39. 39
C ourtney wraps the last tray of un-iced cookies and other various desserts while I put the finishing touches on the five-tier cake. During one of our concept meetings, Ryan Jade had brought in photographs of her parents’ wedding. Her mother’s dress was encrusted in pearls, a family heirloom that was created by all the women in her family.
The champagne cake is filled with a pale pink strawberry buttercream, mixed with chunks of strawberries. It's covered in more buttercream with edible pearls spilling down the five tiers in a wave. Between the tiers are the same types of flowers that had been in the bridal bouquet.
It is one of the most beautiful cakes I have ever made.
I finish placing the last pearl, standing on my step stool.
My hand has been steady the entire time I’ve decorated this cake. Normally, the pressure makes me a little shaky, but ever since Parker and I talked, I have had a calmness inside. Climbing down my step stool, I stand back and just look at the cake for a moment, my eyes getting a little misty at the amazing work.
To say Courtney and I have been busy with all the baking is an understatement. The cupcakes were three different flavors for people who don’t like strawberry. The designs on top were relatively simple for Courtney to do while Mom was completely focused on the ovens and swapping all the treats from waiting to be cooked to the cool down process while I worked on the cake. Dad and Liam handled the rest of the bakery like pros.
My phone vibrates and I smile at Parker’s name on my screen.
Parker: Send me pictures of the cake! I’m sure it looks amazing. Good luck today even though I know you don’t need it.
I send him a quick picture as Dom comes barreling into the back of the kitchen, grabbing the extra cupcake from the designated location. I always make sure to put one cupcake to the side for him any time he helps me, the flavor different every time.
“Wow, that’s awesome,” Dom exclaims, awe in his voice.
“Thanks. Delivery van all gassed up?” I ask, as I walk around the cake, making sure nothing else needs to be done.
“It’s ready to go. Do you want to start loading up?”
“You’re not coming,” I say, looking at him. Lord knows I don’t need him hitting on Ryan Jade. “I just need your muscles here. There will be people we can get to help at the venue.”
He rolls his eyes at me as he shoves the last bite of cupcake in his mouth, cheeks bulging, and gives me a double fingered salute, which I return .
“Don’t flip your brother off, Anastasia,” Mom says, catching me. “And you let him help you.”
Dom slaps a hand over his mouth to make sure he doesn’t spit out his cupcake while he laughs at me getting scolded.
“Fine!” I say, throwing my hands up in the air, conceding to her wishes. “But if you’re coming, then you’re going to be useful and we are going to use your SUV to carry the supplies so Courtney can sit in the back with the cake.”
Courtney snickers at our antics as she double checks the list of supplies to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Having Courtney this week has been a blessing of the century. Once she stopped freaking out that Ryan Jade is our client, that is. Other than showing her my recipes and a single example of each design I was envisioning, she completely took over any task I gave her with minimal oversight, her knowledge as an at home baker, paying off in spades.
Everyone starts helping to load up Dom’s SUV with boxes and bags. When it’s time, we prepare to move the cake. Dom moves the van to the double doors in the back, throwing both open so we have plenty of room.
Dom steps to one side of the cake, me on the other, and Courtney on the back while Mom sits in the front seat of the van looking back to direct us.
“Ready?” I ask. They both nod, their faces set. “One, two, three.”
We all lift the cake at the same time and take measured, steady steps.
“A little to the left,” Mom says and we adjust. “Straight on. Straight on. And down.”
The cake slides into the truck with not a single wiggle, the dowels I added for structural integrity holding up well. Courtney climbs through the side door on the back of the van to sit by the cake in case she needs to steady it. Mom gets out, hugging me as I go to get in the front of the truck.
“I’m proud of you, sweetie.”
“Thanks, Mommy.”
Dom pulls out of the parking lot first, and I move slowly behind him.
“Are you going to fire me if I tell you I might have eaten a cookie?” Courtney says from the back.
Her question pulls a surprised laugh out of me. “No, I always account for a few extra in case of breakage.”
“That’s good because today was fun and I don’t want to get fired after only a week.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it.” I go the speed limit the entire way to the planetarium Ryan has booked for the party.
“The drop off is always the worst part of the entire process as far as I’m concerned. It’s so awkward. I hate standing there waiting for them to decide if they like my work or not and to pay me. And the small talk?” I watch Courtney shiver in the rear-view mirror.
“If you want, once we get the cake loaded on the cart, Dom and I can take care of it.”
“And miss the possibility of Dom making an ass out of himself in front of Ryan Jade? Absolutely not. Is she as pretty in person as she is in pictures?”
I take a gentle left, getting honked at in the process. I don’t mind, though. There’s no way I’m going to drive with the pedal to the metal .
“She’s even more stunning in person,” I tell her as I turn into the planetarium’s driveway, following the directions the event coordinator sent me via email earlier in the week.
Dom and I park, and a woman in a black pantsuit and white button-down meets us immediately.
“Right on time. Do you need a cart or anything?” she says, the second my door is open.
“Yes, please. My associate has a lot of boxes and other items,” I say, pointing over at Dom.
While the woman scurries away to procure a cart for Dom, Courtney pulls out the one that’s folded in the side of the van and expands it.
“Dom, can you come help me with the cake?” I call, locking the wheels of the cart. My brother comes over without a word, getting on one side while I take the other. “One, two, three.”
We move the cake onto the cart, Courtney standing at the ready to steady anything. The woman arrives with another cart, moving it to Dom’s car.
“Court, would you mind unloading the other car while Dom and I take in the cake?”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” she says with a salute.
“Right this way,” the woman says, leading us through the delivery door.
We make our way through a few hallways until we come to the sweeping space. People bustle around getting everything ready. I’ve never been in the planetarium without a show happening. With the lights on, it feels mundane compared to the magic of watching a meteor storm above you .
“Kind of drab when the lights are on, huh?” Dom says, looking around.
“Hush,” I whisper, afraid someone overheard him. “And, yeah. But it’ll be gorgeous when they turn on the sky. I’ve seen pictures of other receptions here and it’s stunning.”
Courtney catches up to us, the wheel on her cart squeaking. As I open my mouth to give her instructions, a voice with a soft southern twang rings out.
“Oh my God ! Anastasia, that cake is the best thing I’ve ever seen!” Ryan says, scurrying across the floor. Even in the matching athletic set she’s wearing and no makeup, she’s one of the most stunning women I’ve ever seen. I look over at Dom and he’s staring like he’s trying to read a defense.
“You’re drooling,” I say before turning to Ryan as she reaches us.
Her arms are around me and she’s pressing a kiss to each cheek.
“I knew Lorelei wouldn’t steer me wrong with you.”
“Thank you. You’re so kind.” Dom clears his throat and it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes. “This is Courtney, my other baker,” I say, and Ryan gives her a polite smile. “And this is my brother Dominic,” I tell her and he steps forward.
“Miss Jade, I went to your concert all three nights last year. Your shows are some of the best concerts I’ve been to in my entire life.” I look at him, confused by his awestruck tone. He’s met plenty of stars during his time as a professional football player, and he has never sounded like that when meeting someone.
She reaches her hand out to him, which he takes, but instead of shaking it, he holds it. She looks at him, a blush staining her cheeks.
“Next time, you’ll have to come backstage. I could give you a tour,” she says .
“It would be my honor,” he tells her.
The silence becomes awkward for me as they continue to stare at each other.
“Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt whatever this is, but we need to get the desserts all set up.” I take a look at my watch and time has flown. It’s getting closer and closer to when I need to get home and change for tonight’s event.
Where Parker will be waiting for me. And my answer.
I love him.
The caring, compassionate man I’ve seen from the very beginning. Even with no cameras, no need to pretend. No reason to lay his soul bare at my feet. And yet he did.
He’s given me everything I needed to know the man I started falling for at House of Desire was real.
That the man I love is real and mine. My heart bursts with the knowledge. I’m all but climbing out of my skin with impatience to get to him.
“Um, yes,” Ryan says, clearing her throat, dropping my brother’s hand. “Let me go get your payment while you get set up. I’ll be back in a minute.” The last statement is more directed to Dom than me, and I try to hide my smile as she walks away.
“I’m gonna marry that woman,” Dom says, reverent as Courtney snorts a laugh, pushing her cart up beside us.
“Maybe next time don’t act like a worshiping fan right off the bat,” she says, popping a brownie bite in her mouth.
“Stop eating things!” I say.
“Quality control,” she says, eating another.
“Do you think she’ll go on a date with me?” Dom says, straightening his shirt .
“I don’t have time for your delusions. Can we get set up please?” I ask.
We begin moving everything around, decorating the table with all the creations Courtney and I worked so hard on. By the time I was putting the last cupcake on the table, Ryan was making her way back toward us.
“Sorry about that,” Ryan says as she hurries back over.
“That’s okay. How does it look?” I say, stepping back from the table and admiring the best display I’ve ever made.
“Perfect,” she says, clapping her hands and squealing. “I have to get back to it. Here’s your check.” She thrusts the slip of paper into my hand. “You can expect to be very busy in the new future. Dominic, here’s my card for that tour. Or anything else.” She hands him a plain black card, and I think my brother is about to pass out on the floor in front of me, despite looking collected.
“I’ll call you,” he says, giving her a wink.
My mouth almost drops open at his suave flirting, but I don’t want to embarrass him. Once she’s gone, I turn toward him, smacking his arm.
“You better not fuck this up or I will kill you. And her fans will hate you.”
“I have no intention of fucking it up. Don’t you have some event to get to?”
I look at my watch and my heart rate picks up. “Shit! I’m going to be late.”
“No, you won’t. I’ll take Courtney with me and she can clean up the kitchen,” he says, knowing I’ll never be able to relax if my bakery is in disarray.
“Hold on, now,” Courtney says .
“Parker’s waiting for her,” Dom says, sharing a look with her and she smiles.
“I’ll clean up,” she promises. “For a fee.”
“You got it,” I say, grabbing Dom’s keys from his hand and run for the car.