Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
I show my big brother the sink and he gets to work on the bowl while I start sorting out the crust. I keep some for today’s pies and wrap the rest to put in the cooler for tomorrow. Then I start making the fillings.
Today I’m making three kinds of pies. Banana cream, since Cookie bought a load of bananas that need to be used up, Lemon meringue, since we also have a lot of lemons, and a new one I just made up called, “Do Me Dirty Pie.” It’s a variation on a whiskey butterscotch praline pie that uses Kahlua instead of whiskey and has chocolate instead of butterscotch. It’s going to be really good—I just know it.
Kane finishes cleaning the mixer and asks what else he can do. I’m still making fillings on the stove, so I ask him if he knows how to roll out pie crusts.
He shakes his head.
“No, but I can learn.”
“Here. I’ll show you.”
I put the vanilla pudding for the banana cream pie to the back burner to cool and come over to the worktable. I take out a rolling pin, flour the surface, and begin rolling, talking as I do.
“Roll up and down twice, then rotate it and do it again. Keep it up until you have a perfect circle about ten inches across,” I tell him. “We have nine-inch pie plates, but we need some extra to crimp on the edges.”
Kane watches me do one more and then tries one himself. It’s a little lopsided, but not bad. The next one he does is even better. By the third, I know I can leave him alone and go finish the fillings.
We keep going this way. With my big brother’s help, it takes me a lot less time to get the pies done. I make the yeast rolls with dough that’s been rising overnight and I even have time to whip up a batch of honey buns—which happen to be Cookie’s favorite.
If you’re thinking I’m going to try and sweeten him up before I ask him if he’ll give Kane a job, you’re absolutely right. I don’t care if that sounds manipulative—I finally have family back in my life and I’ll be damned if I lose my brother again so soon!
Cookie comes in just as the honey buns come out of the oven, all fragrant and gooey. His eyes get wide as he sees the delicious treats…then narrow as he sees Kane standing there in his pink frilly apron.
“Well, well…what’s all this about?” he grumbles. “I thought your brother was leaving after you two caught up last night.”
“He’s not leaving—he’s decided to stay a while,” I say, rather breathlessly. “But he needs a job and I thought since Cedric left and you need a dishwasher maybe—”
“Now hold on just a second. Hold on.” Cookie puts up a hand to stop me. He frowns up at Kane. “This true? You want a job?”
“Yes, Sir,” Kane rumbles respectfully.
“I know you’re an ex-con,” Cookie tells him. “I won’t ask you what you went in for—that’s your business. I don’t tolerate any shenanigans around here, though.”
“I understand.” Kane nods.
“I can’t pay more than minimum wage,” Cookie warns. “And it’ll have to be under the table.”
“Works for me.” Kane nods again.
“You’d be washing dishes and bussing tables mostly,” Cookie says. “Do you mind that kind of work?”
Kane shakes his head.
“I worked in the prison kitchen for a year and a half. I know my way around an industrial dishwasher and I’m not too proud to buss tables.”
“What about a parole officer?” Cookie probes. “You have to report to anyone?”
Kane shakes his head.
“No, I was released free and clear. I did my time. Now I’m just trying to turn my life around.”
“He helped me make the pies this morning,” I chime in, smiling at Cookie. “We got done so fast I had time to make your favorite—honey buns.”
I slide one of the warm, gooey pastries onto a plate for him and present it with a smile.
Cookie gives me a stern look.
“You wouldn’t be trying to butter me up now, would you, girl?”
“Maybe.” I give him my cutest grin. “Please, Cookie—Kane’s a good hard worker. I’ll vouch for him.”
“I wouldn’t hire him otherwise,” he says.
He takes a bite of the honey bun and his eyes roll up for a second. I know that look—pure ecstasy. I love it when people get that look after taking a bite of my food—it never gets old.
“All right,” Cookie says at last after swallowing and licking his fingers. “We’ll give it a one-week trial to start with. You do good, and we’ll keep it up. Are you going to be coming in with Sunny every morning?”
“Absolutely.” Kane nods.
“All right—I’ll pay you a dollar extra an hour then,” Cookie says, nodding. “I’m glad you’ll be with her—I don’t like the idea of her being here alone in the mornings but I’m getting too old to come in every morning myself.”