Sweet Little Lies

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

“Good morning, Reese,” says the man standing before me, his Southern drawl as smooth as butter.

“Zach,” I reply, my heart doing a tap dance in my chest. “What are you doing here? I thought we agreed not to meet at the shop?”

Zach is my main point of contact for the museum gala reception.

He’s also my ex-boyfriend.

While my fiancé is all exotic charm and mystery, Zach is the quintessential Southern gentleman. His soft brown hair, sun-kissed in the summer, perfectly complements his baby-blue eyes and clean-shaven face. He’s the kind of guy who wears pale blue seersucker jackets and fitted jeans with leather loafers, making all the Southern belles swoon. And yes, I’ll admit, there was a time when I fell for his charms too. Hard.

But that was before I met Tucker.

“I thought we could grab a coffee and discuss the upcoming event this Saturday,” he says, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. He knows we’re not supposed to meet at the shop. Tucker frequently drops in to check on me and if he found Zach here, he’d be furious. Not that he has anything to worry about. But some men tend to be more territorial and Tucker just happens to be one of those.

I shake my head dramatically, a strand of my unruly red hair breaking loose.

“Oh, you mean my wedding?”

“Come on, Reese.” Zach rolls his eyes. “The gala?”

It’s ironic, given that a gala is exactly how Zach and I met. I was there, showcasing my desserts, when he sauntered over and struck up a conversation. We quickly discovered that we had more in common than just a sweet tooth—we both loved the arts. We were hot and heavy for all of six months, before Tucker walked into my shop and changed everything.

I purse my lips. “I have a wedding as well. And you know it. Which is why I told you not to drop by here.”

“I’m well aware,” he says, his shoulders falling slightly.

I feel a tightness seize my chest. It’s still there, the guilt. The way I broke up with Zach, well, it wasn’t exactly fair. There were a couple of weeks where I was seeing both him and Tucker, torn between the two of them. But in the end, Tucker was the one I knew I’d marry.

I broke up with Zach right after he caught Tucker and me having dinner together. He’s never quite recovered from the blow.

“Now, what did you want to discuss?” I ask.

“The macarons. I had some ideas for how to incorporate the colors with the rest of the artwork on display.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. Bernie and I were supposed to start on those macarons first thing tomorrow morning. I guess I have no choice but to meet with Zach now, otherwise it will throw off our entire schedule.

“What kind of ideas?”

“Well, Mrs. Carrington has donated a rare natural black pearl necklace that’s worth a small fortune. We’ll be auctioning it off during the event. I’d like to give it more attention by creating some coordinating desserts that match the color.”

“A black pearl?”

He shakes his head slightly. “It’s not actually black. Listen, how about we head to Marla’s for coffee. I have some photos I want to show you.”

I look into Zach’s blue eyes, taking in his earnest expression. I truly have no idea what a natural black pearl looks like, so he’s got me there. But let’s be honest, this isn’t just about the macarons. The wedding is just a few days away, and Zach has been popping in more frequently these last few weeks. His words from our last conversation echo in my mind.

“Reese, I know it’s not my place, but I can’t watch you make this mistake without saying something,” he had said, his voice filled with concern. “Tucker isn’t right for you. Remember how you told me he stood you up last week because he got called off to Tokyo? He’s always putting his business before you. Is that really the kind of man you want to spend the rest of your life with?”

His doubts had struck a chord within me, and now, as I stand before him, I can’t help but second-guess my decision. What if Zach is right? What if Tucker isn’t the one?

I shake my head. It’s too late for doubts now, especially with so much left to do for the wedding preparations. I can’t let Zach’s words sway me, not when I’ve already committed to Tucker.

Either way, we have a gala to prepare for. And apparently some black pearl necklace needs to get its due attention. “Fine. Give me a few minutes.”

I flag down Bernie and tell her I’ll be stepping out for a bit. I grab my purse and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My pale, freckled skin is clear, but my blue eyes look dull. With a quick motion, I pluck a stray strand of red hair and attempt to smooth it into place. I let out a sigh. Let’s face it, I look every bit the part of a stressed-out bride-to-be.

As Zach pulls open the front door for me, I feel a small tug of guilt. I probably shouldn’t be having coffee with my ex, given our history. But Zach came to me with an offer I couldn’t refuse—a chance to cater the desserts for a swanky cocktail reception at the Charleston Museum. It is a dream come true for Couture Cakes. The exposure alone will be worth it.

The event is the museum’s annual “Art of Giving” gala, a glittering affair that brings together the city’s most influential philanthropists and art enthusiasts for an evening of charity and culture. The highlight of the night is always the grand auction, where one-of-a-kind pieces are sold to the highest bidder, with all proceeds going to support the museum’s outreach programs for underprivileged children.

This year’s theme is Under the Sea, and the event organizers have spared no expense to wow donors and guests. Apparently there will even be a live mermaid swimming in a giant tank in the center of the room. I rolled my eyes when Zach told me.

Only in the South.

Aside from the over-the-top presentation, it is for a fabulous cause, and it’s a great way for Couture Cakes to make an impact in the community. So, when Zach approached me about being a part of the gala, I jumped at the chance.

I threw myself into the preparations, pouring all of my creativity and expertise into crafting a menu that would fit in with the over-the-top theme. I spent weeks experimenting with flavors and textures, dreaming up miniature works of food art. There are dainty shell-shaped tartlets topped with delicate sprigs of candied red coral, dark chocolate truffles infused with bourbon, and airy macarons in a rainbow of under-the-sea tones.

But the real showstopper is the centerpiece I designed especially for the event—a towering croquembouche accented with candied pearls and shimmering coral. It’s a French pastry I saw at a food expo in Charleston once, and I’ve been dying to make one ever since. The one I’ve created is made up of dozens of delicate cream puffs, all painstakingly wrapped in caramel and stacked into a gravity-defying cone. While it isn’t enough of a spectacle to compete with a live mermaid, it should be enough to wow the guests.

The only problem? Tucker would blow a gasket if he found out I was working with Zach. So, I may have excluded that little detail when I told him about the gala. I mentioned that Couture Cakes was catering, but I conveniently left out the fact that Zach was my primary contact for the event. A little detail that may well get me into trouble.