Black Bottom Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery Book 6 (Frosted Love Mysteries) by Carol Durand, Summer Prescott Page A

flowing had become a bit of a challenge, which
is why Missy had gone to the Caribbean, hoping for new inspiration. She had
never been one to rest on her laurels, and considered grooming Cheryl for
success to be a responsibility that would benefit them both.
    “Next
weekend, there’s a Cupcake Convention in Texas that I want you to attend with
me. It’s on Saturday and Sunday. We could leave Friday after closing. Sound
fun?” she asked the young manager.
    Cheryl
hesitated. “Well, yes, that sounds amazing, but…”
    “But
what?” Missy prodded with a smile, knowing that whatever argument the timid
girl came up with, she’d cheerfully dismiss, for her own good.
    “But…what
about the store? Grayson is awesome, but there’s no way that he can handle
weekend traffic by himself,” she worried.
    “I have
that under control,” she assured her conscientious protégé. “Ben has another
friend from grad school that will help Chris out at the Dellville store,
leaving Ben free to work with Grayson while you’re gone.”
    “He’s
in on this, isn’t he?” Cheryl grinned and shook her head. She and Ben had been
dating for quite some time, and she knew her fellow manager well enough to know
that he’d almost certainly been a willing participant in Missy’s plan to make
her step outside of her comfort zone.
    “Of
course he is,” her boss chuckled. “Look honey, we both want what’s best for
you, and I think this convention will be just the thing to kick-start your
creativity and give you the confidence to try new things. There’s no sense in
arguing…I already registered us and paid for our workshops,” she confessed,
giving the hesitant girl a reassuring hug. “It’s going to be fun!”
    Missy
watched with amusement as Cheryl wandered, wide-eyed, through the exhibits at
the Convention Center. They had arrived late the previous night, and were in
line when the doors opened this morning. Both were fascinated by a cupcake
artistry booth, where cupcakes were literally presented as edible sculptures,
some of which were breathtakingly beautiful, featuring edible jewels, candy
lace, and more.
    “Wow,”
Cheryl breathed, awestruck. “We’ve been totally focused on how the cupcakes
taste, but if we could do something like this…” her voice trailed off while her
mind spun with possibilities.
    Missy
nodded her agreement. “Think about the possibilities for weddings, children’s
parties, all kinds of occasions.” Her words were acknowledged with an
absent-minded “Mmhmm,” as her young manager took pictures of the gorgeous
creations.
    The
next booth featured innovative fillings that melted in their mouths and inspired
Cheryl to take copious notes. They explored “alternative cupcake” recipes to
address the needs of customers with special diets, sampling vegan, gluten-free,
lactose-free, and sugarless cakes, each one as delectable as the last, and
stayed for quite some time at a quirky cupcake topping and toppers booth.
    “I
had no idea that there were so many different options other than frosting for
topping cupcakes,” Cheryl admitted, impressed and excited.
    “Getting
some good ideas?” Missy asked, smiling at the enthusiasm that she had known the
young woman would enjoy.
    “My
head is spinning with ideas! I think I could come up with a new cupcake every
day for a year and not use them all,” she exclaimed, her eyes darting in all
directions, searching for the next “booth of wonders.”
    “And
this is only the first day,” Missy reminded the excited girl. “Tomorrow, we’ll
learn the latest tips and techniques for creating better recipes and increasing
kitchen efficiency.”
    “Oh
my! I’ll take lots of notes,” Cheryl assured her.
    The
duo spent the rest of the day visiting more booths, talking to fellow “cupcake
people” and gathering ideas to try upon their return. After a buffet dinner
where they met and chatted with more fun and creative people, Missy and her
newly motivated manager