I'm Still Here

All Over This Small Town

October 2013

Susanna's POV

Brushing my long auburn hair off my face with the back of my arm I focused on icing the cookies for the local DAR tea that Mary Vines called in last minute after her oven went out. Being up since four this morning to get just the daily orders baked, I was running on fumes with it barely being early afternoon. I heard the bells jingle over the front door along with praying that Cheyenne would take care of whomever it was giving me the time to get this done.

It was at least Friday. My cousin Stephanie opened the bakery for me on Saturdays letting me have a full day off since I usually used Sunday evenings to prep for the week. I had been told more than once to hire someone else to help out. Making sure the icing on the flag shaped cookies formed the way I wanted, I bit my lip against a snort hearing Cheyenne flirting with the customer out front. Josh, my other day time helper walked into the back grabbing another tray of pumpkin shaped cookies rolling his eyes behind dark framed glasses.

"She at it again?" I asked with a snicker making him sigh. Poor kid was in his third year of college and half in love with the buxom blonde that worked for me. He hung his head nodding making the shaggy blonde locks drape into his eyes. I gave him a soft smile. "Josh, honey I have told you that you can do better than her. I've known Cheyenne a long time. She has always been a flirt. Plus already reminded you she is older than you."

"I know," he grumbled. I was about to say more when a loud voice cut through the bakery.

"Ohhhhhh Suzie Q!!!" they drawled just adding to their Georgia twang. I couldn't help but smile as I wiped my hands on the apron I was wearing. Pretty sure there was flour somewhere on my face or in my hair. Always was. Josh followed me out heading to the load display case arranging the cookies. Cheyenne was handling the coffee order of Mr. Johnson who came by for a cup every afternoon. I walked over to the low end of the counter seeing the grinning idiot facing me. I got a wide smile. "Ahh there she is. I need two dozen chocolate cupcakes sweetheart."

"And if I don't have any," I teased biting my bottom lip seeing his face fall. I reached out pushing down the top of his blonde mohawk earning me a glare before batting my hands away. I laughed shaking my head. "I always keep them in stock just in case. But only for you Bennie Boo. You are the one who claims you can't live without them."

"Swear Suzie Q," Ben chuckled crossing his tattooed arms over his chest with a smirk. "If you weren't out of my league I would marry you just for your baking skills."

"Then you would weigh five hundred pounds and I'd never get out of the kitchen," I sassed back putting a hand on my hip shaking a finger at him. "You have the biggest sweet tooth in all of north Georgia I do believe."

"Could be that I am just sweet on you," he teased bracing his big hands on the counter while I reached for a box to fill his order. I hip checked Josh out of the way and bit back a groan at Cheyenne throwing her shoulders back pushing her boobs up hoping Ben would notice. Swear she did this anytime he came in. I let out a snort putting cupcakes in the box. Wasn't unusual for him to come by for a bigger order when getting on the road.

"On the road this weekend?" I asked busying myself with my task smiling at a couple other regulars coming in. Ben shook his head shoving his hands into the pocket of his ripped jeans.

"Nah," he said with grin. "Done for a few weeks. Been in the studio. What you got going on tonight Suz?"

"Wine and my pajamas," I said with a heavenly sigh closing my eyes. "May watch the food network." Cheyenne scoffed rolling her eyes. Oh I knew she would be on the prowl for her weekend dick since she struck out with Ben yet again. "What can I say, hit my late twenties and I like to live dangerously."