Second Chances

Chapter 1

“It’s ruined! Completely ruined! I am going to have to cancel the whole wedding!!”

Cami’s head popped up at the sound of the shrieking bleach blonde woman at the counter. Her desk faced the open office door so she could keep an eye on the bakery. She couldn’t remember this bride’s name. Bridezilla was new to town and was marrying local boy Mike Westfield. Cami glanced at Katie to see how she was going to react. The teen wasn’t used to brides yet. She usually just stayed in the kitchen. Katie wanted to start learning the ropes out front, so she was behind the counter a few times a week after school. Unfortunately, one of those times was when Bridezilla came to check on her cake order.

Katie shot Cami a help me look and smiled at the Bridezilla through gritted teeth. Cami rounded the desk in time to see the bridezillas face going red.

“WHAT are you going to do about this?”

“What seems to be the problem?” Cami asked cautiously.

“The florist delivered baby pink roses for the cake instead of blush pink roses” Bridezilla all but shrieked. “Now the entire thing is ruined. I can’t get married with baby pink roses!”

“How about I call over to Violet’s and see what happened.” Cami was careful not to call it a mistake. She didn’t want Bridezilla going to Violet’s flower shop and making a scene like she was here.

“Yes! You call her and tell her I’m NOT happy and I will call my coordinator and tell her about this mess!”

Bridezilla stepped outside to make her call. Cami touched Katie’s shoulder. “It’s ok. You didn’t do anything. “

“Oh, I know” Katie responded matter of fact. “I was just trying to figure out how to calm down without slapping her! Poor Mike.”

Cami laughed. “Yeah Brides can be a handful, but they are what helps pay the bills.” It was true. Wedding cakes where Cami’s bread and butter. She wished that wasn’t the case though. She hated weddings. Couples spend thousands of dollars on one day and then divorced within a few years. It didn’t make sense. She didn’t believe in love anyway. She just cashed the checks and kept making beautiful cakes.

With a big sigh she grabbed her cell and called over to Violet.

“Violet’s Flower Shop.” Violet’s sing song voice rang through the phone.

“Hey Violet, it’s Cami. I have a problem.”

Cami explained what was going on with Bridezilla. Violet checked the invoice and confirmed the order was for blush roses.

“Uh oh, I must have sent the wrong ones with Max when he made the delivery. I’m sorry you had to deal with her. I’ll get the right ones sent over. Samantha is here. Is it ok if I see if she will bring them over once I ring her up?”

Samantha was Cami’s best friend. She was a few inches taller than Cami. Samantha had curly red hair and freckles and was built like a supermodel. They met in fifth grade and were inseparable ever since. Samantha was Cami’s ride or die, her person, the one she would call if she needed help hiding a body. Cami knew she would get the flowers over with no issue.

“Yeah that’s great! Thanks Violet. Tell Samantha to hurry up!”

Cami hung up and gave Katie a thumbs up. She was helping a Mrs. Daniels pick out some cupcakes. Katie nodded and went back to her customer.

Bridezilla was still outside on the phone. Cami bit her bottom lip trying to decide the best way to handle telling her about the mix up. She didn’t have much time to think. When she looked up again Bridezilla was walking back in the door.

“Ok so my coordinator said the lighting in the venue can be dimmed so the flowers will look more muted. Of course, we would have to watch some of the older guests so they don’t trip, but I think it will work.”

She seemed calmer now, so Cami just went for it. “The blush roses are at Violet’s. She is sending them over as a special secured delivery. No need to worry about your guests. Sorry about the mix up.”

Cami eyed Bridezilla and held her breath. This could go a few different ways. Bridezilla let out a sigh and looked at Cami. Her lip quivered. Then she burst into tears. Not the outcome Cami was expecting. Katie rolled her eyes from the cash register.

“I’m so sorry. I was a total bitch. I’m just so stressed out.”

Cami used to dealing with crazy brides, handed her a tissue from behind the counter. “It’s ok. We understand.”

Bridezilla sniffed and said thank you. She excused herself to go call her wedding coordinator again. Cami secretly hoped she wouldn’t see her again until she was delivering the cake to the VFW Hall Saturday.

Cami went back to her desk. She was in the middle of designing a birthday cake for an 80-year old’s birthday when Bridezilla had her meltdown. She looked over the design and decided she liked it. Mrs. Davison’s 80th birthday was coming up quickly and her children wanted a cake to surprise her. Cami hoped they would like it.

Cami heard the bell at the door ding and got up from her chair. Samantha breezed in with a box in one hand and a bouquet of beautiful pink carnations in the other. Cami knew the box contained the blush roses.

“Hey girl! I heard you were looking for these.”

“Thank you for bringing them! Now Katie won’t get an assault charge for decking a bride.”

Samantha laughed.

“Are those for me too?” Cami asked with a mischievous smile.

“Uh NO! You know who they are for. It’s Thursday!”

Cami knew they were for Samantha’s wife Lizzie. Every Thursday, Samantha brought home flowers. It was a tradition she started so long ago she forgot why but didn’t want it to stop.

Cami smiled. She thought back to when Samantha came home from college on Thanksgiving break with Lizzie. No one had any idea she would bring home a woman. Samantha was worried how everyone would react. She had called Cami the night before and told her not to freak out when she came home. Cami thought maybe she shaved her head or pierced her nose. When she showed up at the bakery with a blonde haired, blue eyed Lizzie on her arm, Cami was shocked, but didn’t freak out. As soon as she saw them together, she knew they were perfect for each other. It almost made her believe in love. Almost.

“HELLO! Earth to Cami!” Samantha was snapping her fingers in front of Cami’s nose.

“Sorry I was daydreaming. What did you say?”

“I asked if you still wanted me to take Zander this weekend.” Samantha and Lizzie would watch Cami’s 6-year-old for her when she had weekend deliveries. That way if anything went wrong, she didn’t have to worry about him getting bored while she handled it.

“Oh yeah, if you want to. You know he loves his Aunties!”

“No problem. It’s supposed to rain, so we will rent movies and eat junk food.”

Cami rolled her eyes. They spoiled Zander, but she knew they meant well, and they loved him. Samantha and Lizzie wanted children, but there was a lot of science involved for them to be parents. It wasn’t just a bottle of wine and a cheap promise ring from Walmart.

“Speaking of Zander, I need to head over to school to pick him up. Wanna walk with me?”

“Oh, I would but I need to get these flowers home and get my gift.” Samantha wiggled her eyebrows up and down. Cami laughed. They had been married for three years but still had the hots for each other.

Cami thanked her friend again for playing delivery person. Samantha said she would pick Zander up from school tomorrow and not to worry at all!

Cami put the blush roses in the walk in cooler and made sure Katie was ok for her to leave. She trusted Katie with locking up the bakery and getting everything cleaned up. Katie was a good kid and she was lucky to have her as an employee.

Cami stepped outside onto the sidewalk and breathed in the evening air. It was just before five o’clock. Zander played soccer after school during the fall and went to the after-school program in the spring. It helped her put in extra time at the bakery and gave him something to do with his friends. During the summer he helped at the bakery or hung out with Samantha and Lizzie.

She started off down the street and rounded the corner toward the school when she saw a blue truck drive down the road. It stopped and so did she. She wasn’t ready for this. Danny stepped out.” Hey pretty lady!”

Cami took a deep breath. “Hey Danny, what’s up?”

“I was just wondering when you were going to let me take you to dinner! I’ve been asking for weeks now.”

It was true. Danny had been shamelessly pursuing her and she always had an excuse. Unfortunately, she couldn’t keep coming up with them. She smiled and said, “when are you going to stop asking?”

“When you say yes!” Danny smiled.

Cami felt like she should be flattered. Danny was good looking. Tall. Dark hair and eyes. He was lean and muscular with broad shoulders. He always wore jeans, a flannel shirt and a smile. He worked at the Miller Farm just outside town. Danny knew she had a child and it didn’t seem to matter.

“I’m sorry Danny. I’m just really busy right now. I have a few deliveries this weekend and Zander has a soccer game next week and it’s just not a good time.” She hoped he believed her excuse again.

Danny grinned at her. “That’s ok darling. I’m not done asking. One day you’ll say yes. See you around beautiful.”

Cami exhaled deeply as Danny got back in his truck and drove off. It had worked, but she knew it wouldn’t be the last time she would have to turn him down.

Cami made it to the school just as Zander was walking out the front door. She smiled and opened her arms. Zander came running for a big hug. Cami was happy he was still young enough that he would hug his mom in front of his friends. She knew that wouldn’t always be the case.

Zander favored his mother’s features. He had the same hair color and face, long fingers and big feet. Unlike Cami, Zander had an athletic build and blue eyes.

“Hey kiddo! How was soccer?”

“I scored a goal and coach said I could be the center at the game next week!” His grinned and his bright blue eyes lit up.

“That’s awesome!” Cami held her hand up for a high five. Zander smacked her hand.

“What’s for dinner mom?”

“What about dinner at the Triple J Cafe? We can celebrate your goal and I can get some vegetables in you before your Aunts fill you with sugar and salt.”

“Ok! But can I pick the vegetables?”

“You got it kid!”