when she was in college, and had a son, Andre, while Mariah had been unable to conceive. Why was it so easy for some women to conceive without even trying, while she desperately wanted a baby and had struggled to get pregnant?
“Mariah?”
“Hmm...?” She drifted out of her reverie.
“I was asking about your parents,” Shari said. “They didn’t seem excited by the opening.”
Mariah nodded. “They don’t really support our endeavor, but that’s fine. I intend to prove them wrong. Show them that Chase, Jackson and I have what it takes to get the job done.”
“That’s admirable,” Shari said. “But I have to tell you it’ll be a challenge, especially having two brothers involved.”
“Because I’m a woman?” Mariah offered.
Shari nodded. “Sometimes it’s hard for men to take direction from a woman.”
“Was it like that for you in Chicago?”
Shari chuckled. “That and then some,” she replied, “Everyone thought Carter, as the oldest grandchild, would have been chosen to run Lillian’s, but instead Grandma picked me. Why? Because I have the business acumen, with my degree, and the creativity, thanks to the cake mix idea I came up with, to run the front of the house at Lillian’s while Carter runs the back. And it’s also why she chose you for the helm here.”
Mariah smiled. “How do you manage running the front of the house and baking? Because you make it look easy.” She’d already felt herself somewhat stressed at the prospect, even though she found it incredibly rewarding, more so than she ever had when she’d worked as an advertising executive.
“It’s about balance,” Shari said, “Trust me, it’s not easy running the bakery business and being a wife and mother, especially now.”
“Why now?” Mariah inquired. Unlike Jack, she had a healthy curiosity about her Chicago cousins and was eager to learn more about them.
Shari rubbed her stomach and then looked into Mariah’s eyes with a huge grin, “Grant and I are expecting our second child. We’re about to make Andre a big brother.”
All the air in the room seemed to vanquish, as if sucked out by a backdraft in a fire, and Mariah thought she might expire on the spot. Not that she didn’t wish Shari every happiness, but this was the last thing she wanted to hear.
Yet there was nothing she could do except stand there and fake a smile, because Shari was still speaking.
“We didn’t want to announce it yet,” she was saying, “until I was in my second trimester, but I think it’s safe now to tell the family.”
Mariah pasted a smile onto her face even though deep down she knew it was less than genuine. She so desperately wanted to be in Shari’s place, pregnant with her own child, but it wasn’t in the cards for her. “That’s wonderful, Shari. I’m very happy for you.”
“Anyway, it looks like we’re just about finished up here.” Her cousin glanced around the nearly empty kitchen.
“Yes, it would appear that way,” Mariah responded.
Carter had already quietly sneaked off, no doubt to call his wife, Lorraine Hawthorne-Hayes Drayson, who was at home with their twin boys in Chicago. Not only was Lorraine a twin herself, but apparently twins ran in her family. Given that Carter had been a committed bachelor, it had surprised the family when he’d wasted no time starting a family with the former debutante, whose career as one of Chicago’s most sought-after artists allowed her to stay at home with their boys.
Mariah had hoped to spend more time with Belinda, but she had somehow disappeared, too. She was probably trying to catch Malik at the bakery, since he and her brother Drake were holding down the fort in Chicago.
“Let’s get out of here.” Mariah headed toward the door, with Shari on her heels, and turned off the lights.
As she locked up the bakery, it was hard for her to believe that she’d actually done it. She’d started her own business with her brothers’ help. Now what?
Mariah was the first to arrive at the bakery the next morning. Unlike Chase, who had a set morning routine of cardio and weight training, followed by a healthy breakfast, or Jackson, who was no doubt rolling out of bed late because he’d spent the night having too much fun with some unsuspecting female, Mariah didn’t have any of those options. She was alone.
It wasn’t that she liked it that way. She’d loved being married and all that it had meant. She’d loved being Mrs. Richard Hems and being part of a couple, a unit and a partnership. She’d always thought her marriage would last. How wrong she’d been, Mariah thought as she opened the back door of the bakery.
She couldn’t focus on that now. She knew it wasn’t healthy to keep looking back; she had to focus on other things. Namely, on baking all the breakfast goods that she hoped would be necessary for the morning rush. Aunt Lillian believed in providing the freshest baked products each day, so any unpurchased item was given away to a local shelter at the end of the night.
Mariah quickly turned on the lights, grabbed her apron hanging on a hook nearby, and headed toward the kitchen to get down to business.
Two hours later, she was wrist deep in flour when her brother Jack finally deigned to gift her with his presence. She’d already prepared the first batch of pastries, from cinnamon and pecan rolls to Danishes and croissants, for the breakfast rush. She was now starting on the triple berry, blueberry, lemon and orange scones that were a big part of their menu selection.
“Look who finally decided to join me,” Mariah said, as he slowly made his way to the sink to wash his hands.
“Don’t start, Ri,” he replied, using his nickname for her. When he was finished, he grabbed a paper towel and dried his hands.
Mariah quirked her brow. “You were supposed to be here—” she glanced at her watch “—hours ago. I needed help. I haven’t even started on the muffins yet.”
“I’m sorry, okay?” Jackson responded as he quickly grabbed several mixing bowls and ingredients for the muffins from the cabinets and refrigerator.
She was surprised that for once he offered an apology instead of an excuse. “I presume you were with one of your admirers from the grand opening?” Mariah selected a handful of dough and set it on the already floured counter. She rolled the dough and used a scone cutter to cut out the pieces before placing them on a greased cookie sheet.
Jackson gave her a sly smile. “A gentleman never kisses and tells.”
“Well, a certain gentleman needs to set his alarm so he’s not late again. I can’t do this without you,” Mariah replied.
“Duly noted. What’s got your panties in a twist?”
“Nothing.”
Jackson stopped mixing the dry ingredients and looked at his sister.
Could he see that she hadn’t really slept
