Free How Sweet It Is by Melissa Brayden

a hello. Or were you not brought up properly?” Her accent had a way of adding a whole new level of intensity to an insult.
    Damon chewed his gum for a few token moments before smiling widely. “Good morning, sunshine.” And then he dropped the grin entirely. “Now what have you got for me?”
    Eden shook her head and moved to the first group of packages, muttering to herself. “Raised in a barn, I know what I’d like to give you.”
    “Well, that sounds promising,” Damon called after her.
    “Pig,” she shot back.
    Molly suppressed an eye roll. It was their daily banter. She’d had to intervene in their battles on more than one occasion when there had been customers present, but she was in too good a mood today to get caught up. Instead she packaged the cookies and took a swipe from the doughy spoon once she finished. Perk of the job.
    Eden handed Damon the first order. “All right, now pay attention. A dozen passion fruit tarts and two dozen macadamia brownies to the library for book club.”
    “Got it.”
    “Then you’re heading to the Allstate office next to the police station and dropping off the chocolate macaroons. Last, you’re gonna loop around to the courthouse with the red velvet birthday cake for Judge Saunders. Think you can manage not to screw it up? Or shall I write it in permanent marker across your sweet little forehead?”
    He took a step into Eden, eyes flashing. “Sounds pretty tricky. I think I’ll just manage.” With that, he lifted the stack of pink boxes and breezed through the door nearly colliding with Jordan in the process. He was pressed for time, but apparently not enough to resist giving her an appreciative once-over as she passed.
    “Hi,” Jordan beamed once she arrived at the counter. “Pickup for Primary Care of Applewood.”
    Molly was happy to see her. “Hey, you. I figured they’d send Jackson to pick up these piping hot, wonderful cookies.”
    “I volunteered. Trying to earn a few bonus points with the folks; you know how it is.” Jordan’s expression then shifted to one of amusement and she eyed Molly strangely.
    Instantly self-conscious, she stared back. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
    “Um.” Jordan halfway pointed at her cheek. “Nothing. It’s just you have some flour…”
    “Oh.” She swiped at her cheek aggressively. “Occupational hazard. Did I get it?”
    “Wow, no. Not at all. It’s pretty much everywhere. Like you’ve just returned from an all night flour rave and your reward was more flour.”
    Molly grinned. “Well, I have to have fun somehow.”
    “I can tell. You look, I don’t know…” She shook her head. “Happy. Completely in your element.”
    “That’s because I am. I love days like this. Not a cloud in the sky, the aromas from the oven wafting past every few minutes, and the cash register getting a good workout.”
    “Who could ask for more?”
    They stood a moment, smiling at each other.
    It was then that Eden cleared her throat. “Don’t mean to interrupt, but I think these might belong to you.” She slid a tray of oversized cookies across the counter to Jordan and extended her hand. “Eden Young. I don’t think we’ve met.”
    “Pleasure. Jordan Tuscana.”
    “So you’re the charmer everybody’s talking about. Mr. Lacamore said you jumped his dead car battery yesterday in front of the library.”
    Jordan shrugged and looked skyward playfully. “I don’t know anything about that.”
    “And modest too. Nice.” She swung a dishtowel over her shoulder. “Well, I have some cleaning up to do in the kitchen. See you around, sugar.” Eden turned and widened her eyes at Molly as she passed.
    Jordan inclined her head in the direction of Eden’s retreating form. “She seems fun.”
    “She is. But don’t let the accent fool you. Even the cruelest of jabs can sound gentle with a ‘bless her heart’ tossed in at the end. It’s her most notable skill.”
    “I’m incredibly