Read Making Spirits Bright for Free Online

grin. “It was only water. I’m just lucky it wasn’t coffee.”
    Melanie focused on her surroundings, because she had a fear that if she didn’t, she might do or say something else out of character: oak cabinets. Dark brown granite countertops, flour scattered all over the top. Cream-colored curtain above the bronze sink. Stove. Refrigerator. Dishwasher. Cake containers on the countertop. A burning smell.
    Okay, she was focused. Now if she could keep her hand under control, she’d survive until she could safely come up with an excuse to leave! Fire, the place was on fire!
    “Something’s on fire,” Bryce said casually as though he were talking about the weather.
    “Oh my gosh! The cookies!” Stephanie grabbed two oven mitts, and yanked the oven door open . Gray smoke billowed out in one giant puff. She carefully pulled a baking sheet topped with little black mounds of what must’ve been meant to be cookies out of the oven. Stephanie dumped the ruined cookies in the sink. “I can’t believe I forgot the cookies! I promised the girls they could decorate them.” Stephanie shook her head and began scrubbing the burnt mess off the baking sheet.
    “It’s my fault, Steph. I’m sorry. I’m going to visit the girls and Ella, then go home. I can’t seem to do anything right these days,” Melanie said, irritated at herself. If she hadn’t tossed that water at Bryce, the cookies wouldn’t have burnt.
    “Oh stop it, you two,” Bryce said. “It’s cookies. I say let the girls start a new batch. Let’s air the place out first.” He leaned over the sink and raised the window. A small gust of icy-cold air filled the room.
    Bryce grabbed a kitchen towel, fanning the smoke toward the window. Melanie grabbed a place mat off the small table and followed Bryce’s moves. Stephanie backed away from the sink, allowing them the room they needed to fan the smoke toward the window.
    Melanie hoped this scene wasn’t indicative of her future. If so, her hopes of adopting would surely go up in smoke.

Chapter 6
     
    The early-morning air was bone-chillingly cold. Melanie parked her Lincoln Navigator inside the hangar and followed the airport attendant to the small jet waiting on the tarmac. Holding her documents against her chest, she climbed the small steps leading inside the plane.
    She was seated and buckled in when the copilot offered her a cup of coffee from a thermos.
    “Thanks, I needed this.” He handed her a Styrofoam cup full of the steaming-hot brew. She breathed in the aromatic scent, loving the smell of it. She had overslept and hadn’t had enough time to make a pot of coffee or much of anything else. She’d grabbed her makeup kit and a bright red sweater to put on later in addition to the jeans she’d barely had time to slip into. Grateful she’d showered and washed her hair the night before, she hoped she wasn’t going to be judged on her appearance. Because if that was the case, she could forget about adopting a child.
    If she couldn’t dress herself, why would anyone think her capable of dressing a child? Or anything associated with a child. Maybe the whole idea was a pipe dream and nothing more.
    No, it was not a pipe dream. She was ready for this, knew in her heart this was the correct path for her. If the agency didn’t approve her application, she would just accept that now was not the time for her to make a life-changing decision.
    Melanie felt the pressure as the jet lifted off the tarmac. Takeoff was her favorite part of flying, giving her an instant rush. Once they had reached their assigned altitude, she relaxed. The flight was only one hour, just enough time to ponder last night’s dinner with Bryce. She still couldn’t believe she had gone to dinner with him, let alone made plans for a second date. Yesterday was just full of surprises.
    She still had no clue why she had tossed a glass of water in his face. That would have to remain a mystery for a while yet. Once they’d cleared the