Shades Of Chocolate (The Bakery Romance Series Book 2) Read online

  However, her meager finances would still get in the way. The bakery made a comfortable living for her. She had enough money to pay for her expenses. But the desire to own her own home, with a front and back yard, with enough room to start a vegetable garden and to plant some flowers…how she loved flowers!

  She stopped staring at the house and continued her running, thinking about her home-buying dream. She rounded the corner, out of breath, glad that her workout was over. She walked for a few minutes before making her way toward her bakery.

  Thunder rolled in the distance and dark clouds dotted the sky. She unlocked the door and rushed inside, not realizing it was supposed to rain that day. She stared at the raindrops splattering against the glass. After watching the rain for a few moments, she locked the door and walked upstairs to her apartment. The phone rang, and she ran to answer it.

  “Hello.” Silence. “Hello?” she repeated.

  “Be careful, or you’ll be sorry,” a gruff male voice grunted into the phone.

  “Who is this?” Her voice quivered. A cold feeling crept down her spine. The question was swallowed up by unyielding silence. Suddenly there was a harsh click and the irritating buzz of the dial tone. The black phone dropped from her suddenly shaky fingers and rattled back into its cradle. Toni collapsed into a nearby chair, took several deep breaths, tried to calm herself. After a few moments, she peeked at the caller ID, her heart continuing to pound. The number was unknown.

  Chapter 10

  Jason popped the last bite of egg roll into his mouth when his phone rang. He winced, glanced around Chan’s, the only Chinese restaurant in Blue Spring. Scents of fried meat and rice filled the air while uniformed servers scurried by, carrying trays of hot food. Without even eyeing the display, he’d known it would be his father calling. He couldn’t continue to ignore his dad’s calls.

  He took the call. “Dad, stop calling me. I’ll talk to you when I’m ready.”

  “Jason, this is Ms. Clara.”

  This was the last thing he needed. He never expected Ms. Clara to call him.

  “Don’t hang up on me. Just listen to what I have to say.”

  He gritted his teeth, clutched the phone. He knew he’d been acting like a juvenile since he’d discovered his father had been dating Ms. Clara. Heck, he recalled some of his childhood friends’ reactions when they’d found out their parents were getting a divorce. His strong reaction reminded him of a wayward teen, but he just couldn’t help himself. “Jason, I just want you to hear me out.”

  Lord, I need your help right now. Help me to deal with this anger against my father. The anger and bitterness he’d been feeling towards his dad festered like an open sore, oozing with pain, refusing to heal. He’d never connected with his dad, ever. If anybody knew about the rift in his relationship with his dad, it was Ms. Clara. “I know my father doesn’t like me. He never has.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Yes, it is and you know it.”

  “Jason, you’re wrong. Your father is going through a lot right now and since you refuse to talk to him…well, he asked me to call you on his behalf.”

  Jason narrowed his eyes, stared at the Chinese painting on the wall. “Is my father with you now?”

  “No, I’m in my office. Your father thinks he made a bad decision telling you about our being involved. He was just worried that you’d find out from somebody else. He wants to set things right between the two of you, and he’s taking matters into his own hands, trying to reach out to you, have a decent relationship with you.”

  Jason didn’t believe that. Not one bit.

  “Don’t focus on my relationship with him,” she continued. “He wants you to just try to repair the relationship that the two of you have.”

  Ms. Clara failed to understand how damaged his relationship was with his dad. How could you heal something that was never fixed in the first place? The waiter approached bearing a steaming plate of food. Jason’s stomach curdled, his appetite evaporating like the steam rising from the food.

  “Bye Ms. Clara.” He disconnected the call and beckoned his server. “Can I get a to-go box, please?” He’d lost his appetite.

  *

  Something was wrong with Toni. Over the last couple of days, whenever the phone rang, she hesitated before checking the caller ID. She’d also been yawning a lot. Dark circles were beneath her eyes, and she’d been skittish.

  Jason glanced at his watch. It was just after two o’clock, and the bakery was empty. Toni had gone in the kitchen to prepare a birthday cake. She’d be finished soon. Maybe now would be a good time to approach her. He entered the kitchen as Toni was pulling the layers for her chocolate and vanilla cake from the oven. “Toni.”

  She shrieked, dropping the hot pans. The cakes tumbled from the pan onto the spotless kitchen floor. “Look what you made me do!” She turned toward him, her eyes blazing. Not giving him a chance to respond, she turned away, wiping her face.

  He took a few steps back. Maybe he needed to give her some space. Maybe she needed some time alone. He took a deep breath. No, he couldn’t leave her alone. He needed to find out what was bothering her. Since she’d hired him, he’d been feeling a bit more peaceful. He wasn’t sure whether he felt better because he was in a kitchen that reminded him of his childhood. But the small bit of peace he’d been feeling had taken a nosedive once he’d witnessed Toni’s nervous mood.

  After waiting for a few seconds, he approached her, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Toni, what’s wrong?”

  “Oh, Jason.”

  She leaned into his chest, and he hesitated before placing his arms around her. Goodness, she felt nice, soft. He sniffed, and the light, floral scent of her perfume consumed him. He resisted the urge to kiss her forehead. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t really know what to do. He eyed the cake on the floor.

  She pulled away, focused on the messy floor. “The customers will be here in a couple of hours to get their birthday cake and –”

  He knew what he needed to do. He led her into the sitting area, coaxing her into a chair. “I’ll put another cake into the oven. It’s the chocolate and vanilla cake, right?”

  She nodded, still appearing frazzled and dazed. When was the last time she’d had a decent night of sleep? Weren’t the pills she’d gotten from the drugstore working anymore? Leaving her in the sitting area, he returned to the kitchen, removed the ingredients to make her famous chocolate and vanilla birthday cake.

  He mixed the batter placed the layers into the hot oven. After setting the timer, he returned to the front of the shop. Toni still sat at the table, her forehead resting in her hand. She jiggled her leg, and when he placed his hand on her shoulder, she jumped.

  “What’s wrong?” He removed his hand, pulled out a chair and sat beside her.

  She continued to jiggle her leg, wringing her hands. “I’ve been getting threatening phone calls.”

  “Threatening phone calls?” He glanced at the phone behind the counter. “Who’s been calling you?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s no information on the caller ID.”

  That was strange. “What does the caller say?”

  “He tells me I’m going to be sorry. Sometimes he calls me names.”

  “What kind of names?”

  Her light brown skin reddened, and she glanced toward the window. “Names that I don’t want to repeat.”

  He clamped his lips down, resisting the urge to take her into his arms. There had to be something that he could do to help. “Has there been anybody unfamiliar in the bakery lately?”

  She scratched the back of her neck and stared at the table top. “Lots of people were here last week for the church revival, but I doubt any of them would want to harm me.”

  “Anybody else?”

  “No.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve been so jumpy lately. I guess if a creepy stranger visited the bakery, I may not have noticed.”

 
; “I doubt that. I think since you’ve been so upset, a scary stranger would be the first person you noticed.”

  She shrugged, her brow furrowed.

  “Well, keep it in mind. You might remember something later.”

  She nodded. “Maybe.”

  “Have you thought about going to the police?”

  “The police? Why?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Why? Isn’t it obvious? I think you should let the police know about what’s been happening.” He glanced around the bakery. “After we’re done with the birthday cake and you’ve closed up, I think we should drive down to the station and talk to one of the officers. They may be able to help you.”

  She chewed her lower lip, leaning back into her seat. “Let me think about it.”

  “What’s there to think about?” He balled his hands into fists. This woman was so stubborn. She needed to do what she could to protect herself. Why couldn’t she understand that? “Maybe talking to the police might help clear things up.”

  “How?”

  “Well, you never know, maybe there are others in the area who are having the same problem. These phone calls could be nothing more than a bored teenager, just trying to kill some time.”

  They sat in silence for a while, and when a few customers entered the bakery, Jason took charge and waited on them, giving Toni a chance to relax. He could tell she needed a break. After the last customer left, he stared at her. He took a deep breath, the image of taking her away from these scary phone calls filled his mind. He wanted to take her someplace where she could be free from the stress of her life.

  He’d loved the Tahitian beach he’d visited years ago. How would she like being with him on that amazing beach, sipping drinks, taking it easy and enjoying the beautiful scenery? Toni would be laughing, free from her problems. He could imagine them together, enjoying each other’s company, and praying to the Lord.

  Her head snapped up, and she looked right at him, almost as if she could read his thoughts. Embarrassed to be caught staring, he hurried back into the kitchen when the oven timer buzzed. Later, he frosted the cooled cake with her fudge icing. While he decorated it, he recalled how Toni said she didn’t believe in prayer. He could certainly understand doubting God. His own faith was weak right now. But he knew the Lord was behind him one hundred percent, no matter what happened.

  How could he get Toni to understand that?

  He returned to the front of the bakery and found Toni sweeping the floor. “So, have you made up your mind? Did you want to go to the police station?”

  The phone rang, the loud sound shattering the silence. Toni turned toward Jason, frowning. “I hope that’s not the caller again.”

  Jason hurried to the phone and lifted the receiver.

  Chapter 11

  Toni made herself comfortable on Sheila’s couch, patting her full stomach. On this lazy Saturday evening, they’d feasted on food delivered from Pedro’s Pizzeria. The red, white and green pizza box rested on the coffee table. They’d also enjoyed Sheila’s homemade iced tea.

  Over dinner, she’d told Sheila about the phone calls and about the visit with Jason to the police station. It’d been two days since she’d received any prank phone calls. When Jason had answered the phone the other day, it was just a customer wanting to order cupcakes.

  The visit to the police station had helped. They’d suggested getting a security system installed, but when Toni had checked out the prices for the systems, she’d decided that she’d put that on hold. She’d been watching her finances, trying to save her money towards the down payment for a new home. She didn’t want to shell out the monthly fee for a security system. She needed to save every penny she could, and she wasn’t going to let some prank caller dictate how she spent her money.

  “What are you thinking about?” Sheila playfully swatted Toni’s shoulder as she sipped her iced tea.

  “Oh, the prank calls, the security system that I won’t be buying—”

  “You should reconsider. I think a security system is needed, especially if you have a business.”

  She shook her head. “No. Just like you’ve suggested, I’m saving to buy a house. I need to save every penny towards a down payment. I don’t want to be saddled with an additional monthly bill right now.”

  Sheila pursed her lips, taking another sip of tea. “What else did the police say?”

  “They said that they would drive by the bakery more often over the next few weeks, maybe get a squad car to sit across the street to make sure everything’s okay.”

  Sheila rolled her eyes, setting her glass down on the table. “I doubt that’d help. You have a prank caller on the phone. Having the police outside your door probably won’t scare him from calling you again. What else did they say?”

  Toni sighed. She needed to let Sheila know what happened. Her friend had noticed how despondent she’d been lately, and she needed to confide in someone. “They asked if there was anybody I knew of who’d do this, like any enemies, people like that.”

  Sheila focused on Toni’s face, her dark eyes piercing. “Well, do you?”

  Had Sheila lost her mind? “Of course not.”

  Sheila huffed, jumped off of the couch and strolled to her desk. She pulled out the drawer, rummaged through it, mumbling to herself.

  A kitten circled Toni’s ankle. The small animal mewed, and Toni scooped him up, petting his gray and white fur. “Sheila, you got another cat? You’ve already got two cats. You don’t need another one.”

  Sheila shook her head, returning to the couch. “He’s not mine. They just brought him into the animal shelter today. Apparently, his mom was killed by a car, and somebody found him and brought him to the shelter.”

  “His mom was killed? That’s so sad.” Toni stared into the cat’s dark eyes, becoming comfortable with having him on her lap. “Where’s the rest of the litter?”

  Sheila shrugged. “We don’t know. He howled so much that I thought he needed some extra loving care, so I brought him home with me.” Sheila had been volunteering at the local animal shelter for years. She often joked that if she never found a good man to marry, it was okay because she’d be content living alone with her cats.

  Toni continued petting the cat, loving the feel of his body on her legs. Sheila cleared her throat. “Whiskers has found a new home…a home with you.”

  Toni stopped petting the kitty. “A cat is the last thing I need. Besides, I could imagine people complaining about my living upstairs with a cat while running the bakery. What if he accidentally escapes my apartment and goes downstairs? I can’t risk my customers getting antsy when they see him on the premises.” She also didn’t want the added expense of having an animal in her life.

  “I can tell by that pensive look on your face that you’re thinking about money. Having a kitten is not expensive.” Sheila opened her notebook to a clean sheet of paper. “You should think about adopting Whiskers.”

  Whiskers jumped off of Toni’s lap, wandered into the kitchen, sat on the windowsill, curling into a ball. Toni gestured toward Sheila’s notebook. “Why did you get the pen and paper?”

  “We need to make a list.”

  “A list?”

  “Let’s think about your life over the last year, try to think of someone who’d want to do you harm.”

  Toni’s heart skipped. “I don’t want to talk about this.” Her voice tightened. Maybe it was time for her to go home.

  Sheila touched her shoulder. “Hey, I didn’t mean to make you upset.” Her voice softened. “I know this is hard for you to talk about, but I thought if we made a list of people who may be bothering you, then you can confront him or her. Maybe find out what’s going on.”

  Toni chewed her lip and folded her arms in front of her chest. “Brian’s always been dishonest. I just never admitted it to myself until I caught him with Gia. Sheila, I honestly don’t think he has the guts to make a prank call.” She shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense.”

  Sheila wrote Br
ian’s name down with a question mark beside it. Toni frowned. “Why are you writing his name down?”

  “Brian could be up to no good. I have no reason to believe he’d do this, but you can’t be sure about him. He’s a sneaky one. It wouldn’t surprise me if he hired somebody to call and scare you for some reason.”

  Toni rolled her eyes. “I disagree with you about that.”

  They talked about the last year of Toni’s life for about an hour, and after they were done, Sheila had come up with a paltry list of four people: Brian, Gia, her cousin Eva and Eva’s husband Hank.

  “Sheila, this whole exercise is a waste of time. I haven’t talked to Eva and Hank for years. Besides, like Jason suggested, the caller may be nothing more than a bored teenager trying to find some amusement.”

  Sheila raised her eyebrows. “Well, that could be true, but I doubt that a bored teenager would keep calling the same number over and over again.”

  “I suppose that’s true.” This whole conversation was depressing. She’d visited Sheila for some girl time, and now the mood had been ruined.

  “I’ve made you upset, haven’t I?” asked Sheila. Not giving her a chance to respond, she ripped the piece of paper out of the notebook, and placed the notebook back into the drawer. “We don’t have to talk about this anymore. I was only trying to help.”

  She nodded. “I know.”

  “Hey, did you bring the cookies for dessert?”

  Toni winced. “Sheila, I forgot.” She didn’t think it was wise to let Sheila know exactly why she forgot. Earlier that evening, when she’d gone running and afterwards, she’d been thinking about Jason. When he’d left the bakery that day, she’d had the overwhelming urge to ask him to stay. In the short time he’d been working for her, she’d gotten used to seeing his cute face.

  His strong, quiet nature soothed her, and the way they easily worked together in her kitchen made her wonder how long he’d be around. In this short time, she’d gotten used to him being there beside her, proofing dough and making pastries.