6. Chapter 6
six
“Hey yo, boss.”
I jumped as Seth’s voice preceded him through the double doors to the kitchen.
His lanky form soon appeared through the swinging doors, complete with a dusty pink apron.
His curly black hair was pulled into a half-ponytail reminiscent of Corbin Bleu’s on an old Disney Channel movie I’d long since forgotten the name of.
He was handsome in a mischievous way, with a perpetual smirk amidst the stubble peppering his jaw and a sparkle in his eyes that hadn’t dimmed the entire day.
I rolled my eyes good-naturedly, smiling as I slid the last cookie sheet of prepped chocolate croissants into the speed rack. “I’m not actually your boss, Seth.”
He shrugged indifferently. “Meh. Grandma isn’t here, so you’re the boss.” He jabbed a finger over his shoulder toward the front of the bakery. “Anyway, some lawyer wants to talk to you.”
Lawyer? Why on earth—
Oh.
Oh , sweet spaghetti squash and walnuts .
Miller and Clark. The switched cupcakes. Oh, no, no, no.
My stomach pitched. They were going to sue after all. Gale leaves for one week and comes back to a lawsuit. I’d probably manage to burn the place down while I was at it, too. So much for “manning the ship.”
My blood drained from my face as I pasted on a smile. “Okay. Could you make sure this rack goes in the fridge?”
“Sure thing.” He shot me a friendly smile, adding in a wink.
Huh. I should probably feel something, right? Having an attractive man wink at me—one who didn’t have a vendetta against me. But I didn’t. Nothing at all compared to the way I’d nearly short-circuited when touching Max yesterday. Weird.
I pasted a smile in place as I forced one foot in front of the other through the double doors. It was ten minutes to close. I’d almost made it through the day without a major catastrophe.
Almost .
Sure enough, a hawk-like woman waited for me in front of the display case, dressed in a pinstriped power suit and carrying a bonafide briefcase like she was about to make a sketchy cash deal with a mafia boss.
She smiled as I approached, though the sharpness in her eyes didn’t diminish.
I’d hate to be the one opposing her in the courtroom. Or anywhere.
“You’re Gale Douglas? I’m Sabrina Clark from Miller and Clark Law Firm.”
Sweet jellybeans and mayonnaise . They sent one of the top dogs.
I returned the smile, my knees turning to Jello and my stomach bouncing on it. “I’m afraid she’s out of town. I’m Dekker Piper, interim bakery manager.”
That had a nice, legitimate-sounding ring to it, right?
“Oh, well perhaps you can still help me. We ordered some cupcakes from here for a retirement party yesterday. We ordered vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, but the cupcakes we picked up were different.”
“I’m so sorry about the mix-up,” I rushed out. “The cupcakes you were given were for another order. I’d be more than happy to refund the order and provide another dozen free of charge.”
Her smile widened. Hopefully that meant she’d take the offer? Or she was enjoying my floundering. “No, no, that won’t be necessary.”
My heart sank.
“I actually want to order more of the same for my sister’s bridal shower.”
I blinked. So she wasn’t suing? “Wait, what?”
“We loved the cupcakes. I don’t remember seeing whatever kind they were on the options when I ordered them, or else I would’ve chosen them to begin with.”
She loved the apple snickerdoodle cupcakes.
The ones that weren’t even on the menu for the bakery.
I didn’t know whether to be more relieved or panicked.
On the one hand, she loved them and wanted to order more.
On the other hand, we didn’t officially offer that flavor, since it wasn’t in Gale’s cookbook and repertoire.
But, we weren’t being sued, so I’d fill the order myself, even if it was hundreds of cupcakes.
“I’d love to fulfill that order for you.” And I would. I really, really would. “When would you like to order them for?”
We sorted out the details, and she even bought the last cupcake of the day, a chocolate-dipped strawberry one, from the display case on her way out.
“Yo, boss” —Seth stepped through the double doors, drying his hands on a paper towel— “I cleaned up back here and put tomorrow’s cupcakes in the fridge. You need anything else before I head out?”
A quick glance at the clock told me my friend Annie would be here any second to pick me up for the dress fittings and girls’ night. “Nope. Let me grab my things and I’ll walk out with you. I want you to see me lock up.”
“Good idea.”
While he put his apron away, I did a once-over of the front and back.
I checked the cash register’s till, the coffee bean supply and assortment of milks and creamers for tomorrow’s morning rush and wiped down the counter and espresso maker one more time.
In the back, all extra usable treats were boxed up and discounted for the clearance rack tomorrow, Seth had cleaned and mopped up, and all the prepped goods were in the walk-in.
Perfect. The scare with the lawyer aside, today had been a success. An exhausting, exhilarating success.
He watched me lock the back door, then led the way to the front. As I locked and bolted that door, Annie’s car pulled up.
She got out, standing by her open driver-side door.
Since the rain had eventually let up, the late afternoon sun caught her brown skin and black pixie cut, the sides shaved close with geometric patterns and the top curly and long.
Mirrored sunglasses covered her eyes, increasing her intimidation factor even more than her stoic features and leather jacket did.
She nodded towards Seth, propping her arms against the top of her car. “This guy bothering you, Dekker?”
Seth squinted at her before breaking into a grin. “Little Annie Gordon. What’s it been—twelve years?”
She froze, and I could picture her scrutinizing him from behind her glasses, the guy who dared call her little . Despite her hardcore look, she stood at about five-feet two-inches tall. But if anyone mentioned that, they soon learned to regret it.
Poor Seth. He had so much to live for.
And then the unthinkable happened: Annie grinned. It wasn’t a scary, “can’t wait to make him eat his words” grin, either, but a genuine, happy grin. “Seth Douglas? Is that you?”
Hold the phone. They not only knew each other, but she was happy to see him? What kind of alternate universe did I just enter? Her smiles were rarely given, even to her friends.
If her grin caught me off guard, my jaw literally dropped when she ran around the car and flew into his arms for a hug.
I was dreaming. I had to be. Annie never hugged anyone if she could help it.
Ever. I’d thought Lex wasn’t the touchy-feely type until I’d met Annie, in which case Lex changed from a cactus to a teddy bear.
They started talking a mile a minute, catching up on the major points of each other’s lives, so I decided to wait in the car.
Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to eavesdrop so hard . But after being on my feet all day, rolling out dough and icing cakes and pastries—overseeing all facets of My Batter Half—my body ached. Fiercely. The passenger seat of a Toyota corolla had never looked so inviting.
She joined me in the car minutes later, a smile still lighting her features. “Sorry about that. Which bridal shop are we going to again?”
I told her, then shifted in my seat to face her. “What was that all about? I had no idea you knew Gale’s grandson.”
She pulled into traffic, checking her blind spot over her shoulder. “We were best friends growing up until he moved away when we were twelve.”
No. Way.
“And now he’s back?”
She kept her head facing forward, but I still caught the smile pulling at her lips. “I guess so.”