It was true. He and Piper had always marched in lockstep with each other. He knew her as well as he knew his own face in the mirror. It had always given him comfort, even during the times when he’d felt a bit lost.
“I’d better call it a night,” he said after taking a quick look at the time. “I’ll be back in the morning to help out. Maybe we can brainstorm about the changes we want to implement around here. Let’s make a list of anyone who might be able to help with the pies.”
“Night, Braden,” Trudy said, hiding a yawn behind her hand. “I better get home myself.”
“Thanks for helping out,” Piper said, her eyes conveying gratitude.
“That’s what friends are for,” he responded, nodding before he turned to leave.
Braden heard Piper calling after him. He turned around to see her striding toward him. “Hey! What were you going to tell me earlier before Mama arrived? It seemed pretty intense judging by your expression.”
Braden froze. Piper’s question totally put him on the spot. With Trudy standing mere feet away, there was no way he felt comfortable baring his soul to her. It was frustrating that he’d finally summoned the courage to come clean, only to have the moment snatched away from him.
“I—I just wanted to tell you I was sorry I bailed so soon after Jack’s death. It was selfish of me to leave town. I should have stuck around to support you.” Although his words were truthful, they hadn’t been the ones he’d wanted to share with her earlier.
Piper frowned. “I appreciate that, but you were a great support system for me when I lost my father. You spent every single day with me in the first few weeks. I was a bit adrift when you left town,” she said with a shrug, quickly adding, “but I don’t blame you for wanting to live your life as you see fit. I’d be lying though if I pretended your adventures didn’t worry me, especially after what happened to my dad.”
At that time he hadn’t really thought about people worrying about his well-being. He’d only wanted to get as far away from Owl Creek as he possibly could. “I understand. My family felt the same way. I suppose it didn’t fully register until I came home and my mother broke down in tears of relief,” he admitted. She’d thrown her arms around him and sobbed, confessing that she’d been scared he would never make it back to Owl Creek in one piece.
Piper shook her head, curls bouncing around her shoulders. “Braden, why do I get the feeling there was something more you wanted to say earlier?”
He should have known Piper wasn’t going to let his comment go. Piper had a tenacious personality, and it was rare she gave up on anything once it was imprinted on her mind. He didn’t know a graceful way out of the situation. He cared about her, but he wished she would just back off!
“Don’t you have enough on your plate at the moment without looking for more problems? Let’s just concentrate on getting the Snowy Owl financially solvent. That should be your focus instead of trying to read into everything I say and do.”
“I’m sorry,” Piper blurted out as he wrenched open the door and walked out into the frosty Alaskan evening. He didn’t turn back to face Piper, although he truly wanted to give her a hug and tell her she had nothing to apologize for. He was the wrong one. Being around her felt so right at times, while at others it caused feelings of unworthiness to fester inside him. At the moment he felt like the worst person in the world.
Forgive me Lord, he prayed. He hadn’t been truthful to Piper just now, and it seemed to him as if he was digging himself a bigger hole each and every day. Braden was angry at himself for allowing his best friend to question her own instincts, but he was so used to covering up now it almost felt like second nature. That was the problem with keeping a secret, he realized. Once you started down the wrong path, it was near impossible to get back on the right one no matter how badly you wanted to.
Chapter Six
By the next morning, Piper had compiled a list of five people in town who she considered to be seriously gifted bakers. She didn’t have much time to waste in tracking them down since the holidays were right around the corner. The pie-making operation needed to get underway immediately in order to maximize profits.
Unfortunately, after making a few phone calls, only two people were interested in helping her due to ongoing health issues and other commitments. One of the ladies who said yes—Birdie McCuller—had given her a great lead about a treasure trove of pie recipes owned by an Owl Creek resident. According to Birdie, Otis’s late wife June had been a masterful pie baker. Piper had a vague memory of tasting one of her pies at a church picnic. From what she remembered, June’s sweet potato pie had been a town favorite.
When Braden arrived at the diner, Piper told him everything she’d discovered about June’s stash of pie recipes and the fact that she’d managed to recruit two people to work on baking pies for the diner. Both women had been eager to make a l
ittle cash while doing something they loved.
“I’m going to head over to see Otis in a little while. I can’t reach him by phone, and I’m eager to ask him if he wouldn’t mind sharing those recipes. According to Birdie, they go back several generations. It would be cool to make some really unique pies.”
“Can’t you just look up some recipes online?” Braden asked, scratching his jaw.
Piper swatted him playfully with her hand. “These recipes are special. You can’t beat precious family recipes. They were probably June’s pride and joy. I imagine they’re sitting in a special tin box in a treasured place at their home. I’d love to tap into them for inspiration.”
Braden narrowed his gaze as he looked at her. “So what makes you think Otis will let you use them?”
Piper shrugged. “I don’t know for certain, but I think if we both head over there maybe he’ll be more willing to share them. Otis is a sweetheart. He won’t be able to say no once he sees us face-to-face.”
Braden’s eyes bulged. “Us? You want me to go with you?” Braden asked. “Who’s going to hold down the fort here?”
“Well, it just so happens that Jorge is looking for more responsibility. He’s worked here for a long time, but he mainly worked in the kitchen until recently,” Piper explained, jutting her chin in his direction. At the moment Jorge was working the cash register. In the last few weeks, he’d really come into his own, performing a wide range of duties and showcasing his skills. “He can manage for an hour or so. Things aren’t exactly hopping around here,” she said, unable to prevent a hint of sadness from creeping into her voice.
Even though she still harbored hope of turning things around at the diner, with each passing day the situation became more precarious. Time was of the essence. If Braden’s suggestions didn’t work out, she would have to make some heartbreaking decisions. Her mother had been so proud last night watching Piper in her element at the Snowy Owl. She couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing her or Hank.
She locked gazes with Braden. Understanding radiated from his eyes. Even though she knew things weren’t like they used to be between them, for a moment they seemed to be in perfect sync. Braden knew she was racked with worry. “Okay, let’s go pay Otis a visit. I’m driving.”
Piper stood up a little straighter. Having Braden by her side made everything better. “Thanks, Braden. You’ll see. This trip to see Otis will be worthwhile.”
