylight. She covered her eyes with her hands. Why did it feel like she wasdoing that a lot lately? Oh, because she was. “We have to stop doing this.”
Mel rolled onto her side. “Does your brain kick back on literallythe second after you orgasm?”
“One of us needs to be thinking rationally.” And when it came toMel, the task fell to her. Always.
“You’re giving thinking too much credit.” Mel trailed a fingerdown her arm. “I think there’s something to be said for letting go.”
“Until you have to deal with the consequences.”
“What consequences? We are two consenting adults with a longhistory and a deep fondness for one another. We’re enjoying each other’scompany and having sex, which at our age, is good for both our mental andphysical health.”
Amanda rolled her eyes. “You sound like such a professor rightnow.”
Mel kissed her shoulder. “Be honest. You like it.”
God help her, she did. “Maybe.”
“Aside from last week, how long has it been?”
She so didn’t want to answer. “Not the point.”
“Amanda.” Mel’s tone was stern.
Rather than making her bristle, it reminded her of the playfulpush and pull of the early years of their marriage. Like when she lusted afterexorbitantly expensive equipment for the bakery or when Mel wanted to buy alake house before getting tenure. Before the kids and before their argumentstook on an edge. Before they—okay, mostly Mel—started doing whatever theywanted without consulting the other at all. She gave Mel a poke. “It’s none ofyour business.”
“No?” Mel rolled until she was half on top of Amanda and startedtickling her.
Amanda squealed and squirmed. “Stop, stop, stop.”
Mel obliged but didn’t roll away. “How long?”
Amanda lifted a shoulder and looked away. “Three years.”
Mel shook her head. “Too long.”
“It’s not a priority.” It wasn’t, and she was okay with that.
“You are a beautiful woman still in her sexual prime. There is noreason on earth you shouldn’t be having amazing sex all the time.”
“I’ve spent the last decade raising two teenagers and running abusiness. I’ve had a lot on my plate.” Even as she defended her choices, shecringed. If one of her friends tried that line, she’d give them a lecture onall the reasons being a martyr was unhealthy, unfeminist, and unhelpful inraising self-sufficient children.
She expected Mel to argue or perhaps dismiss her assertionaltogether. Instead, she cupped Amanda’s cheek in her palm. The tenderness ofthe gesture caught her off guard. “You’ve done an incredible job. Soincredible, it was easy to let you take on the lion’s share of the work. I’msorry for that.”
Before she could stop them, tears pricked her eyes. How manytimes had she longed to hear those words? Not so much recently, but in thebeginning, when lacrosse and piano lessons and karate and Girl Scouts hadsucked up every spare moment. Amanda shook her head, unsure whether theemotions swirling in her were vindication or regret.
“Shh.” Mel kissed one cheek, then the other.
She was long past the point of needing tenderness from Mel.Perhaps not needing it made it all the sweeter. Whether it was that orsomething else, Amanda didn’t know. But she let herself sink into it. She
