Read Online Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe by Rebecca Raisin - Free Book Online

as the sun sinks completely, the orange hue replaced by soft sepia light. Shadows stretch on the floor beside us, and I get lost in the blackness of them, wondering how Joel managed to creep into my perfect moment, and break the spell.

Chapter Eight
    The next morning at the Gingerbread Café, CeeCee is swamped with customers. I look on in awe as I jog past the window, and see a long queue inside. I’m late again on account of picking up some more supplies for the festival.
    I rush in and don my apron.
    â€œSugar plum, glory be, it’s been hectic!” CeeCee has a sheen of sweat on her brow, and is smiling as if she’s won lotto. I grin back at her. From the looks of it everyone is here for chocolate and a rush of pleasure surges through me.
    I serve customers, who are mostly local, and chat while I get their orders together.
    CeeCee’s guffaws ring out when she tells the story about me blowing out the Paschal eggs. Seems she just has to tell everyone, including people who don’t ask.
    â€œYou shoulda seen her face, oh, it were priceless…”
    I shake my head, and laugh at her hooting and hollering. CeeCee is always excitable when we’re busy. Everyone laughs along with her. “You should’ve been a stand-up comedian, Cee.”
    With each order we slip in a free gingerbread rabbit, sweet-smelling biscuits that look cute with their white icing whiskers, and ruby-red bow ties.
    Once the last customer strolls out with a backwards wave, we plonk down on the sofa for a break.
    â€œI’m beat!” CeeCee hoists her legs up and closes her eyes.
    â€œI’ve never seen it so busy. Seems like the whole town wandered in this morning.”
    â€œThere’s only a handful of chocolate eggs left. We’re going to have to make more tonight.”
    â€œMore? Gosh, we’re going to need a holiday after this festival.” I sigh, thinking of a summer holiday somewhere seaside with Damon. Cheesy love songs spring to mind. I envisage him chasing me along a white sandy beach. I grin when I realize I’m fantasizing about my life as if it’s one of CeeCee’s novels. They sure do give a girl inspiration.
    â€œWhat you grinnin’ at?”
    â€œNothing. Just thinking of a holiday one of these days.” There’s no way I’m telling her I’m picturing a beach run while a song plays in my mind. She’ll think I’m cuckoo.
    â€œSo you heard from that snake?” she asks, narrowing her eyes at me.
    And there it is again: Joel, the total mood killer. “Not a peep. I can’t believe I wasted so much time with a man like him.” It’s so hard to see what I found attractive in him, now that I have Damon to compare him to. “I must have been a dumb fool not to see him for what he really is.”
    She glances at me, her face softening. “You ain’t dumb
or
a fool, Lil. The heart sees what it needs to see. You ever think that maybe it happened the way it did was so when that fine-looking thing came into your life you could recognize real love? Plus, you still so young, not even thirty, you got the rest of your life to spend with a real man. One who adores you just the way you are. Gloop-less, baggy clothed, and ponytailed.”
    I laugh. “Amen to that.” I just can’t be that girl that gets excited about hair and make-up. And form-fitting clothes are just not me. Jeans and tees are about as fancy as I get most days. Cee’s always at me: “Let down those gorgeous blond curl o’ yours, show off that figure.” It feels wrong, though, as if I’m pretending to be someone I’m not. Plus I can’t see straight when I’ve got that amount of gloop on my face. Feels like glue drying and I can’t stand it.
    â€œSo what you think Joel gonna do?”
    I try to keep the worry from my voice. “Don’t rightly know. I just want him gone. Out of my life for good.”
    â€œMe