Free The Cupcake Diaries by Darlene Panzera

but not a freak.”
    “I don’t want to be different,” she said and winced. “I want to fit in and be like everyone else.”
    “Stace,” he said, his voice taking on a certain seriousness she’d never heard him use before, “By different, I mean in a good way. I like you just the way you are.”
    “Really?”
    In answer, his mouth lowered to hers, and he gave her a long, slow kiss, with a soft tenderness that far surpassed any she’d fabricated in her wildest imaginings.
    That only left her with one other question. “Are you busy on August 24?”
    “No, I don’t think so,” Dave whispered. “Why?”
    She smiled, her hope for the future soaring. “Will you go to Kim’s wedding with me?”

 
    Chapter Seven
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    Come walk with me, take off your shoes, let’s walk the beach with only the moon to light the path and waves to hear you tell me you love me.
    —J. Henson, Oregon, United States
    S TACEY SAT UNDER the umbrella table next to her cupcake stand and opened the Cupcake Diary to read over some of the entries. The weeks had flown by, and the pages of her book were almost full.
    July 4: Fireworks over the Columbia River. Dave and I stood on the waterfront dock with Andi, Jake, and their children. Jake’s sister, Trish, showed up with her son, Evan, who is closer in age to Mia and Taylor than to Max. But her husband, Oliver, went MIA, and Trish wasn’t very happy. I felt sorry for Trish and know that Andi and Jake did, too. I imagine it’s no fun to be stood up for a date, even when married. Glad I have Dave. When we kissed we set off our own fireworks.
    July 10: Dave and I traveled down the coast to Sea Lion Caves. The place would make a great storm shelter, but if there was an earthquake I’d be afraid the cave might collapse and we’d be trapped inside. Besides, the sea lions are so noisy we’d never get any sleep. The sound echoes off the interior walls and made it hard for us to hear each other talk. However, we found speech wasn’t necessary. (Grin.) We used sign language: hugs, smiles, and plenty of soft, meaningful gestures.
    July 29: Dave said he wanted to take me to dinner but wouldn’t tell me where. I have to admit I was more than a little bit nervous when he picked me up at Aunt Sarah’s. I still haven’t overcome my fear of being ditched by my dates in restaurants. But Dave took me back to his house for the first time (he’s had to overcome some relationship fears of his own), and we ate sautéed chicken a la mode.
    I thought his house was perfect enough when I saw the mailbox, front porch, and fenced in yard, but after dinner when he took me down to the wine cellar to show me his collection of ice cream scoops, I fell in love. It’s like an underground bunker, perfect to store a complete arsenal of supplies!
    August 6: Today Dave and I went berry picking, and when we got back Dave used some to make homemade marionberry ice cream. I put the rest of the marionberries on the tops of the cupcakes. A marionberry is a cross between the Chehalem blackberry and the olallieberry. Very large. Taste fabulous. Customers loved the new flavor of the ice cream and cupcake combo. I gave one to Gladys, and she traded me several new pieces of sea glass.
    August 15: Shed a tear for Rocky. That dreaded surfer came back today and when I wasn’t looking picked him up off the counter and threw him down into the sand. I screamed at the surfer like a lunatic, but he just laughed at me and said, “Dude. It’s just a rock.” I raced down to the beach and tried to find him, but there were a lot of people running around, and I think Rocky got buried alive. Anyhow, I couldn’t find him and was very upset about it, until Dave appeared like a shining angel and handed me a new rock. I named it Kate.
    August 20: Dave asked if I’d ever flown a kite, and when I told him no, he was determined to teach me. I didn’t mind because he kept his arms wrapped around me the whole time. At first I was holding the