Cupcake Explosion (Cupcakes 4)

“Uh, yeah, I’m pretty sure, but I’ll double check my schedule when I get in and let you know.”

I’d finished up my report for Phillips over the weekend and sent it out. It was nice to be able to offer up some good news for once, but, now that that case was closed, I found myself in the rare situation of not having any other cases lined up.

It was weird.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been without a case.

On one hand, it was nice to have a break, especially when I was planning a wedding. On the other, the wedding was pretty much planned, and Cade was gone . . . What the hell was I supposed to do with myself?

We finished up and I promised to see Bran again the next morning, since I couldn’t use work as an excuse, and I did need to tone up my arms for my dress.

The kids were in school, my friends were at work, and I was at a loss of what to do next.

I was standing on the sidewalk in front of the gym, freshly showered, and looking up and down the street as if expecting a case to walk up and hit me, when my phone rang.

“Hello?” I answered, a little too eagerly

“Aloha kakahiaka.”

I grinned at the sound of Cade’s mom’s voice.

“Aloha, Mama,” I replied. “How’s everything going?”

“Perfect. I was just calling to make sure you have our flight information for next week.”

Holy shit, would they already be coming next week?

“Uh, yeah, of course, I saved the email Alani sent,” I assured her, panic suddenly hitting me hard as I realized that my future in-laws would be arriving next Monday and I was getting married in twelve short days. “We’ll have Cade’s cabin all ready for you guys.”

I made a mental note to stop by the cabin to ensure it was clean and habitable.

“Wonderful. We are so excited to see you again . . . I cannot believe my baby is finally getting married.”

“I know, it’s crazy,” I replied. I knew she’d started to give up hope that her thirty-nine-year-old son would ever settle down, and honestly, he’d never planned too. The whole thing was pretty unexpected.

For all of us.

“Lila, I’ve been trying to call Cade for the last few days, but he hasn’t answered or called back, is everything okay?”

“Oh, yeah,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “Cade’s away on business, so he doesn’t have access to his phone, but he’ll see you when you arrive, and if I see him before then, I’ll be sure he calls you.”

“Thank you, sweetheart. How are my babies doing?”

When we’d gone to Hawaii, Cade’s parents had become close to Lena and Elin. Since we’d come home, the kids had written them letters, and they were excited that Cade’s family was coming for the wedding.

“Oh, you know how kids are,” I said vaguely, not wanting to get into my pre-teen issues over the phone. “They can’t wait to see you.”

“Oh, we can’t wait either. Be sure to give them a kiss from Tutu . . . We’ll see you next week. Aloha, Lila, be well.”

“See you soon,” I replied, then hung up the phone.

I gnawed my lip as I worried about the fact that Cade had been gone a week with no word. What if he didn’t make it back by the time his family arrived? What would I tell them? Would they be worried?

I opened up the calendar on my phone and looked at it.

Today was totally blank, but I did have a dress fitting the next day after coffee with Bran and Carmen, so I added a note to stop by the cabin after the fitting. I needed to make sure it was clean, not only for Cade’s family, but to double check the lawn and see if I needed to hire anyone to clean it up before the wedding.

Once that was done, I turned my feet toward Amy May’s Bakery.