Emma Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice Read Online Free Page B

“Okay.”
    â€œOkay, back to cupcakes,” said Alexis, ever the boss. “Let’s review our agenda.” She took out her notebook. “First, we have Mona this Friday. We have Jake’s party next Thursday. We have Mona to bake for next Friday and also her client with the bachelorette party. What are we making for that?” She chewed on the end of her pen.
    â€œAre we doing something wild or traditional?” asked Mia, her creative juices already flowing.
    â€œWild,” said Alexis, consulting her notes. Alexis had recently created a brilliant worksheet that we now used with all our clients. It had an outline of a cupcake in the middle, then headings listed in themargins, with lists of choices below them: “Cake Flavor,” “Frosting Flavor,” “Toppings,” “Decor,” “Inspiration,” and “Please Avoid.” At the bottom were some empty lines for writing notes.
    â€œFlavor choices?” asked Katie, closing her eyes to focus.
    Alexis looked down. “Cake flavor: The bride-to-be said we could pick the flavor! Avoid: nuts, fruit. Sparing use of chocolate, if any. Toppings and decor are up to us. For inspiration, the bride loves lace and vampires.”
    â€œShould we work in some bacon?” I suggested. Bacon caramel cupcakes are my trademark; I invented them, and they’ve been wildly popular with our clients.
    â€œMaybe a little too . . . manly . . . for a bachelorette party,” said Mia tactfully.
    True. I nodded.
    â€œLet’s do something vampirish,” said Katie. “Like you’d make for Bella from the Twilight books.”
    â€œOoh, spooky!” said Alexis. “Like what?”
    â€œRed velvet?” I suggested.
    â€œOr what about . . . You could do something with bright-red cream in the middle, so it oozes out when you bite into it,” Mia said, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
    â€œYes!” I agreed.
    â€œThe outside could be all white. White cake, white smooth frosting . . . ,” said Katie, “so no one suspects what’s inside!”
    â€œWe could lay them out on lacey doilies,” I added.
    Alexis typed furiously on her laptop to keep up with our ideas.
    Mia clapped her hands gleefully. “I love it! Pure-white, innocent, bridal-looking cupcakes on lace, and when you bite into them, all that red blood dripping down your chin!”
    Ugh. “When you put it that way . . . ,” I said, my stomach turning over suddenly.
    â€œOh, Em, don’t worry. It will only be raspberry or cherry or something! Plus, you’ll be much better after my mom’s training session,” said Katie, patting my arm and smiling.
    â€œI sure hope so,” I replied.
    I couldn’t be worse.

CHAPTER 4
The Four D s
    I suffered through the week of Jake’s bad behavior and my parents’ pathetic reactions to it, and then it was Saturday and time to go to Katie’s for my “training.” The others were going to be there too, because they wanted to bake some samples for Jake’s big send-off for him to try later.
    When I got to Katie’s, Dr. Brown was ready and waiting, and she greeted me with a hug and a big smile. I was so nervous, I was shaking, even though, obviously, she wasn’t going to do anything to me. I mean, I was pretty sure she wasn’t going to give me a shot or anything. We were supposed to just talk in her study while the others worked in the kitchen. Or that’s what she told my mom, who thought it was a great idea.
    â€œI’ll have a treat for you, after,” promised Katie.
    â€œGreat,” I said weakly, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans. “Thanks.”
    I slowly walked down the carpeted back hall to Dr. Brown’s study, and she told me to sit on the sofa and to just relax.
    â€œSo, Emma, I understand you’re nervous around needles and