Baking Love (12 page)

“Your horse’s name is Sugar?” Kate asked.

“Sure is. You like it?”

“I own a bakery, so yes, I like it.”

Joe chuckled. “She’s a good horse.”

They entered the park, and Kate looked out her side of the carriage. Light shined from lampposts on either side of the path, illuminating the way. People sat on benches, talking or using technological devices. Bikers and runners shared the path with their carriage. People lounged in the grass, listening to music or eating dinner.

Kate shook her head in awe. “I can’t believe all of these people are out this time of night.”

“New York
is
the city that never sleeps.”

“I believe it.”

The carriage made a right-hand turn, and a pond came into view. It shimmered with the reflections of not only more lampposts, but also the brightly-illuminated buildings skirting the edge of the park. Joe glanced over his shoulder. “We’ll be crossing Gapstow Bridge shortly.”

A breeze started to blow, making the brisk night even cooler. Kate shivered.

“You cold?” Eric asked.

“Sort of.”

“You want my coat?”

“You might get cold.”

“I’ll be fine.” Without giving Kate time to respond, Eric slipped off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“Thanks,” she said softly. She took hold of the lapels and closed the coat around her.
As chivalrous as ever.

They rode in silence for a few minutes before Eric spoke again. “I need to tell you something.”

She met his gaze. “You’re already cold?”

“No. I need to tell you the real reason I crashed your carriage ride tonight.”

The tone of Eric’s voice made Kate nervous. “Is everything alright?”

“Not really. I have a confession to make.” He paused. “I think it’ll be easiest if I just put it out there.”

“Okay.”

“I fell in love with you during our senior year of high school.”

Kate blinked. “What?”

“I was still in love with you the summer I came back to Hillsborough, the summer after my freshman year of college.”

He’s probably just messing around.
“Are you joking?”

“No.” The stoic expression on his face affirmed his words.

Kate didn’t speak, didn’t move, didn’t breathe. She tried to assimilate his words, tried to comprehend what he’d said, but couldn’t. She felt nothing, knew nothing. His revelation had thrust her into a void, leaving her completely and utterly…numb.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kate felt herself emerging from the void with a response: anger. It filled every square inch of her body—and then, it erupted. “How could you not tell me at the time?” she yelled. “Didn’t you think it was a big deal?”

“I didn’t think you felt the same way, so I knew if I told you, I risked ruining our friendship.”

“You should’ve told me! I—” Kate caught herself.
How can I tell him I loved him…love him? He’s marrying another woman.
“I can’t believe this.” She cursed the notion that she and Eric had missed out on what might’ve been.
If one of us had spoken up, we could be dating right now. We could be engaged right now.
Her stomach twisted.
We could be married right now.

“I’m sorry to say it gets worse.”

Kate stared at Eric in disbelief.
How could this get any worse?

“The night I came to Sullivan’s to ask you to make the groom’s cake red…” He exhaled sharply. “I realized that night I still have feelings for you.”

Tell him!
“Eric—”

“I know our friendship has always been a flirty one,” he went on. “However, because of my unresolved feelings for you, I’m ashamed to admit I’ve been flirting with you even more these days than I normally would.”

“It’s fine. Eric—”

“I haven’t been acting like the engaged man I am, and I owe you an apology for that.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do. The way I’ve treated you and talked to you over the last few months has been inappropriate and unfair, both to you and Cecilia—including pretending to put a wedding ring on your finger at the pre-rehearsal.” He sighed. “I got caught up in the moment…but that’s no excuse.”

“It’s okay,” Kate said quietly. “I got caught up in the moment, too.”

“While I’ve been aware of my feelings for you for months, I’ve only recently come to this realization about my behavior.” Eric paused. “I hope you’ve noticed a difference in the way I’ve been treating you lately.”

That’s why he hasn’t been saying, Hey, you, or making playful remarks.
“Yes, I’ve noticed. Look, the way you feel about me—”

“I know it makes you uncomfortable, and I apologize—but you don’t have to worry. I’m as committed as ever to my relationship with Cecilia. She and I grow closer every day; I want it to work with her. My feelings for you will fade with time…hopefully sooner rather than later.”

No.
Sadness and disappointment rushed in and crushed Kate, leaving her barely able to breathe.

Eric’s eyes bore into hers. “I need you to say something. Would you please say something?

I love you…but it doesn’t matter. You chose Cecilia.

“Kate?”

She turned her head away, and tears filled her eyes. “I don’t know what to say,” she whispered.

“Say something better than that.”

You picked the wrong woman.
“I wish you nothing but the best.”

She felt Eric’s hand on her back. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

As they continued through the park in silence, turmoil started to rage within Kate.
He still has feelings for me. Does that mean it’s not too late for us? If I told him I love him, would he change his mind about marrying Cecilia? Would he give us a chance?

“Were there any fights at the bridal expo today?”

With Eric’s words, Kate felt the final door of opportunity slam in her face. “No, there weren’t.” She continued to stare out her side of the carriage, unseeing. Several tears escaped their confines, and she subtly pushed them away.

“I’m surprised,” Eric commented. “I would’ve thought at least one woman would’ve started a fight over a dress.”

“There did come a point where I
wanted
to fight the woman who kept bidding against me.”

“Wait,
you
were bidding?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

Kate snapped her head around and met Eric’s gaze with narrowed eyes.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant, why were you bidding on a wedding dress when you’re not engaged?”

“It was the one.”

“Did you win it?”

Kate welcomed the reason to smile. “Yes, I did. Once the other bidder recognized I would stop at nothing to win that dress, she gave up.”

“Sounds about right.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve always been a woman who gets what she wants.”

Yet, ironically, I’ve lost the one thing I want most.

The carriage came to a halt. “We’re back,” Joe announced. Kate looked around and realized they were indeed back where they’d started. She reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet.

“I’ll pay for half,” Eric offered.

“No need.”
I won a bet. I’ve got some extra cash on hand.
She took the full amount from her wallet and paid Joe. “Thanks.”

He nodded. “Have a good one.”

“You, too.”

Kate and Eric climbed out of the carriage and headed for her hotel. As they walked, he suddenly spoke. “Despite my confession in the carriage, I hope we can remain friends.”

“It’s highly unlikely.”

“Oh…because it’s too awkward?”

Just say it. What do you have to lose that you haven’t already lost?
“No, because your future is with Cecilia. Once the two of you are married, I doubt you and I will ever see each other again.”

“That’s not true! Why would you even say such a thing?”

They arrived at Marquise, and Kate turned to face Eric. “Remember the reason you stopped calling me and emailing me in college?”

Instantly, his face fell.

“That’s right. Your girlfriend didn’t like the idea of you having a girl friend. I’m guessing your wife won’t, either.”

Eric shook his head. “It won’t be like that.”

Kate took off Eric’s coat and handed it to him. “Of course it will.” She gave him a hug as he stood seemingly speechless. “Take care of yourself.” She managed to maintain her composure while approaching the hotel, but once she’d entered the revolving doors, she couldn’t fight the tears any longer.

Thursday, May 31

Kate was unwrapping the thawed cakes that would compose the tiers of Cecilia and Eric’s wedding cake when she heard the front door of the bakery being unlocked. A few moments later, Jess pushed through the swinging door. “Morning.”

“Morning, Jess.”

“How are things going?”

“Great. The cakes were thawed when I got here, and the buttercream frosting is coming to room temperature now, so we’re on schedule.”

“That’s music to my ears.” Jess started to gather cake decorating equipment and tools from around the kitchen and assemble them on the work table.

Kate reached for another cake. “I haven’t turned on the coffee machine yet because, oddly enough, I haven’t felt the need for caffeine.”

“Probably has to do with all the adrenaline pumping through your system right now.”

Kate laughed. “Probably so.”

Jess moved the boxes of fondant flowers from the counter to the work table. “Can you believe it’s time to decorate their wedding cake?”

“No. It seemed like this day would never come. Now that it’s finally here, it’s surreal. I mean, this is it.”

“This
is
it. Are you ready?”

Kate scanned the surface of the work table. It was barely visible for unwrapped cakes, bags of frosting, equipment, and boxes of decorations. A smile crept across her face. “Hell, yeah, I’m ready.”

* * * *

Pale yellow buttercream frosting flowed through Kate’s round decorating tip and onto the top tier of Cecilia and Eric’s wedding cake. She maintained even pressure on the pastry bag as she piped the intricate lacework. Once finished, she planned to accent the tier with beadwork and fondant flowers.

As she piped, realization suddenly struck.
Cecilia and Eric will celebrate their first wedding anniversary with this tier.

Kate forced the thought from her mind before she could process it any further.
Stay focused…or you’ll never be able to finish.

* * * *

Kate and Jess carefully lowered the largest tier into the last empty cake box. Jess closed the lid and wrote “1” on top of the box, then met Kate’s gaze. “We’re done!”

“We did it!” Kate laughed.

“Hard to believe it’s over, huh?”

“Yeah.” Kate glanced at the clock on the wall. “Eight-thirty. This day flew.”

Jess stretched her arms and neck. “I feel like dancing and sleeping at the same time.”

“I know what you mean.” Kate surveyed the kitchen.
What a mess.
“You want to wait and clean up in the morning?

“Yes.”

Before turning out the lights, Kate glanced at the nine boxes setting on the counters: eight holding the tiers of Cecilia and Eric’s wedding cake, and one holding the blue groom’s cake. “We did it,” she said again, triumphantly.

“We sure did.”

“We make a good team, you know that?”

“We sure do.”

They walked through the bakery and stepped outside, where it was as dark as it had been eighteen hours earlier when they’d entered.

Friday, June 1

Kate and Jess had almost finished cleaning up the previous day’s mess in the kitchen when Jess’s phone rang. She hurried to her purse and pulled it out. “Hey, Mark. Okay, I’ll be right there.” She turned to Kate. “Mark’s here. I’ll go let him in.”

While Jess went to open the front door of the bakery, Kate pulled the stopper from the sink so the dishwater could drain. She wrung out the rag and started wiping down the work table.

“Hey, Kate.”

She looked over at the kitchen door. “Morning, Mark.”

Jess came in behind him. “Mark, would you move the van from the front parking lot to the back?”

“Sure thing.”

Jess tossed him the keys. “Be sure to leave the air conditioning running when you get out. We need the van cool for the cakes.”

“You got it.”

She turned to Kate. “You need any more help cleaning up?”

“Nope, we’re done.”

“Great.” Jess opened the back door. “I’ll watch for Mark.”

Kate filled her thermos with coffee for the road. As she twisted on the lid, she heard the van approaching the back door. She followed Jess outside to join Mark—and sighed in exasperation. “It’s only eight-thirty in the morning, and it’s already humid.”

“Why does it matter if it’s humid?” Mark asked.

“Humidity could cause condensation to form on the cakes because they’re cool from being inside the bakery.”

Mark stared blankly at her.

“It could ruin the decorations.”

“Gotcha.”

Kate wiped beads of sweat from her forehead.
Hope our luck isn’t starting to change.

“The van will be cool shortly,” Mark told them. “Is there anything I can load in the meantime?”

“You can grab our suitcases,” Jess said. “They’re inside by the back door.”

“Okay.”

“Is the bakery set for the weekend?” Kate asked Jess.

“Yep. I flipped the sign on the front door to ‘Closed’ and changed the outgoing voicemail message to say we’re closed for the weekend and will reopen Monday morning at nine.”

“Great, thank you.”

“The bags are in, and the van is cool,” Mark announced.

“Let’s load the cake boxes,” Kate instructed. “If you guys will bring them out, I’ll get in the back of the van and position them.”

“You got it,” Jess replied.

“Don’t forget to bring out the groom’s cake last, since we’re going to the Wynnfield Inn first.”