Coming Home Read Online Free Page A

pastry and Susan felt
her heart flip in her chest. The years really had improved on his already good
looks. She clenched her hands in front of her to keep from smoothing her hair
down.
    "This is absolutely wonderful, Susie."
    Susan ignored Beth's raised eyebrows as she stepped a
little closer, "Which one is it?"
    "Bump and drop raspberry puff."
    Susan felt her face flush.
    "Beth was just telling me how it got its unusual
name."
    "Oh really?"
    "Mm-hmm..." He said around a mouthful of the
flaky pastry with a nod of his head. "Sounds familiar,” he said after
swallowing, with a smile that sent her pulse racing.
    "Yes, well, actually Jean named it,” she said, finally
giving into the urge to smooth her hair down. She didn't know why she felt so
dowdy in Craig's presence.
    He shrugged his shoulders, "It's still wonderful.” He
took a sip of coffee. "Your coffee is good too," he said raising his
cup.
    Susan tilted her head to the side, "Thanks." They
were silent for a few moments then Susan cleared her throat, "So you came
to see Cindy?"
    Craig shook his head, "No, not exactly."
    Susan just raised her eyebrows.
    "What I mean to say is that I came to see you, I just
asked if Cindy was here because I wanted to give her something."
    Susan's eyebrows  went up a notch further.
    Craig looked over at Beth who was watching them with avid
interest. He smiled at her, "Thank you, Beth. Here's a tip.” He handed her
a dollar then he looked back at Susan, "Can we go somewhere to talk?”
    Susan looked at the growing line of customers and gave Beth
a non-verbal signal to get back to her duties.  She observed as Beth turned her
attention to the next customer, then she looked back at Craig. He was watching
her with a look of pride and respect. Her hand started to move to smooth down
her pixie hair-cut again, but she stopped herself and rubbed the back of her
neck instead, "Why don't we go outside?"
     
    Craig nodded his head and motioned for her to go ahead of
him. He followed her to a corner table on the patio of the restaurant. Setting
his cup of coffee and pastry down on the table he realized that she didn't have
anything.
    "Do you want a cup of coffee or something?" He
asked, preparing to go back inside to procure her a cup of coffee.
     "No, I'm fine,” she said with a smile that warmed his
heart.
    She was more than fine in his book he thought as he nodded
his head and sat down. “I'm proud of you, Susie. You always said that you
wanted to have your own bakery and now look at you, not only a bakery, but a
restaurant also. And a successful one by the looks of it."
    Susan nodded her head, "Yes, business has been good
lately."
    "Well, if all of your food is as good as what I had
yesterday and today, it is probably hard for people to stay away once they have
tasted it." He smiled as he saw her face flush with pleasure.
    "Thank you."
    "Why did you call it Nana’s?"
    "My Nana gave me the money for the down-payment."
    "She didn't make you call it Nana's, though."
    Susan smiled, "No, you know my Nana. She would never
insist on something like that. I just wanted to show her how much I love her.
Plus many of the items we serve are her original recipes."
    "Including the bump and drop raspberry puff?"
    Susan's face got a shade redder, "No, that was
something I've been working on for a few weeks now."
    He smiled and nodded his head as he watched her. She was
even more beautiful than he remembered her being.
    Susan fidgeted under his gaze.
    "How is your Nana, by the way?"
    "She’s doing well, but I'm sure you didn't come here
to find out how I got the name of my restaurant."
    "Maybe not, but I am interested, just the same."
    "Do you want me to give something to Cindy for
you?"
    "Cindy?" He asked not quite following her train
of thought.
    "You said that you have something to give to her. Do
you want to leave it here for me to give her when she comes into work
tomorrow?"
    Craig felt his face heat up a little bit and hoped Susan
couldn't tell.