Read Online Knit to Be Tied by Maggie Sefton - Free Book Online Page B

of doing that ourselves.”
    Julie gave a little laugh. “All right. One cinnamon roll and two forks coming up. Can I get you some coffee to go with that, Burt?”
    â€œOh, why not? It looks like I’m going to need it. Kelly’s in a rare mood. I’ll need the extra caffeine.”
    â€œOne bite won’t hurt,” Kelly tempted again.
    Burt eyed her over the table. “That’s the problem, Kelly. One bite easily leads to another and another.”
    â€œHave you and Mimi been doing your cardio workouts on the treadmills? That’s the best way to compensate for a sudden caloric intake,” Kelly said then took a deep drink of Eduardo’s dark brew. Black Gold.
    â€œMostly every day. So we are being pretty good with that. But at our ages, we have to watch the food
and
do the exercise. Can’t do one without the other, or the pounds stay on.” He eyed Kelly with a devilish smile. “You and your friends are getting a free ride now because you’re in your thirties. You work out regularly, and you can eat all the pizza you want as well as French fries and ballpark desserts. But wait a few years, and you’ll notice the pounds take longer to come off. And you have to work harder, too.”
    Kelly pondered Burt’s advice. “Sage words. I’ll store them away for future reference,” she said, suddenly remembering something she wanted to ask Burt. “Changing the subject, has Jennifer talked to you and Mimi about Cassie’s mother, Tanya?”
    Burt’s amused smile disappeared. His entire visage changed. Frown and worry lines that were obscured by a smile only moments ago were plainly visible now. “Yes, she and Pete spoke with us early this morning before the café opened.”
    â€œWhat do you think about it?” Kelly deliberately held back more of her response. She was more interested in Burt’s reaction.
    â€œI have to say I wasn’t entirely surprised. It’s not unusual for a young woman in Tanya’s situation to suddenly decide she wants to get to know the child she’d placed in a relative’s care years ago. Usually it happens when the child becomes a teenager, and the mother realizes that the babythey’d walked away from is nearly grown up. I’m sure it’s a shock to Tanya.”
    Burt’s thoughtful response gave Kelly pause. She realized her first reactions had been entirely emotional, based on what she assumed were Tanya’s selfish motives.
    â€œYou’re kinder in your comments than I was when Jen told me,” Kelly admitted. “I confess I haven’t had many good thoughts about Tanya’s announcement. Cassie’s created a life here, and she’s surrounded by people who love her and care about what happens to her. I guess that’s what upsets me. Tanya thinking she can simply walk in and yank Cassie away from all that on a whim.”
    Burt gave Kelly a fatherly smile she recognized. “That’s understandable, Kelly. I feel like that, too. But Pete and Jennifer have to be fair to Tanya and honor her wishes. Especially now that they’re going to file for custody. After all, she is Cassie’s birth mother.”
    â€œYou’re right, of course,” Kelly said begrudgingly. “I’m only thinking of Cassie and Pete and Jennifer.”
    â€œAnd us,” Burt added as Julie walked up to them.
    â€œHere you go, Kelly. One cinnamon roll and two forks.” Julie placed the yummy-looking homemade pastry on the table and two bundles of napkin-wrapped silverware.
    â€œThanks, Julie. This looks delicious as usual. And smells divine,” Kelly said, sniffing the cinnamon-and-cloves aroma that wafted up from the warm pastry.
    â€œOhhhh, Lord,” Burt said with a sigh. “I feel my resistance crumbling by the second.”
    â€œGo on, Burt. One bite won’t hurt,” Julie tempted before she left to check on other breakfast