July Apple Pies

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

MAMA RITA’S CAKES AND PIES was, without doubt, the most renowned and celebrated pastry store on the state. Despite this, the store itself was small and simple. If you walked by it, there was no chance you would think it was as prestigious as it really was. And it was very prestigious. If you wanted to eat one of Mama Rita’s famous cakes or pies, you had to order it at least a week in advance. Sometimes even more. But it was certainly worth it. Mama Rita, a short and very pretty old woman of Italian heritage, could make a mixture of simple ingredients taste like heaven in a way only few other people could.

Which is why what Nora and Ryder saw as soon as he parked the car was extremely surprising.

“I really can not believe this,” Nora whispered as she stared at the small and open store standing right before her eyes.

Ryder was smirking like crazy.

“Told you,” he said and then hopped off the car.

Since Nora seemed not to be able to make any kind of move, Ryder walked to her door and opened it for her. “Come on. Get out.”

She did as instructed, still in awe.

Ryder’s smirk turned into a sweet smile. “You know,” he said as he took her wrist again and dragged her to Mama Rita’s door, “seeing as this was easier than I thought, I think I will be a gentleman and ride you to the hospital after we are done here.”

“I’m fine, thank you.” That was a lie.

Ryder, oblivious to her throbbing head, smiled and pulled the entrance door open. The chirming bells on the threshold made Nora’s head hurt even more, but she wouldn’t mention that to Ryder. That would just give him a reason to actually act like the gentleman he had proved to be years ago, when they were in second grade. Which would mean he would ride her to the hospital. And if there was something Nora hated–and maybe, just maybe, even feared–that was hospitals.

Ryder pulled Nora into the store without letting go of her wrist.

“I’m not a dog, you know,” she said.

Ryder chuckled. He didn’t say anything, but he let his hand slip until it was enveloped around hers. “Better?” he asked.

Nora’s blush lasted only a few seconds, but Ryder still caught a glimpse of it by the corner of his eye.

“You are way too smooth for your own good.”

“I will take that as a compliment.”

As it turns out, even Nora wasn’t sure what it had actually been, so she just rolled her eyes in response and shook his hand away from hers.

“Huh,” Nora said as she looked around the empty store. Pastries and cakes and pies where displayed behind glass counters, but no one stood behind the cash register. Or anywhere else, for that matter. “No one’s here. How surprising.”

Ryder chose to ignore his companion’s pessimistic attitude. “Mrs. Rita,” he yelled in no particular direction at all.

CRACK.

Both Ryder and Nora jumped at the sudden noise and turned to look in the direction it had come from. The only thing they could see was a table with a few magazines featuring Mrs. Rita in the covers and a little purple couch next to it.

“That was weird,” Ryder said. He sounded out of breath. Nora was sure he could hear her heart beating fast inside her chest.

“Yeah,” she said and let out a nervous laugh. “Scary.”