Free 12 Borrowing Trouble by Becky McGraw Page A

shower.  Carrie knew what else she needed, but forgot to throw the vibrator she’d bought right before Sean died into her suitcase.  A little relief in the shower would be more than welcome right now. 
    That is why she was so worked up.  Carrie knew that. 
    But there wasn’t a damned thing she could do except bake to find release, until she got back to her parents’ house.  She grabbed her t-shirt off the floor and pulled it over her head, before gathering a clean pair of panties, a pair of cutoff shorts and a tank top out of her suitcase.  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then quietly made her way down the hall to the bathroom.
    Carrie was up to her elbows kneading bread dough when Terri walked into the kitchen a few hours later.  She already had two trays of saucer-sized biscuits sitting on the stove cooling beside a tray of cupcakes, which were waiting to be frosted.  Three trays of cookies were in the oven, and a carrot cake was next.  She already had the frosting for the cake and the cupcakes in the refrigerator getting firm. 
    Terri ’s gasp made Carrie look up.  Her heart jerked in her chest, as she stopped kneading to stare at her guiltily. “What in the world are you doing?” Terri asked in awe, after her gaze traveled over the mess she’d made of the kitchen. 
    Cleaning up always came after she finished baking.   Unfortunately right now the place looked like a flour bomb had gone off.  “Baking?” Carrie replied in a squeaky voice she didn’t recognize.
    “I get that…but for what army?” Terri asked with a shake of her head.
    “Um, I thought maybe your guests would like them.  Penny can always reheat them for a few days.  They’ll still be good.”
    “We only have two guests in residence this week,” Terri informed.  “And they’re leaving this afternoon. The new round won’t show up until Monday.”
    “There are at least three hands, and us too, right?  Seven people?”
    “You have enough here for seventy.  Four loaves of bread?” Terri said looking at the four greased bread pans on the counter lined up like soldiers beside the bowl.
    Emotion shot up Carries throat and wedged itself behind her eyes.  She sucked in a deep breath then coughed as she inhaled flour.  Her lower lip trembled and she bit it.  Once she felt sure she had control, she looked down to scrape her fingers on the side of the bowl.  “I’m sorry,” she said softly.  “I’ll clean up this mess.”
    “Don’t you dare.  You leave it and I’ll clean it up.” Terri walked over to her to drop an arm over Carrie’s shoulders.  The gesture held compassion and comfort, which pushed the tears over her lower lids.  Carrie squeezed her eyes shut to hold back the rest, and swiped at the two that ran down her cheeks.  “What’s wrong, honey?”
    Carrie shook her head, because there was no way she could speak without crying.  Usually, when she was baking the kids left her alone.  Somehow , they just realized she needed some space.  Terri didn’t know that though. 
    “I need to do this,” Carrie replied in a broken voice.  “Please, just let me finish.”
    She felt Terri’s eyes on the side of her face a moment, but she only squeezed Carrie’s shoulder before stepping away.  “Okay, I’ll see if I can keep Penny out of here this morning.  If you need me, I’ll be at the med shack or the wedding pavilion.  I got a message from a distraught bride yesterday that she wants to cancel her wedding.  She’s coming out here this morning, and I’m going to try to talk her off the ledge.”
    “Thank you,” Carrie whispered, plunging her hands forcefully back into the dough.  “I’ll cook some eggs and grits to go with the biscuits as soon as I finish the bread.  How many people do I need to cook for?”
    “ No need.  Jarvis is fixing breakfast for the hands and guests out at the bunkhouse.  The two ladies here for the spa usually don’t get up before noon.  You just