Later that evening as Dakota confirmed pistachios did not belong in cake, at least at his bakery, the chime over the door sounded. A quick glance at his watch warned him closing time was drawing near and his experiments would have to wait until later. Pushing aside the unappealing confectionary, Dakota looked up, only to have his good mood squashed. He quickly ditched the slice of cake out of sight beneath the counter.
Why is Evelyn here now?
Dakota smiled, praying it came off as genuine. What a sight he must present, his clothes dotted with smudges of flour, food coloring staining his fingertips. Baking was a lot messier than most people considered. In fact, the state of the kitchen alone promised a late night.
“Mrs. Norton, how may I help you this evening?”
She held tightly to her cl
