Sugar Rush (15 page)
She pulled out her phone and was about to ask Bernard for contact information, when the back door to the kitchen opened and her dad walked in.
“Evening, Dre.” He nodded at Lani’s assistant, then looked at Lani with a questioning lift of the eyebrows as he glanced beyond her to Bernard.
“Evening, Chief,” Dre said, never breaking focus on the task at hand.
Lani saw her father get the same little smile she got when Dre addressed her, and noticed he didn’t correct her on the title. He was the sheriff, not the police chief. Dre was originally from Boston, so the sheriff concept was something she apparently didn’t directly connect with. Or maybe she just looked at Lani’s dad and saw D.C. cop. Compared to the rest of the guys in the Sugarberry sheriff’s department, he clearly still was.
She also noticed her dad give Dre a second glance—a quick onceover that took in the Wonka apron, purple hair, pale skin, and fairy neck tat, all in under two seconds—then give his head the smallest of shakes as he continued on into the room.
Lani smiled to herself as she rounded the worktable and walked over to meet him. “What brings you over after hours? I hope you’re not angling for a handout. These are all for Alva’s ladies. You’ll have to crash the poker tournament later, confiscate them or something.”
“They almost look worth the hassle, but that’s not why I’m here.”
“Oh?”
“I’m here in an official capacity, to meet with your Mr. Dunne.”
“He’s not
my
anything.”
my
anything.”
“We got a request for a series of permits from his production crew. I need to go over some information before we can get them issued. Where is he?”
“Not here.”
Yet, apparently
.
Yet, apparently
.
“Chef Dunne is coming? Tonight?” Dre stopped her precision glazing to look over at the two of them. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I was just—”
“It’s okay, Dre. Hang around, you’ll get an introduction.”
Dre nodded and tried hard not to look as if she’d just won the lottery and double the presents on Christmas morning combined, but Lani couldn’t recall her assistant ever looking quite so ... twinkly. Or anything resembling twinkly. Lani should be amused. After all, Baxter could elicit the twinkly from the most hardened of hearts. Why it irked her, she had no idea. Other than wanting to explain to Dre that her twinkle-inducing Chef Hot Cakes was about to turn their lives into a three ring circus. “I’m becoming a crank. And it’s all his fault.”
“I beg your pardon?” her dad asked.
“What? Oh, nothing. I don’t know when he’ll show up. Mostly because I don’t know anything about the schedule. He hasn’t bothered to share that with me.”
Her father frowned and Lani immediately saw the stubborn glint in his eyes and could have kicked herself. She knew better than to speak her mind around her father, especially where Baxter was concerned.
“You want me to hold up the permits? Give you time to make all this go away? For that matter, you want me to make this all go away, because—”
“Dad, no. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you worry. I already agreed to all this and everyone on Sugarberry is excited. I’m just a little annoyed, that’s all.” She gave him a look. “No needless delays, okay? The sooner we start shooting, the faster we can be done.”
“How long is this going to last?”
“I really don’t know. We haven’t discussed—” She broke off when the back door opened yet again ... and Alva strolled in, all smiles.
Lani took a deep breath, trying to quash the latest little adrenaline spike, which occurred each time the back door opened.
“Look at all my lovely little cakes.” Alva beamed at the glossy rows of upside-down cupcakes. She glanced at Lani with a twinkle of her own, but it was of a decidedly different nature. She clasped her hands in front of her chest. “I’m feeling luckier by the moment.”
“I’ll have the rest of these boxed up in just a few minutes,” Dre told her.
“Not to worry. I’m early. I’ll help!”
Before Lani could intercede, Alva had spryly all but skipped over to the apron rack, whisked on her Little Pony getup, and was back by Dre’s side in a flash.
Lani just shook her head. “What have I done?”
“Beg pardon?” her dad asked again.
Lani looked away from the visually jarring Dre-Alva duo to her father. “Maybe you should go talk to Bernard over there. I think he’s in charge of lighting and equipment and whatever other setup is going to happen in here. He might be able to answer some of the questions you have about the permits.”
Her dad nodded, then glanced over at the two women currently boxing up molten cakes and once again shook his head slightly. He strolled over to where Bernard was taking some kind of test reading of ... something.
Lani started to follow him, wanting to find out just how much equipment they were moving into her kitchen, thinking it was already feeling more than a little crowded, when the back door opened yet again.
And, in walked ... “Charlotte?”
“Surprise!” She waved and stepped fully inside.
“
What?
” Lani scurried around the tables and met an also scurrying Charlotte in the middle of the crowded kitchen, each catching the other in a tight hug, that might also have included a little simultaneous jumping up and down. “How?” Lani asked, still thinking she had to be seeing things.
What?
” Lani scurried around the tables and met an also scurrying Charlotte in the middle of the crowded kitchen, each catching the other in a tight hug, that might also have included a little simultaneous jumping up and down. “How?” Lani asked, still thinking she had to be seeing things.
“Well, you did invite me. Multiple times.”
“I know, but how did you manage to get away? Your schedule was—”
“Kitchen fire.”
Lani leaned back and held Charlotte by the arms. “Oh no! Is everyone okay?”
Charlotte nodded. “Happened when we were closed, thank goodness. Everyone is fine, but it will be at least two weeks before we’re back up to speed, maybe longer if the health department doesn’t clear us.”
Lani glanced past Charlotte to the still open back door. “Did Franco—?”
“No. You know him, always has his hands in ten different projects in twice as many kitchens. He doesn’t leave the city.”
“Neither do you,” Lani said with a laugh.
“You need me. I’m here.” Charlotte looked around at the handful of others standing around them. “Although, you suddenly seem to have a lot of people.”
“I was just thinking the same thing. But you’re the best addition ever. Come on, I want to introduce you.” Lani slid her arm through Charlotte’s and squeezed it, still processing the fact that her closest friend and ally was really and truly there. “Are you staying the whole two weeks? Because you’ve got a room at my place, though I’m afraid you’re on your own for board. I never seem to get to the grocery. Of course, if you’re up for a bitch-and-bake night, then we can live on flour and buttercream.”
“We’ve made that work before.” Charlotte made a cursory nod toward the others, who were openly watching them. Except for Bernard, who was busy doing ... Bernard things. She lowered her voice and tilted her head toward Lani’s. “But I’m thinking you might be a bit busy for Bake Night.”
“We’re never too busy for Bake Night.”
Charlotte smiled. “This is true.”
“In fact, I have a feeling I’ll be needing a heavy therapy schedule.”
She sketched a short bow. “I’m here to serve. And bake.”
Lani squeezed her arm again. “I can’t believe you’re actually here.”
“Neither can I.” Char then turned her attention to everyone else and smiled, a bit like one would at the locals while still trying to decipher whether they were friendlies or not. “Hello. I’m Charlotte Bhandari. I went to culinary school with Leilani.”
Lani finally snapped out of glee mode and stepped into the middle of everyone. “Charlotte is one of the premiere pastry chefs in New York City. She’s executive pastry chef for the Mondrake. Charlotte, this is Dre, my new assistant. And Alva—”
“Her senior assistant,” Alva said, with a kindly smile, but a gleaming twinkle that Lani noted she should probably pay attention to more often.
“And you’ve met my dad,” Lani added, as her father left Bernard doing his thing and came over to where they all stood.
“It’s good to see you again, Charlotte. It’s been far too long.”
It had been since Lani’s mother’s funeral, to be exact, but of course, neither of them mentioned that.
“Agreed,” she said. “Lani tells me you’re doing well. I’m very happy to hear that, Mr. Trusdale. Excuse me, Sheriff Trusdale.”
“Leyland is fine.”
“Only if I want my mother giving me the evil eye,” Charlotte replied, with a smile. “And trust me, none of us want that.”
Lani’s father smiled and nodded. “So noted.” He turned to his daughter. “You have your hands full here, and I think I have the preliminaries of what I needed from Bernie there, so I’ll be heading out. Tell Mr. Dunne I’ll need to speak to him or Rosemary at some point.”
Lani frowned. “Rosemary?”
“His producer,” Charlotte and Lani’s father answered at the same time.
“I spoke with her earlier,” he said.
“I only know because one of my co-workers is dating her assistant.”
Brenton
Charlotte mouthed in an aside to Lani.
Brenton
Charlotte mouthed in an aside to Lani.
“Right.” Lani smiled brightly at her father and spoke before any follow-up questions could be asked. “Okay, so no worries. I’ll pass the word.”
“Pleasure to see you again, Sheriff,” Charlotte said, neatly ending any further discussion and earning an arm squeeze of thanks from Lani.
He nodded, but didn’t waste time exiting the room. “I’ll lock up the front again, no need to follow me out,” he called as the kitchen door swung shut behind him.
“Is Brenton here?” Lani asked Charlotte.
She shook her head. “Franco would have packed himself in my luggage to get down here if that were the case.”
“Oh, sure, sure. He’d leave New York for a
man
, but not for me.”
man
, but not for me.”
“Duh.” Which, from Charlotte, had them both laughing. “Brenton is on postproduction of the season starting to air this week, so he’s still in the city. Franco promised to give us an immediate heads-up if he hears anything we should know.”
“We’re all done here,” Dre said, pulling Lani’s attention back to the more immediate project of the moment.
She turned to find that Alva and Dre were sealing up the final box of molten cakes.
Charlotte stepped over to the table and examined them more closely, but without picking one up. “They look sinful.” She glanced at Lani. “Will you share?”
“Do you play poker?” Alva asked her.
Charlotte smiled. “I’m afraid not. But if you have a mahjongg team, I’m your girl.”
Alva’s smile turned decidedly more speculative. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Dre, can you help Alva get the boxes out to her car?”
“Sure thing.” Dre glanced between Lani and Charlotte. “Should I take off then?”
“Uh ...” Lani looked at Charlotte, then over to Bernard. “I’m not really sure what all is going to happen next in terms of setting up for filming, but I know I’m definitely going to need you. Can you e-mail me your class schedule for the next two weeks? Then I’ll send you dates and times I’d really like your help and we’ll hammer it out from there. Sound good?”
“That works.”
“And I promise you’ll get the introduction.”
Dre’s smile was usually more of a sardonic quirk of the lips, but she actually flashed teeth. “That works, too.” She had an actual spring in her step as she went to help Alva.
Charlotte leaned in to Lani. “Hot Cakes crush?” she murmured under her breath.
“Oh yeah,” Lani murmured back.
“Happens to the best of them.” Charlotte sighed, then added a sideways glance at Lani and a sly smile.
“And to think I offered you a bed.”
“I know,” Charlotte said, entirely unrepentant. “Good thing for me I make a most excellent bake therapist. And I don’t charge extra for after-hours calls. I even bring my own chocolate.”
“You didn’t.”
“Oh, I believe I did.”
“From Frustat’s? On Seventh?”
Charlotte nodded.
Lani hugged her again. She might have squealed a little. Alva popped her head back inside. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Charlotte. Lani May, you and your friend are welcome to drop in anytime over at Laura Jo’s tonight.” Her smile took on a decided twinkle. “Feel free to bring any other pastry chefs you might know along as well.”
“Thank you, Alva. I think I’m going to be tied up here a good part of tonight, but I appreciate the invite. You’ll have to let me know how the cupcakes go over.”
“Oh, you’ll hear all about it,” she assured them. “It’s going to be the lead in my first column.”
Lani’s eyes widened. “You finally won Dwight over?” Then they narrowed. “Wait, you didn’t tell him you had an exclusive with Baxter did you? Because you know I can’t promise—”
Other books
The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne Duprau
Demon's Fall by Lee, Karalynn
The Art of Floating by Kristin Bair O’Keeffe
Whatever Remains by Lauren Gilley
Los cañones de Navarone by Alistair MacLean
Voodoo Moon by Gorman, Ed
Far From You by Lisa Schroeder
Better Off Wed by Laura Durham
o_471610886c1f5dda by Unknown
The Dead Don't Speak by Kendall Bailey
