Alexis and the Perfect Recipe by Coco Simon Read Free Book Online Page A

leave for practice at three thirty, and an athlete can’t practice on a system filled with sugar.”
    â€œAh, don’t worry, we’ll be done in plenty of time,” I said, smiling at my friends.
    Just then Mom asked, “So how did the dress turn out, Alexis?”
    I could feel my face grow instantly hot. Should I make up a fib?
    â€œOh, you know . . .” I was stalling for time, but Katie cut in.
    â€œOh, Mrs. Becker, you have to see the dress that Alexis bought! It looks so beautiful on her!”
    I glared at Katie and elbowed her. Poor Katie looked at me in pain and surprise. Luckily my mother was looking down, so she didn’t see this exchange.
    What? Katie mouthed at me. I shook my head vigorously, but they had already heard Katie.
    â€œAre you going to show us the dress?” asked Dylan.
    â€œNot right now,” I said briskly. “Let’s get the cupcake samples ready, and then I’ll model it if you have time before practice.” This made sense to Mom and Dylan, so they both nodded and went back to what they were doing. Now I could focus on the cupcakes! I would deal with what was sure to be a dress crisis later.
    Without any more interruptions, my friends and I were able to work quickly to turn out samples for three different cupcakes: the disco, s’mores, andthe gift one. Much as I hated to admit it, Emma had been right about the gold flakes. They looked magical and I knew Dylan would totally go for them. The s’mores were tasty but not elegant, just as we had suspected, and my little gift idea looked great, but not very appealing.
    We stood holding our breath as Dylan and my parents inspected our treats.
    â€œOh, girls, these are lovely!” Mom said.
    â€œI’ll take them all,” said Dad as he playfully lifted the platter, pretending that he was going to run off with it.
    â€œDad!” I called out just as Dylan took the plate away from him. Suddenly everyone was really quiet and serious as Dylan examined the cupcakes from all angles, tilting her head this way and that like a judge on a cooking show.
    â€œOh, Dylan, come on!” I said. My sister could be so exasperating!
    But Mia grabbed my arm and whispered, “The customer is always right.” Since that is one of my own mottoes, I didn’t say anything else. I set my mouth in a firm line to keep it shut and crossed my arms in front of me.
    Then Dylan leaned over the platter and smelled the cupcakes. I was about to have another outburst,but my mom shot me a look. What was wrong with Dylan? Why couldn’t she say “Wow” or “Hmm . . . not what I want,” like normal people would?
    After what felt like several long minutes of sniffing, Dylan asked, “Do you have a knife?”
    I groaned. I couldn’t believe she asked for a knife! We were at home, and Dylan knew very well where the knives were. I was just about to say something when Mia replied cheerily, “Yes, we do!”
    She picked one from the butcher block and handed it to Dylan with a flourish. Dylan cut each cupcake in half, and then in quarters. They looked really awful all splayed out like that.
    â€œDylan, honey, what are you doing?” Mom asked.
    â€œI want to see what they look like inside,” Dylan answered. “Then I’m going to taste them, but it’s not like I’m going to eat an entire cupcake of each!”
    â€œWell, I’d love to try one—a whole one,” Dad said. “I’ve been waiting long enough. Do I have your permission, your highness?” He looked at me and the other Cupcakers and wiggled his eyebrows.
    Dylan rolled her eyes. “Okay, let’s sample.”
    My father took a s’mores cupcake, which he’d been eyeing the entire time, and took a huge bite.
    â€œI’m not usually a fan of marshmallows, but this is dynamite!” he said. “I vote for this one.”
    My mother also picked