Dashing Through The Snow
by T.M. Souders
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fiction. Any similarity to real persons is coincidental and not intended by the author. Text copyright © 2011 T.M. Souders
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any other form, or by any other means, without express written permission of the author.
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CHAPTER ONE
“Here you go, Mrs. Petrie. I double-taped the box as you like, so it stays nice and fresh.” Wynn blew a wisp of brown hair out of her face.
The flabby skin of Mrs. Petrie’s jowls pulled inward as she pursed her lips. “Did you dust it with extra coconut on top like I requested?” Her voice was indignant like always—well, ever since the one time Wynn forgot to dust the cake with a pound of coconut.
“It’s a triple coconut cake. How much more coconut could she possibly want,” Gemma hissed under her breath.
Wynn willed herself to maintain her smile. It was as stiff as plaster, but nevertheless, a smile all the same. “Sure did,” she said, in a syrupy tone.
“Okay, then.” Mrs. Petrie nodded her big round head. Her double chin jiggled and her feathery blond hair moved like peep down. She paid Wynn and left the bakery without saying another word.
Wynn turned to Gemma—her best friend, not necessarily her best worker—who leaned back on the counter, sipping a cup of coffee. “Okay, r-e-l-a-x. That’s it, remove the psycho killer smile,” Gemma said, coaching Wynn as the smile she cemented across her face morphed into a half grimace.
Wynn opened and closed her mouth, unscrewing the tight muscles, before taking a deep breath. The chime on the door rang again, as it had all morning—typical of the holiday season. With Christmas only two weeks away, business was only bound to pick up.
Turning, Wynn pushed her sandy hair off her shoulders and smiled at the next customer. “Can I help you?”
The woman standing before her held one toddler on her hip while she clasped another one’s hand. “Can I get a dozen chocolate chip cookies and a large coffee?” The toddler in her arms reached for the dangling crystals on Wynn’s tiered cupcake holder, forcing a continuous game of cat and mouse with her mother who had to move her hand away repeatedly.
Wynn smiled at the woman, whose eyes were red-rimmed. They held a hint of shadow beneath them, not quite concealed by her makeup, further exemplifying her exhaustion. Wynn turned to Gemma just as the two children started whining, and the mother sighed.
“Gem, can you make it a dozen with two to go?”
“Now? I’m taking my break.” Below choppy, black bangs, Gemma blinked.
“When aren’t you taking a break?” Wynn stared at Gemma until she sighed and set her cup down, exaggerating the gesture to emphasize the inconvenience of actually working. Wynn smirked, retrieving the woman’s coffee. The boxed cookies, with two wrapped in wax paper, were waiting for her when she returned to the counter.
“Here you go. Take these for the road.” Wynn handed each toddler a cookie, instantly ceasing their complaints the second they put the treat to their lips.
“Thank you.” The mother’s eyes shined with gratitude, and the reverence in her voice was almost amusing. She paid and took the box of cookies and coffee Wynn offered, then ushered the now happy children outside.
