Baking Love (11 page)

“I’m up for anything,” Jess told him.

“So am I,” Kate said.

Cecilia tucked her designer clutch under her arm. “There’s a fondue restaurant in Marquise called The Pronged Fork. Do you like fondue?”

She’s only looking at Jess.

Jess’s gaze shifted to Kate, then back to Cecilia. “We’ve never had fondue.”

“The Pronged Fork has the best fondue in Manhattan. Would you like to try it?”

Jess glanced again at Kate. “Fondue?”

“Fondue is fine.”

“Fondue it is,” Eric announced.

Cecilia and Eric walked farther into the hotel, and Kate and Jess followed at a distance. “Cecilia is being so nice to you!” Kate whispered.

“Is she? I don’t have much to go by.”

“You can go by the way she treats me.”

“I don’t understand why she’s nice to me, and seemingly everyone else, but not you.”

Kate eyed Cecilia as she walked ahead of them. “There’s definitely something going on, some reason she doesn’t respond well to me.”
Might as well make the most of it.
“I have an idea.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Let’s conduct a little experiment.”

“I don’t like the sound of this.”

“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun.”

“What do you want to experiment with?”

Kate smiled. “Cecilia’s behavior.”

Jess took a few steps in silence. “Okay, tell me.”

“We’ll take turns asking her questions at dinner and observe her responses. I guarantee she’ll answer all of yours politely. She’ll probably even reciprocate with questions of her own. When I ask her something, her answer will be curt, short, and borderline rude.”

“No way. It won’t be like that.”

“Twenty bucks says it will.”

“Twenty bucks, huh?” Jess paused. “Double or nothing.”

“You’re on.”

“This is it,” Eric told them over his shoulder.

“Welcome to The Pronged Fork,” the hostess greeted them as they entered. “How many this evening?”

“Four,” Eric replied.

She picked up their menus. “Right this way.”

As they followed her, Kate scanned the restaurant. Small, recessed lights in the ceiling, and flames atop tea candles in the center of each dining table, gave the room a soft glow. One wall of the restaurant was glass and faced a busy Manhattan street. “Here we are.” The hostess motioned toward a rectangular table beside the glass wall. Eric pulled out Cecilia’s chair while Kate and Jess each pulled out their own. “Enjoy your dinner.”

A waiter stepped up to their table. “Good evening. My name is Todd, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I start you off with something to drink?”

“I’ll have a glass of house wine,” Kate answered without hesitation.

“So will I,” Jess said.

“Make it four,” Eric chimed in.

“Very good,” Todd nodded.

Eric smiled across the table at Kate and Jess. “Welcome to Manhattan.”

“What do you think of the city?” Cecilia asked.

Kate glanced outside at the people and vehicles rushing by. She could see Central Park across the street.
I’d give anything to already be sitting in a carriage rather than at this table.
“Manhattan is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been.”

“It’s not for everyone,” Cecilia sniffed.

Kate met her gaze. “I meant that as a compliment.”

Cecilia didn’t respond.

Kate picked up the wine list.
Wonder how many glasses I can get for forty bucks.

Jess put her cloth napkin in her lap. “Thanks for meeting us for dinner.”

“Of course,” Eric smiled. “We couldn’t have you in our backyard and not see you.”

Next time, I’ll make sure that’s exactly what happens.

Cecilia’s gaze met Jess’s. “What was the expo like?”

“Competitive, but fun.”

“I can imagine.”

“So you’ve already bought your wedding dress?”

“Yes, I found it at a boutique not far from here.” Cecilia rubbed Eric’s back. “I love that dress almost as much as I love Eric.”

Good, here comes the wine.

Todd arrived at their table and distributed the glasses, then pulled a small notepad from his pocket. “Have you decided what you’d like for dinner?”

“Oops, not yet,” Eric said, reaching for his menu.

Cecilia looked at Jess. “Do you like seafood?”

“Yes. Kate does, too.”

Thanks, Jess.

“I recommend the Seafood Medley,” Cecilia continued. “It’s delicious, and it’s huge. In fact, it’s enough for all of us to share.”

“Sounds good,” Kate told Cecilia.
Not that you care.

“Excellent choice,” Todd said. “I’ll put in your order.”

Kate took a sip of wine.
Time to get down to winning this bet.
“Cecilia, how are your wedding plans coming?”

“Fine.”

“Good.”
Curt, short, and borderline rude—just as I’d expected.

Jess cleared her throat. “Where are you and Eric going on your honeymoon?”

“Martinique. It’s one of the only islands in the Caribbean I haven’t visited with my parents.” Cecilia smiled at Eric. “I can’t wait to explore it together.”

Kate’s heart twisted.

“How about you?” Cecilia asked Jess. “Where are you and your fiancé going on your honeymoon?”

“Mark and I haven’t decided yet.”

“It really doesn’t matter where you go, as long as you’re together, right?” She put her hand on Eric’s thigh.

Kate dropped her gaze to her lap. Seeing the man she loved with another woman was harder to take than she’d thought it’d be.
The only way to keep my mind off having lost him is to focus on trying to win this bet.
She took a silent breath and lifted her gaze. “How are your parents?” she asked Cecilia.

“They’re fine.”

“I’ve enjoyed working with them.”

Cecilia nodded slightly, but said nothing.

Kate picked up her wine glass and took a long drink of the crisp liquid.
Ah, sweet relief.

“Speaking of my parents,” Cecilia suddenly said to Kate. “My mother told me you took my place as Eric’s bride at the pre-rehearsal.”

Kate choked on her wine. She grabbed her cloth napkin and covered her mouth as she coughed to try and clear her throat. Todd quickly appeared at the table. “Is everything alright?”

She struggled to catch her breath so she could speak. “Could I get a glass of water?”

“Certainly.”

“Are you okay?” Eric asked.

Kate shook her head and continued to cough into the napkin. In a flash, Todd was back with water. “Here you are, ma’am.” She took the glass from him and drained it.

Jess patted Kate’s back. “You alright?”

“Yeah.” She dried her eyes with the napkin, then met Cecilia’s gaze. “Do you know why I stood in for you?”

“No, but I’d love to.”

Eric cleared his throat, and Kate instinctively met his gaze. His expression was stoic.
Did he just flinch…or was he shaking his head at me?

Realization set in.
He didn’t tell Cecilia he called me during the pre-rehearsal.
Kate held back a frown.
Why wouldn’t he tell her?

“Well?” Cecilia’s voice penetrated her thoughts.

Knowing Eric, there’s a good reason, so I’ll keep my mouth shut about it. I will defend myself to that woman, though.
Kate’s gaze returned to Cecilia’s. “I stood in for you at the pre-rehearsal because your mother asked me to.”

“I see.”

No, you don’t. You don’t know the half of it.

“Dinner is served,” a waiter said, as he arrived at their table with a tray of food. Todd came around him and moved the tea candles aside. The men placed the contents of the tray on the table: a large oval plate filled with seafood, a fondue pot, and bowls of various sauces. Todd set a plate in front of each person, then handed out pronged forks. “Enjoy.”

Kate pierced a shrimp and dipped it into one of the bowls of sauce. At the same time, Cecilia dipped a scallop into the same bowl. Kate ate the shrimp, and Cecilia fed the scallop to Eric. “How’s this?” she asked sweetly.

Kate quickly averted her eyes to the glass wall.
We’re almost done, we’re almost done.
Aside from spearing bites of fish, she kept her gaze fixed firmly outside. Conversation at the table resounded in her ear, but she registered none of it.

“Kate?”

She looked over at Jess. “Yes?”

“Cecilia asked about their wedding cake.”

Kate mustered the emotional strength to respond, then shifted her gaze to the bride. “Things are going well with
both
cakes.”
Turns out blue is an awesome color for a cake.

“We baked the cakes earlier this week,” Jess added.

Kate’s brows flinched.
You shouldn’t have told her that, Jess. The last thing we need is Cecilia asking us to make new cakes closer to time.

Sure enough, Cecilia frowned. “Will the cakes still be fresh for the wedding?”

“Absolutely,” Jess said without missing a beat. “Most bakeries make their cakes in advance and freeze them. That way, the cakes are waiting on the baker and not the other way around.”

Well-done, Jess.

Cecilia’s expression softened. “I might’ve heard that somewhere before.”

Jess opened her mouth again. “Dinner was delicious,” Kate quickly said, before her friend could disclose any more of their time-saving measures.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Eric smiled. “Would you like dessert?”

“No, I’ve had enough…food.”

“I’m finished as well,” Jess answered him.

Todd returned to their table. “How was everything?”

“Wonderful, as always,” Cecilia swooned.

“Will you be having dessert this evening?”

“No, we’re finished,” Eric replied.

“Shall I divide up the check?”

“Yes, please.”

Todd collected their plates and the bowls of sauce. He piled the bowls onto the plates, then picked up the stack with one hand and the fondue pot with the other. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Kate watched Todd whisk away his balancing act. “How does he do that?” she muttered. He rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.

Eric pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “Do y’all want to hang out with me and Cecilia tonight?”

Dishes crashed to the floor somewhere in the restaurant. “I appreciate the offer,” Kate said. “I’m actually going to spend the rest of the evening checking out Manhattan.”

Cecilia chuckled. “You’re checking out the city—at night—alone?”

“I’m taking a carriage ride through Central Park, so, no, I won’t be alone. I’ll have a horse with me.”

Eric laughed.

“I’m turning in early,” Jess told him. “I’m wiped out from the expo.”

Cecilia put her hand on her fiancé’s back. “I’m retiring early as well. Tomorrow is my bridal shower, remember?”

“That’s right. I guess I’m on my own tonight.” He paused. “Maybe I’ll stop by the hotel’s jazz bar before I leave.”

Todd returned and laid a small folder on the table. “I’ll take this whenever you’re ready.”

Eric looked inside. “We each owe fifty bucks.”

As Kate opened her purse, she caught sight of Jess’s hand under the table.
She’s holding two twenties.
Kate met her friend’s gaze.

You win, Jess mouthed.

Kate smiled…and took the money.

* * * *

Cecilia kissed Eric. “Call me later,” she told him.

“Will do.”

She stepped into the taxi, and Eric closed the door behind her. He tapped the roof, and the driver pulled away. Immediately, Kate felt her blood pressure returning to normal.

Jess yawned. “I’m going back to the room to call Mark and hit the hay. Thanks again for meeting us, Eric.”

“My pleasure.” They exchanged a hug.

Jess looked at Kate. “Hope you enjoyed your dinner.”

“It was the best ten dollar meal I’ve ever eaten.”

“Hussy.”

Kate burst out laughing as Jess walked toward the revolving doors of Marquise. Before entering, she glanced over her shoulder. “Enjoy your carriage ride.”

“If you want to come with me, you can pay for that, too!”

Jess flipped her off and entered the hotel.

Still laughing, Kate turned to Eric. He appeared confused. “What was that about?” he asked.

You’d be the last person on earth to appreciate it—no wait, that’d be Cecilia.
Kate shook her head. “Nothing.” She took a deep breath to regain her composure. “So you’re heading back inside to the jazz bar?”

“Actually, I was hoping to tag along with you.”

“Why?” Kate blurted out.

“I’d like to talk. You and I didn’t talk much at dinner.”

I’d rather you didn’t come.
Kate shrugged. “Whatever you want to do.”
Maybe you’ll take a hint.

“Great, thanks.”

Kate suppressed a frown.
Clearly, my hint was too subtle.

“How will you know which carriage is yours in Central Park?” Eric asked.

“The reservation office told the concierge to have me meet the carriage at West 59th Street and 7th Avenue.” Kate glanced up at a nearby street sign. “I’ve just got to figure out where that is.”

“I know exactly where it is,” Eric smiled proudly.

Kate couldn’t help but return his smile. “By all means, lead the way.”

Eric took them around the corner and down a sidewalk. On the left, Kate could see inside The Pronged Fork through the very glass wall she’d stared out earlier.

“There’s the carriage,” Eric said.

She looked across the street and saw a horse-drawn carriage at the perimeter of the park. Excitement filled her anew.
This is going to be great, even if Eric is with me.

They dashed over to the driver. “I’m Kate Sullivan,” she told him. “I have a nine o’clock reservation.”

The man nodded a greeting. “I’m Joe. Hop in, and we’ll get going.”

Eric extended his hand to Kate. “I’m sure climbing into a carriage while wearing heels is a tricky feat, no pun intended.”

Kate smiled graciously and accepted his hand. She stepped up into the carriage and sat down, followed by Eric.

Joe clicked his tongue. “Giddy-up, Sugar!”