Chapter 9
T he bell ringing above the door had me practically skidding out of the kitchen. For a Monday morning, it had been madness, but I wasn’t complaining. Every cent in that register was either getting pumped straight back into here or going into the savings I was building up to pay my parents back.
It was Gabe who stood in the doorway, his presence sucking all the oxygen out of the room. He had that whole ruthless billionaire vibe going on, with his expensive suit, dark hair perfectly styled, and gorgeous tan skin, that was for sure.
“Hey, stranger,” I said as I walked behind the counter.
“Hey, Jenny. You’re looking well.”
“Thank you.” I blushed, self-consciously brushing my palm over my apron. “As do you.”
“Ah, I see you went with my suggestion for the flowers.” He pointed to the arrangement he’d sent, still sitting in its original spot.
“Which are absolutely stunning by the way. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled and stuffed a hand in his pocket.
“As I said in my notes to you, I thought about you often while I’ve been gone. Hoping to stay on the East Coast though now for a while.”
I couldn’t even imagine my life being like that. Was it nice hopping from hotel to hotel? Country to country, or did he miss his home comforts? When I had been awarded a scholarship with a teaching chef in Verona, I’d been sucked in by the romance of it all, the culture and the weather, but I had stayed in the same place for the months I was there, and I missed home every day.
I’d talked with Scott most days and by then video chat was a thing. So, I’d gotten him through the academy while I’d been learning how to refine techniques, recipes, and twists on sweets like Sfogliatella and Panone.
But that felt like a lifetime ago now.
“Must be amazing seeing all those places, though, even if it was mostly for business,” I mused.
“It was, but also tiring and I’m glad we’re heading into a quieter period.”
“Ah, a well-deserved rest.” Noting that under all the swagger and confidence was just an overworked son of a gazillionaire.
“Yes.” There was a beat of silence until he cleared his throat and spoke again.
“Jenny, I was hoping to take you out for dinner sometime while I’m back.”
“Oh, um . . .”
The way he was staring at me so intently had my brain fritzing.
Did I want to go out with him? Would it be a date? If yes, did I want that?
He was devilishly handsome, and everything about him screamed confidence, and—the familiar sound of wailing sirens had my head snapping to the window as Ladder 177 rushed by.
Scott.
My heart sped up, almost matching the rate at which the truck had flown by.
“Think about it,” Gabe said, pulling my gaze from the window.
“I’m here right through to the end of March. I’ll definitely have a few short trips scheduled, but nothing like this past couple of months.”
“Right . . . Okay . . . Yeah. I’ll, um . . . I’ll let you know,” I said distractedly.
I was still stuck on the charging truck. My stomach rolled, and then I gave my brain a good ole shuffle.
What was wrong with me?
I shook my head for real. “I’m sorry, Gabe, it’s been a really busy morning and I’ve been on my own. Can I get you a drink, maybe something to eat?”
Something flashed across his face, but it was gone a fraction of a second later.
“Yeah, go on then. How about one of those savory muffins I like so much.”
I couldn’t help my grin. He enjoyed my zucchini, cheddar, and pancetta muffins made with almond flour and had one every time he visited. And I loved that he had a favorite.
“Okay, take a seat and I’ll just warm it up for you.”
“I’ll take a black coffee to go as well, please. I know you only stock the finest beans the world has to offer.”
He winked because I only stocked his brand of coffee, or well, his family’s coffee, and I felt myself blush again.
Oh, boy.
After a bit more small talk with Gabe, he shot off to a meeting and I wiped down the coffee machine and counter. And then, in the blink of an eye, it was lunchtime.
Today the line was out the door, and it made me feel so proud I was practically walking on air. A few of the regular spring bakes I’d cycled in were selling like literal hotcakes and my guess was people were ready for the season to change. I was right there with them. Fed up with the cold, grey, drizzly weather, today was no different.
The line moved fast thanks to most people paying with their phones and not ordering drinks that were too elaborate. Usually, Kate would be with me, but she’d been eager to sit in on a visiting professor’s lecture and I’d encouraged her not to miss it.
I was waving goodbye to a regular as they left the shop when I spotted a head of wild raven hair and a profile I’d know anywhere. With no one left standing in line to order, I made my way over to my old friend.
She was looking at a photo I’d hung of Scott and me, taken on Cupcake’s first day.
“I couldn’t have done any of this without him,” I told her.
She grinned that crazy grin of hers. “And I’ll bet you didn’t even have a say in the matter.”
“Nope,” I laughed, “just showed up the morning I got the keys, and then for the next month, he, any Madden he could round up, and four other guys from his firehouse, worked every spare moment they had.”
We both turned and embraced each other, holding on for dear life.
“It’s really good to see you, Wren,” I said, finally letting her go.
“I’m so proud of you.” She gave me another smile. This one was watery though.
“You did so good.”
“Thank you, and I’m so glad you’re here. Scott filled me in, and you are welcome to come over to my place anytime. I would say stay with me, but I only have a little one bed upstairs.”
“I appreciate the offer. I think I’m going to end up spending way too much time in here anyway. At least Scott has that exercise bike in his apartment I can hop on when I’ve indulged in all this yumminess.”
I laughed and guided her back over to the counter just as another customer walked in.
“Have a browse while I assist this customer,” I offered and walked over to serve the man standing at the cash register.
Anna, Casey’s wife, was the next to walk in, and I pointed to the only free table. It was over in the back, and she’d texted and asked me to reserve a table for her, which I was happy to do. I hoped I’d get to catch up with her as we hadn’t spoken since our time in Miami.
After putting together the order the guy just left with, I made my way over to the girls, this time with my order pad in hand.
“What can I get you girls to eat?”
After lots of fawning over my cute menus they each ordered. Wren opted for a steak, arugula, and provolone croissant sandwich and a coffee while Anna decided on a salmon and cream cheese bagel with extra capers and an herbal tea.
I grabbed the empty plates and mugs from the deserted table next to them and rushed over to the serving counter to fix their lunches. This was the part I loved the most. Knowing people were excited about my food.
It didn’t take long, and I made the drinks last so they’d be steaming hot.
They were mid-conversation when I returned, so I placed the tray down gently and set their plates in front of them. More cooing and thanks ensued, my heart nearly bursting when Wren’s eyes practically rolled into the back of her head as she took her first bite.
I left them to it then and after I’d cleared all the tables and was restocking the bottom of the glass case, the bell rang again. I looked up and gasped.
Oh, hell.
Two enormous blond gods walked in, decked out in leather jackets—definitely regulars and definitely troublemakers. My gaze swung to the girls and back again and I cringed the moment Knox laid eyes on Wren.
There was an almighty clatter and I about jumped out of my skin. If I hadn’t had two hands on the full-size cake I was loading onto the shelf, I’d have dropped the thing straight onto the floor.
“Troy,” Wren stuttered, and it felt like I could have cut through the air with a bread knife.
No one spoke.
Or moved, or even breathed, including me, until I couldn’t take the tension anymore.
“What can I get you, boys?” I asked with as big a smile as I could muster.
Wren looked as though she was about to pass out, and Anna seemed like she wished she was anywhere but here.
The boys crowded my doorway and I tried to coax them in a little further.
“This sweet tea cake is straight outta the mamas’ recipe book. Changed nothin’, it’s perfect as is,” I tried again and pointed to the cake that was now safely sitting proudly in the case.
This had to be the most awkward moment in the history of moments.
Troy eyed the cake, but when he saw Knox wasn’t gonna bite, he followed him back out without a word.
“Knox, can we please talk? Just for a minute?” Wren pleaded aloud, but both Madden boys ignored her completely and left a big dark cloud to engulf the three of us, staring after them.
Wren clumsily tried to right the chair that had fallen over, and I went over to them both.
“Well, that was . . .” I tried to find a word for what I’d just witnessed and came up empty.
“A fuckin’ disaster,” Wren croaked.
All Anna and I could do was nod.