Chapter 35
A Grand Re-Opening
SOPHIE
The morning of the bakery’s grand re-opening is cloudy and cool, a welcome relief from the oppressive heat of the past few days.
I’ve been baking since two, so nervous I couldn’t sleep more than a few hours.
I hear the purr of Teddy’s old Caddy pulling into the driveway and fling open the back door to greet him.
“You look as luscious as a vanilla-custard half puff pastry,” growls Teddy, giving my ear a playful nip. “Or is it a full puff pastry?” Shrugging, he plants kisses all along my jawline. “You look scrumptious either way.”
I flutter my hands and sigh dramatically. “Be still my beating heart! All this talk of sweetmeats has me swooning.”
Teddy pulls off my headwrap, entangling his hands in my hair. “If you really want to swoon darling, allow me…” he whispers.
“Teddy… er…” I start to say, but then he claims my lips, and I’m lost.
My fiancé’s kisses turn my knees to three-berry jelly; I have cling to his neck to keep from toppling over onto my kitchen floor. When he eventually stops kissing me senseless, his sensitive nose is raised in the air. “Do you smell something burning?”
“Oh no!” I yelp. “My cookie bars!” I pull open the oven door just as the smoke detector starts blaring.
Two full pans of my glorious Riddler’s Magic Bars are scorched beyond saving.
I should be upset about two hours of ruined work, especially since I have no kitchen magic thanks to my clipped wings, but after my sad and lonely grand opening two weeks ago, I’m not going to let a few burned cookies get me down.
“I’m sorry, Sophie,” says Teddy after he silences the smoke detector. “I guess I’m not very good for your productivity.”
I give him a wry smile. “How about a new rule: no more kissing when there’s something in the oven. Deal?”
He grins. “Deal.”
When the doors open at seven, Teddy and I are wearing black aprons with Rhyme ’N Riddle stitched in green across the breast pocket.
I snap photos of my gallant werewolf as he helps customers, his brilliant smile earning grins from even the crankiest faeries.
The pink scar above Teddy’s eye gives him a slightly rakish look; when Doc Demetrius suggested plastic surgery, I shook my head and told Teddy I loved his pirate-captain good looks, which earned a shy smile in Doc’s office and heart-stopping kisses later.
I think every single person I know in Riddle Hill—which is almost everyone—comes through our doors at some point to offer congratulations and make a purchase.
Five customers placed special orders for birthday cakes and even one wedding cake, which is pretty exciting.
In a weird way, Rafe’s vandalism actually helped drum up extra support for our shop.
And word has spread about the handsome werewolf who’s part owner of the bakery; a lot of the ladies have come to flirt with Teddy.
What’s that old expression? Something about learning to grin and bear it?
I haven’t mastered that trick yet, especially around flighty young faeries who have no compunction about fluttering their eyelashes at my fiancé.
Sometimes Teddy has to wrap an arm around my waist to keep me from growling at them.
After her shift, Cassia stops in with Olivia, who rushes over to Teddy. “Hi, Mr. Uncle Teddy,” she says brightly.
“There’s no need to call me Mister,” Teddy chuckles, “since I’m joining your family.” He nods at the desserts on display. “You can have anything you’d like, so long as your mom says it’s okay.”
Olivia hops around and cries, “Anything?”
“One of anything,” clarifies Cassia.
Olivia wanders over to the glass case to examine the selection, pacing back and forth to make sure she doesn’t miss a single option. Finally, she points at a giant oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookie.
“Let’s ask Uncle Teddy to wrap it up,” says Cassia. “You can have that cookie after dinner.”
“Okay, Mommy.” Olivia skips to the window to watch the cars go by on Main Street.
“Are you really sure you want a December wedding at Mooncrest Inn?” asks Cassia, who’s both my maid of honor and my wedding planner.
My face falls; I’ve always dreamt of getting married during my favorite time of the year.
I know I’ll be super busy with the bakery in December (at least I hope so), but there’s something about the crisp winter air, crunch of snow underfoot, and extra holiday cheer that makes my heart sing.
And I adore Mooncrest Inn, the only five-star resort for supernaturals in Wisconsin; it’s my first choice for a wedding venue, and my second, and my third.
“I guess Mooncrest Inn books up pretty far in advance.”
“I’m fine with anything so long as it’s this year!” exclaims Teddy, planting a kiss on my headwrap. “The day after tomorrow works for me.”
I give his muscular bicep a playful slap. “That’s not romantic.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” Teddy growls low in my ear. “I’ll make sure it’s very romantic.”
I suppress a giggle. “I’m serious, Teddy. I really want to be married at Mooncrest Inn, and I adore the Christmas season. But I suppose we could do it in November, if there’s availability.”
“Well, I just want to be sure you’re still interested in December,” says Cassia, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. “Because there was a cancelation at Mooncrest Inn in December!”
“That’s amazing!” I squeal, waiting for Cassia to tell me the date I’ll become Mrs. Leslie Theodore Barker.
She pauses for dramatic effect. “How does December 22nd sound?”
“It sounds perfect!” Teddy and I say together, and then I’m flinging my arms around his neck, and he’s lifting me off my feet. Cassia chuckles at our antics as Olivia jumps up and down, clapping her hands.
I might have clipped wings, a new business to launch, and nagging worries about villainous Rafe, but I doubt you could find a happier kitchen faerie anywhere.