Free The Room with the Second-Best View by Virginia Smith

the way when Violet headed for the closet. “I’ll help you change. What about the straw skirt and pink blouse?”
    The room became a bustle of female activity. Al stood in the doorway, watching. What was the casserole brigade, and why would Millie need to dress up for it? Shaking his head, he left the room unnoticed and headed for the hall closet, where Millie kept the cleaning supplies. If something called a “brigade” was on its way, perhaps being upstairs with a week’s worth of dust wasn’t a bad idea.

    Â 
    Lulu Thacker’s Parsnip Maple Cake
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    1 tsp. ground cinnamon
    Â½ tsp. baking powder
    Â½ tsp. baking soda
    Â¼ tsp. salt
    7 T. butter, room temperature, divided
    â…” cup brown sugar
    6 T. maple syrup, divided
    Â½ tsp. imitation maple flavoring
    1 egg
    Â½ cup sour cream
    â…“ cup dried cranberries
    2 cups peeled and shredded parsnips (approx. 3-4 parsnips)
    Approx. ½ cup chopped pecans (add an additional ⅓ cup chopped pecans if you desire nuts in the cake)
    Â½ cup confectioner’s sugar
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of an 8 × 8 glass cake pan.
    Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
    Cream 4 tablespoons butter with brown sugar in a mixer bowl. Turn on the mixer and add 4 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon at a time, and then the maple flavoring. (If you use real maple syrup, you may eliminate the imitation maple flavoring.) Mix on medium speed until light and creamy. Add the egg and continue beating until blended.
    Add about half of the flour mixture, continuing to beat until combined. When that is blended, add half the sour cream and keep beating. Alternate the rest of the flour and sour cream. Turn off the mixer and fold in the parsnips, cranberries, and (optional) ⅓ cup pecans.
    Spread in the prepared pan. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Run a knife around the inside edges and cool in pan.
    Maple Frosting: In a small mixing bowl, beat 3 tablespoons butter and the confectioner’s sugar until creamy. Continue to beat while drizzling in 2 to 3 tablespoons syrup until desired consistency. Spread over cooled cake and sprinkle ½ cup pecans over the top.

Chapter Six

    W hen Susan escorted Jeannie Quisenberry and her dog from the exam room to the reception desk, she cast a quick glance into the waiting rooms. Two cat owners sat in the area on the left, chatting quietly. The Wainright boys had taken possession of one corner of the Playful Pup room. A variety of action figures, Legos, and Matchbox cars surrounded them. At the moment they both knelt on the floor, using the seats of a couple of hard plastic chairs as desks. The younger’s fingers tapped the screen of a tablet while the older sketched on a piece of paper. Though Susan might have suggested that they keep the place a bit tidier, at least they weren’t disturbing anyone.
    Jeannie extracted a credit card from her wallet and handed it to Alice. “When do I bring him back?”
    â€œToday he got the last of his puppy shots. If he develops any problems, give us a call. Otherwise I’ll see him again when he’s a year old.” Susan knelt to give the puppy a scratch behind the ears. “You’ll be a big fella then, won’t you?”
    â€œAnd hopefully he’ll be potty trained.” Jeannie eyed her pet with a scowl that failed to hide her fondness. “Sorry about the mess in your exam room.”
    Susan chuckled and straightened. “Trust me, we’re used to messes around here.”
    An indulgent smile came over the woman’s face. “And how long until the wedding?”
    â€œTwenty-eight days.” Susan returned the smile, though with a touch of caution. After Justin’s public proposal at the community Fourth of July softball game last summer, half the town felt like