Creek. You gave her some competition there for a little while.” She grabbed a sponge and wiped a dusting of flour from one of the stainless steel tabletops. “I’m thinking she wants to reestablish herself as the Queen before you get any ideas of a coup.” Paige took a sip of her too-hot espresso and winced. “Busted—I’ve been secretly planning a revolt. I mean, what right-minded girl wouldn’t want to be crowned Queen of Maple Creek, Maryland? I had visions of riding in the back of Mayor Warren’s El Camino in the Christmas parade, sitting in a recliner, wearing a cubic zirconium tiara and a sash that says ‘I rule.’” “Nice.” Cyn nodded. “Had you planned to throw candy?” Paige shook her head. “Tums. You gotta play to your audience.” “There’s that.” The oven timer pinged. Cyn picked up a hot pad and took out the muffins. “Just assure her that she’s still the alpha female in town, and everything will be okay.” Paige respected Mrs. Hawthorne—as quirky as she was—and valued her as a customer. As long as Paige’s business didn’t become the Queen’s business, everything would work out fine. “You wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.” Cyn pressed her sheer-glossed lips together tightly. “Who’d know that better than you?” “For sure.” Cyn nodded ruefully. “I didn’t see any notes from Dr. Hartley this morning.” Paige recalled her conversation with Dr. Anderson and clenched her teeth. She normally posted any special instructions she got from Dr. Hartley in a special place on the bulletin board for Cyn to see when she came in on Tuesday and Friday mornings. “And you won’t be seeing any for a month.” Cyn’s blue eyes widened. “Why not?” Paige told her about Dr. Anderson’s visit last night, deciding not to mention that he was super-sexy and surprisingly single. “He’s definitely Mr. Play-by-the-Rules.” Paige popped one of the piping hot loaves out of the pan, sliced it, and took a bite. “On second thought,” she said through a mouthful, “dude seems wound up way too tight to play at all. As if anyone’s going to come to Maple Creek and check which doctor’s name is listed on the HIPAA forms.” “Jeez. He needs to lighten up.” Cyn pulled some flattened bakery boxes from the shelf and started folding them into shape. “The hardheaded doctor should be happy his temporary patients aren’t pigging out on the wrong stuff that they randomly picked out at the grocery store.” “That’s what I said. They could be gorging on Twinkies.” Cyn swiftly tugged at the strings of her apron. They fell loosely at her sides as she whipped it off and tossed it on the tabletop. “I’m going over there right now to set his stubborn ass straight.” Paige stepped in front of her. “Oh no you’re not.” Even though Cyn was measurably taller than Paige, who’d been told more than once that she was the size of a Polly Pocket doll, Cyn backed down. No matter how many times Cyn had gotten herself into trouble by acting before thinking, Paige constantly had to remind her not to do it again. Cyn narrowed her eyes and exhaled loudly. “He’s just causing trouble that we can’t afford.” “You don’t have to tell me.” Paige sounded more depressed than she meant to. “Those old guys get set in their ways, and there’s no reasoning with them.” Cyn grabbed her apron and put it back on. “The old girls, too,” she said, no doubt referring to the Queen. “But Dr. Anderson’s not old. He’s Dr. Hartley’s nephew.” Paige took another bite of the bread, savoring the perfect balance of lemon and almond flavors. “He’s a few years older than us, max.” And ever since he showed up here last night, I can’t get him out of my freakin’ mind. She’d been hoping that Liza’s fiancé Cole would introduce her to one of his buff baseball buddies, but it was off-season now and they’d scattered everywhere. Now the only guy she could