Geraldine waved her hand at me. “Don’t be silly! You use whatever you need. I’ll help. It will be fun. I don’t have much of a reason to make cupcakes anymore. Let me get the mixer and measuring cups. You get whatever you need from the pantry.” She clapped her hands together excitedly.
This job was more than I could have hoped for. Geraldine was such a good woman—in her right mind and out of it. My job was just another thing I owed Stone. I often felt like I didn’t do enough to warrant the paycheck. Geraldine was good company and there was never a boring moment.
Once we had all the ingredients on the counter we began working together. Geraldine said she was best with the cake batter if I could do the icing. I was fine with that. I had a special way of making the icing that Heidi loved. The pantry was filled with so many sprinkles to choose from I had a hard time deciding, but ended up choosing the glitter-like sprinkles. Heidi would be amazed at how they shimmered on the pink and yellow icing.
While we were finishing up, I decided to ask Geraldine’s opinion on the best way to handle moving out of Stone’s. I would admit I had become attracted to him. That was something I’d deal with and end myself. Telling someone made it harder to ignore.
“I think Stone would enjoy his apartment without me there. With Presley gone he has the opportunity to have it all to himself.” I stopped myself from saying more. I wanted to see how she responded first.
“If you’re thinking of moving out, I think you’ll have a fight on your hands. Stone will worry. He wants to keep you safe. Having you at his apartment gives him reassurance that you’re okay.”
I wasn’t sure I agreed with that.
“He’s helped me so much already. I’m thankful for all he’s done. I don’t think I can ever repay him.”
She starting placing the finished cupcakes on a pretty pink platter. “He helps the people he wants to help. When he is sure you’re ready to move on he’ll make sure you have a home to move to. He’s a good boy.”
This wasn’t how I had hoped this conversation would go. “He is helping me because of Jasper. I shouldn’t be his burden. It’s not fair. Jasper and I will never be. He needs to have time to work and be there for Jasper. It’s what he wants.”
Geraldine looked up at me then. “Saving Jasper’s ass isn’t what he wants. He feels it’s his job. The boy has so much responsibility he piles on himself. Always has. But he wants to help you. Since he came in here the first time and told me about you he has been different. When he talks about you he seems . . . different. Like a bit of his darkness is gone.”
Although that sounded good, she saw things very differently than I did. Stone was crystal clear that he was helping me for Jasper’s sake. “Stone was less dark when he told you about me because Jasper and I were over. He was worried about Jasper and I having a relationship. He knew the truth or suspected it.”
Geraldine pressed her lips together and almost smirked at my response. “The first time he told me about you was the weekend after he saw you the first time. So that reasoning of yours is incorrect. Now,” she dusted her hands off on her apron. “These cupcakes are finished, and I’m anxious to meet Heidi. Enough of this. Let’s go.”
I stood there mentally going over what she’d just said. I thought I must have heard her incorrectly. Stone wouldn’t have spoken about me after he met me unless it was to complain about my existence.
“Stop frowning. It causes wrinkles. I’ll get my purse and we can be on our way.”
“He hated the sight of me,” I told her.
She was confused. That was the only explanation.
Geraldine laughed then. A loud amused sound that made her eyes twinkle with delight. “Stone has never once hated you,” she managed to say through her laughter.
I realized talking to her about this was a bad idea. She got times and facts wrong all the time. I went to pick up the tray of cupcakes and smiled. “I’ll take these to the car.”
“Get my keys from the washroom. We will take my car,” she said still smiling like she was trying to stifle more laughter.
I headed toward the washroom to get the keys I had seen hanging in there. Taking Geraldine to see Heidi might not be a good idea. She could forget what decade it was at any moment. It appeared that she might be close to having a spell now. Then again, Heidi wouldn’t realize there was an issue.
The idea of my sister listening to Geraldine’s ramblings with interest made me smile. She’d buy the madness, and ask questions. When I walked back into the kitchen, Geraldine was there with her black flats on her feet.
“She’s the closest thing to an angel I’ve ever seen,” Geraldine said when she saw me.
“Who?” I asked thinking she may be lost again in her memories.
“He will never see more than that though. In her eyes, there is more. I want to see it all and know those secrets that made her so strong. But I won’t get the chance. I saw the way he looked at her.”
That wasn’t an answer. It was more rambling. “Do you know where we are going?” I asked to see if she was with me still.
She smiled softly. “Yes, Beulah. We’re taking these cupcakes and visiting Heidi.”
Okay, so she was still sane. “Oh. Then what were you talking about?”
“I was remembering that first conversation I had with Stone about you.”
HEIDI WAS THRILLED WE VISITED. The glittery cupcakes had been a big hit. She’d been happy that I’d brought my new friend.
Geraldine’s mind stayed in the present the entire visit. She had shown Heidi a trick to crochet, played kickball with us, and pushed Heidi on the swing she loved under the big oak tree.
It wasn’t until we arrived back at Geraldine’s that she started talking about me priming the water pump and checking on the chickens. I let her ramble on and fixed dinner while she ran around the house cleaning for the make-believe company she was having. Her sister would be at this party and she needed to make sure the linens were freshly pressed. By the time I convinced her she needed to have dinner because there wasn’t a party tonight, she came back around and I was able to leave at the normal time.
Stone’s Rover wasn’t there when I pulled up to the apartment. Sighing, I sat in the car and stared at the building. I was forcing him to stay away. Last night’s wine had given me a loose tongue, and now he wouldn’t come home because I was here. Geraldine had said things that made me question what I thought for a moment. But she was wrong. Stone didn’t want me around.
A knock on my window caused me to jump in my seat and I jerked my head to the left to find Mack or Marty standing there with a grin. I wasn’t sure which one it was now that I had met them both.
I rolled down my window instead of opening my door. I wasn’t sure I’d be going inside tonight. I needed to think things through first.
“You gonna sit out here all night?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Not sure yet.”
My response turned his easy smile into a concerned frown. “Why? Stone being his moody self?”
I glanced back at the building. “No. I just think I’ve outstayed my welcome.”
“You’ve hardly been here. Stone’s a good guy, but he can go bastard really easy. Ignore it. He wants you here. Besides, you got rid of Presley. You’re like a motherfucking super hero.”