Sugar and Spice Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Thanks!” she said, waving to the directors. “We’ll be back in a jiffy.”

“A jiffy? Did you actually say we’d be back in a jiffy?” Lexi groaned as they started hunting through the cabinets in Kylie’s kitchen. “I have no idea how we’re going to bake and decorate these cupcakes. This could take us days to come up with—not a jiffy!”
    â€œI’m not even sure how long a jiffy is,” Delaney admitted.
    â€œIt doesn’t matter. We just need to focus,” Kylie replied. “Somebody toss out some ideas.”
    â€œThe pageant lady said it’s just as important to be beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside,” Delaney suggested. “So maybe that’s what our cupcake needs to be.”
    Kylie raised an eyebrow. “Okay, I like where you’re going with this.”
    â€œWhere are you going with this?” Sadie asked.
    â€œI’m just saying it would be cool if we could stuff the cupcakes with something pretty,” Delaney explained.
    Lexi’s eyes lit up. “Like a cupcake inside a cupcake!”
    â€œThat’s brilliant!” Kylie shouted. “We could bake a mini cake and put it inside the cupcake. So when you bite in…”
    â€œIt’s beautiful. Oh, I love it,” Lexi said.
    â€œTalk to me about flavors, Jenna,” Kylie said. “Something special. Something different…”
    â€œSomething pink,” Delaney weighed in. “Like that pink outfit Fitzy had on.”
    Jenna tapped a finger to her chin. “We could do a pink velvet and bake a mini white cake inside. Maybe in a star shape for Miss New England Shooting Starz.”
    â€œHow do we do that?” Sadie asked. “We’ve never done a shape inside a cupcake before.”
    â€œEasy-peasy,” Kylie said, flipping through her recipe collection. “I saw something like this before and wanted to try it.” She held up a page. “We bake the white cake first and use a mini cookie cutter to make the stars. Then we put them in the pink velvet batter and they bake right inside the cupcakes.”
    â€œWhat do we think of white chocolate buttercream?” Jenna asked, smacking her lips together. She did her best Fitzy impression: “Is it fab…or drab? Yum…or hum-drum?”
    â€œ Yum ! ” the girls shouted unanimously.
    â€œLet’s keep it simple on top,” Lexi added. “Gold-fondant stars sprinkled with luster dust. Beautiful and elegant, just like a pageant queen.”
    â€œI think we’ve got a plan,” Kylie said, climbing a step stool to retrieve the food coloring from the top shelf of the cupboard.
    â€œI bet Connecticut Cupcakes has a plan too,” Delaney reminded them. “And a good one.”
    â€œNot as good as ours,” Kylie insisted. “Laura and Fitzy are gonna love this.” She opened the fridge and handed a dozen eggs to Sadie.
    â€œI can take a hint,” Sadie said, tying an apron around her waist. “It’s time to get cracking!”
    â€¢ • •
    When Kylie’s mom dropped the girls off at the pageant office, a big, pink truck with the letters CC on it was already parked in front.
    â€œConnecticut Cupcakes,” Kylie said with a sigh. “They beat us to it.”
    â€œOf course they did,” Sadie grumped. “And they always have to make an entrance.” She pointed to a large box on wheels that two bakery assistants were rolling up the walkway.
    â€œWhat do you suppose is in there?” Lexi asked. “I hate surprises. I’d rather know what we’re going up against.”
    â€œA ten-ton cupcake?” Delaney guessed.
    â€œWell, there’s only one way to find out,” Jenna said. “Follow my lead, guys…”
    She ran up to the two men dressed in white aprons. They were trying desperately to roll the box over the curb.
    â€œ Hola ! ” Jenna said