Free Sugar Rush by Anna J. McIntyre

but the customer would have to add the vanilla and butter. I would
rather they just have to add water.”
    “I don’t think it would
be a problem to ask them to add the butter. Most cake mixes call for eggs and
oil. And instead of liquid vanilla extract, use powdered vanilla.” Angie
suggested.
    “They make powdered
vanilla?” Lexi asked, sounding surprised.
    “Yeah, my mom uses it.
She orders hers from Amazon.”
    “Amazon sells
everything,” Jeff laughed. He set his empty bowl on the table after scraping
out every last drop.
    “It would be kind of
cool if I could do that. I would design some great labels; package the mix in
mason jars.” Lexi was intrigued with the idea. “I could use the money, and it
shouldn’t take much capital to get something like this going. Of course, I’m
not even sure how the fudge will taste with the powdered vanilla.”
    “So, try making it with
the powdered vanilla tomorrow. I’m sure we have some in the pantry with the
spices. Mom always keeps the pantry stocked with basics for the renters, and
there could be some vanilla there, unless the last renter used it all or took
the bottle home.”
    “If you’re making hot
fudge sundaes tomorrow, you better invite me.”
    “You know, Jeff,
there’s some hot fudge left over from tonight,” Lexi reminded.
    “Well, there won’t be
for long!” he laughed.
    “About tomorrow,” Angie
interrupted. “I was thinking about hitting the flower, bridal, and party shops
for business leads. Maybe I’ll even stop in and talk to the local chamber of
commerce. I suppose I’ll need to get a business license if I want to do some
serious promoting, but I’ll wait and see. I don’t think you’ll want to go with
me, so that’ll leave you without a car. Do you want me to drop you anywhere?
Maybe down at Rotary Park, or the beach on the Island side?”
    “She can come with me,”
Jeff suggested before Lexi could answer.
    “Go with you where?” Lexi
asked curiously.
    “This is my first time
in Havasu. Thought I’d do a little sightseeing, maybe grab lunch out. I’d love
to have the company; it’d be a lot more fun if you joined me.”
    “That would be great,
Jeff! Thanks,” Angie answered for her friend.
    “How about it, Lexi?”
Jeff asked when she didn’t reply.
    “Okay,” Lexi said
hesitantly. “What time do you want to go?”
    “We could leave around
ten. Then stop somewhere later for lunch.”
    “Sounds good,” Lexi
agreed. She smiled up at Jeff, who was watching her. When their gazes locked,
she recalled how seductively his mouth toyed with her finger. The memory made her
blush.
    * * *
    Lexi spent the next
morning on the computer, surfing the Internet for information on starting a
business in Arizona. Initially, she assumed such a project would require a
commercial kitchen, if she wished to stay within the confines of the law. To
her surprise, Arizona’s Home Baked and
Confectionery Goods Program  would allow her to prepare the hot fudge mix in her
own kitchen—or in Lexi’s case, in the rental’s kitchen. She assumed she would
need permission from Angie’s parents, but she didn’t think there would be a
problem. After investigating what she needed to do, from a legal perspective,
she was optimistic.
    “I assumed there would be all kinds of hoops to
jump through,” Lexi said excitedly when Jeff picked her up later that morning.
Angie had left the house early, and Lexi hadn’t yet had the opportunity to
share the information with her friend. She was excited to share it with
someone, and Jeff was willing to listen.
    “You wouldn’t need a commercial kitchen? I was
wondering about that.”
    “No, not for the hot fudge. Arizona has a program for some home-based food businesses. I’d just need to
register with the state, which doesn’t cost anything, according to the person I
spoke to on the phone this morning. I’d need a local business license, which is
only a hundred bucks for the first year. I’d also need to