Bon Appetit (32 page)

“For me?” she asked, surprised.

I nodded sheepishly. “A late Christmas gift”.

Patricia undid the gold ribbon and carefully lifted off the box lid. “Oh,
c’est très belle,”
she said, her voice softer than I’d heard it in quite some time.

“They are for your wedding cake,” I said. “I won’t be here to help make it, so I wanted to make these for you instead”.

Together we peered inside the satin-lined box, and I smiled as I remembered the hours I’d spent at night, designing delicate gold flowers, grey kissing doves, pearls, and other marzipan and royal icing delights that would last, in the cooler, for months. Of course, I’d used the decorating tools she’d given me.

“They are beautiful,” Patricia said. “I will place them with pride on my cake. But maybe,” she teased, “you should have made some for yourself?” A wicked grin crossed her face.

“Maybe I already have,” I teased back.

“
Touché,”
she said laughing with me. “You have learned well, my
protégée”.

My heart swelled at the compliment. I’d do my part to make Bijoux a success if for no other reason than to honor her.

As for next week? Next month?

Life was uncertain. I’d eat dessert first.