Chapter 17
Liam
Iwalk to the bakery next to the gym and hold the door open for her. When we walk up to the counter, we’re greeted by a woman in her forties with a friendly smile.
“Can I help you, darlins’?”
“Barbara called me this morning about an issue with an order we placed. My name’s Kendall.”
“Oh, hello! That was me.” She explains that her main baker recently quit, so they don’t have carrot cake as an option anymore since that cake flavor was his specialty.
“Oh, really? That’s too bad,” Kendall says.
“I am so sorry about the inconvenience. And I’m so sorry to make y’all come down here, but I wanted to apologize in person and offer you a free cake tasting so you can pick a new cake flavor for your rehearsal dinner.” She beams at Kendall and me. “Goodness, y’all are a gorgeous couple.”
“Oh…” Kendall chuckles. “Actually, um, we’re not—”
I slide my arm around Kendall’s waist, pulling her against me. “We’re not the biggest fans of carrot cake anyway,” I say.
Barbara chuckles. “Oh gosh, are you serious?”
I laugh. “Yeah. I guess this worked out well for us.”
I chuckle along with Barbara. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Kendall looking up at me, clearly confused.
Barbara tells us to sit down at one of the tables while she gets the cake samples ready. When she disappears into the back of the bakery, I glance down at Kendall.
“Liam, what are you doing? We’re not a couple,” she whispers.
“I know. But today is my cheat day. I went extra hard on the cardio, and I want some cake.”
She rolls her eyes. “You didn’t have to lie to get cake. You could have just bought some to sample.”
I shake my head. “Everyone knows that wedding cake is the best kind of cake. I’m not above pretending to be engaged so that we can get the good stuff for free.”
“This isn’t even a wedding cake. It’s rehearsal dinner cake.”
I shrug. “Same thing.”
She makes an annoyed sound, then looks down at my arm wrapped around her.
She looks up at me and raises an eyebrow. “Do you really have to put your arm around me?”
“We have to sell ourselves as a couple, firecracker.”
She rolls her eyes, but the corner of her mouth quirks up in a smile. We sit down at one of the tables. A minute later, Barbara comes out with a massive sheet tray and a dozen slices of cake.
She sets it on the table and clasps her hands together. “I put together our very best samples for you darlins’.”
“This looks amazing, Barbara. Thank you,” I say.
I grab a fork and hand it to Kendall. “Why don’t you take the first bite, baby?”
Kendall’s lips purse in annoyance when I call her “baby.” I try not to laugh.
She flashes a tight smile. “Thanks, baby.”
Her voice is sharp as she delivers that pet name right back to me. I start to chuckle, but cough to cover it up. She stabs her fork into a slice of almond vanilla cake.
Barbara makes an “aww” sound. She steps away to fill a napkin dispenser by the register. “You know, my husband always insists I have the first bite too whenever we share dessert.”
I grin at her. “Really?”
“Yes. He’s romantic like that.”
“I like to think I am too.” I turn back to Kendall. She glares at me. I take a bite of almond cake. “Wow. Barbara, this almond cake is amazing.”
Kendall nods and takes another bite. “It really is.”
“Thank you! It was my meemaw’s recipe.”
We sample bites of the other flavors.
“Which one do you like best?” I ask Kendall.
“Definitely the almond,” she says.
“Same.” Out of all the flavors, we’ve eaten the most of that slice. I slide the plate to her side of the table. “You can finish it.”
Barbara rests a hand on her chest and smiles. She pats my shoulder and looks at Kendall. “A generous man is hard to find.”
I look up at Barbara. “So true. I’m a rarity.”
She chuckles. Kendall rolls her eyes while shaking her head. She tosses a knowing look my way. A look that says, “You’re going to pay for this later.”
Excitement flares up inside of me. I can’t wait.
A customer walks in, and Barbara walks to the front of the bakery to help them.
Kendall raises an eyebrow at me. “Aren’t you quite the catch.”
“I really am.” I finish the slice of lemon creme cake, then take a bit of strawberry cake.
Kendall snorts out a laugh. “God, you are obnoxious.”
“Yeah. But I’m generous too.”
“Just because you gave me the last slice of the best cake flavor doesn’t make you a saint.”
I watch as her candy-pink tongue darts along the corner of her mouth, licking at a smear of frosting. My pulse kicks up.
“I never said I was a saint. But I like to think I’m a giving guy. I let Aidan win sometimes when he plays one-on-one hockey with me.”
Kendall laughs. “Oh my god. So generous.”
“Right?” I grin.
“It’s okay. I know this is all an act for free cake.”
I hold her gaze. “Promise it’s not.”
The corner of her mouth kicks up. “So what other generous things do you do? Give away cars to random people like Oprah?”
I laugh and wipe my mouth with a napkin. “I mean it more in a romantic way.”
I don’t miss the flash of intrigue in Kendall’s eyes. “What are you saying? You’re the kind of boyfriend who showers his lady in lavish gifts?”
“Yeah, if that’s what she wants.” I pause. “But I like being generous in other ways too.”
I hold her gaze. My pulse kicks up even higher as I wait to see if she gets what I mean.
Her eyes widen the slightest bit as she looks at me. Her plush lips part, and she makes the softest gasping noise. And then she sinks her teeth into her bottom lip.
She knows exactly what I mean.