Chapter 9

The pies were perfect.

Kaitlynn pulled them from the oven, the crusts golden brown and flaky, the fillings bubbling. She let them cool for a few minutes, then cut a small slice from each one.

"Cason. Paige. Come here."

They appeared in the doorway, drawn by the scent. Kaitlynn handed them each a slice.

Paige took a bite and her eyes went wide. "Mommy! This is the best thing I've ever tasted!"

Cason was more reserved. He chewed slowly, his expression thoughtful. Then he looked up at her and nodded. "It's good."

High praise from the boy who would be king.

Kaitlynn allowed herself a small smile. The product was solid. But now came the hard part: selling it.

She needed money for the market stall, for packaging, for the bus fare to the county seat. She patted her pockets. Empty. She had sold everything of value in the house weeks ago.

Her gaze drifted to the bedroom. To the boy lying unconscious on the bed.

He had a thick head of hair. Dark brown, silky, falling past his shoulders. It was the kind of hair that wig makers paid top dollar for. And in a town like Sweetwater Creek, where fancy wigs were a status symbol for the older ladies, it was a goldmine.

Kaitlynn hesitated. It felt wrong, cutting the hair off an unconscious kid. But then she looked at Paige, who was still licking her fingers, and at Cason, whose ribs were visible through his thin shirt.

Survival didn't have room for sentiment.

She found a pair of scissors in the drawer. She walked into the bedroom and stood over the boy. She took a deep breath, then began to cut.

She worked carefully, cutting close to the scalp, preserving the length. She trimmed the ends, giving him a neat, short style that made him look less like a street urchin and more like a normal kid.

She gathered the long strands, tying them into a neat bundle and slipping them into her purse.

"Cason," she said, pulling on her coat. "I'm going to town. You're in charge."

Cason walked over to her, holding out a small bundle wrapped in a cloth. "Here," he said. "For the road."

Kaitlynn unwrapped it. It was a slice of the blueberry pie. She looked at her son, her heart clenching.

"Thank you, baby," she whispered, kissing the top of his head. "I'll be back soon."

She caught the morning bus to the county seat. It was a bumpy, uncomfortable ride, but she didn't care. She had a plan.

Her first stop was the nicest hair salon in town. The owner, a heavyset woman named Rosa, examined the hair with a critical eye.

"This is good quality," Rosa said, running it through her fingers. "Very good. I can give you one hundred and fifty for it. In the city, it would be double, but for around here, that's top dollar."

One hundred and fifty dollars. It was a start.

Kaitlynn took the money and headed straight for the supply store. She bought sturdy cardboard boxes, wax paper, and ribbon. She bought more flour, more butter, more sugar. She spent every penny, leaving herself just enough for the bus ride home.

But she didn't go to the market. The market was for amateurs. It was a place to sell one pie at a time, to haggle with cheapskates and tourists. Kaitlynn wasn't interested in nickels and dimes. She wanted the big score.

She asked around, gathering intelligence. Who was the richest family in the county? The Mercers. Old money, timber empire. They owned half the town.

And more importantly, they threw a lot of parties.

Kaitlynn took a cab to the Mercer estate. It was a sprawling mansion on a hill, surrounded by manicured lawns and iron gates. She walked up to the guardhouse, carrying her sample pie in its neat little box.

"I'm here to see Helen Mercer," she said to the guard. "I have a special delivery for her."

The guard looked her up and down, taking in her worn clothes and her determined expression. "She's not expecting a delivery."

"Tell her it's about the dessert for the garden party," Kaitlynn said, her voice confident. "She'll want to see this."

The guard shrugged and picked up the phone.

A few minutes later, the gate swung open. Kaitlynn walked up the drive, her head held high. She wasn't a beggar. She was a businesswoman.

Helen Mercer was waiting on the porch. She was a stern-looking woman in her fifties, wearing a crisp pantsuit. She looked like she had never smiled a day in her life.

"You're the delivery girl?" Helen asked, her tone skeptical.

"Kaitlynn Richmond," Kaitlynn said, extending her hand. Helen didn't take it. "I'm the one who's going to save your garden party."

Helen raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Kaitlynn opened the box. The scent of blueberries and basil wafted out. Helen's nostrils flared slightly.

"I know you've been struggling to find something unique for the Mercer events," Kaitlynn said. "Something that isn't the same old chocolate cake or lemon tart. This is a blueberry basil pie. It's a flavor profile you won't find anywhere else in this state."

Helen looked at the pie, then back at Kaitlynn. "I don't buy from strangers, Mrs. Richmond."

"Then don't buy from me," Kaitlynn said, her voice steady. "Just taste it. One bite. If you don't like it, I'll walk away and never bother you again."

Helen hesitated. Then, with a sigh, she reached for a fork. She cut off a small piece, spearing a blueberry and a fleck of green. She put it in her mouth.

Her eyes widened.

The tartness of the blueberry exploded on her tongue, followed immediately by the savory, aromatic kick of the basil. It was unexpected, vibrant, and utterly addictive.

Helen chewed slowly, her expression shifting from skepticism to surprise, and finally, to something resembling delight.

"Well," she said, swallowing. "I think we can discuss terms."