Page 54 of Love your Billionaire Boss

“Thank you.”

“Is this new?” Elle ran her hand down the sleeve of Cleo’s pink chef coat.

“Mhmm.

“I love it! You look like the real deal, Cleo. I can’t wait to see all those professional athletes and fancy housewives try your desserts. This is the break you’ve been waiting for.”

“I know. I can’t believe it.”

“Well, let’s get packing.”

They spent the next twenty minutes packing the desserts into Cleo’s small hatchback. It was like putting together a puzzle, trying to figure out how to stack the boxes so everything would fit. They had to be careful not to crush anything inside. Finally, they got everything in the car and Cleo held her breath as she shut the trunk door.

She climbed into the driver’s seat and Elle slid into the passenger seat, which was pushed up close to the dash to make room for everything. Cleo laughed at her friend, who tried to pass off being comfortable.

“Thank you,” she said, patting Elle’s hand. “I couldn’t do this without you.”

“You could, but I’m happy to help,” said Elle reassuringly.

Cleo put the car into drive and pulled out of the garage. She drove slower than usual as to not cause the desserts to slide around. Even though she had packed everything with extra care, it was better to be safe than sorry. After a forty-minute drive and a few honks from impatient drivers, she pulled up to the house.

Mansion, to be more accurate. It was a large, brick, two story with tall, white columns and white shuttered windows. There were deep green vines climbing toward the roof, which housed not one, but two chimneys. She and Elle gaped up at the house as they climbed out of the car, which looked very out of place.

“Whose place is this?” asked Elle curiously.

“I have no idea.”

Just then the front door opened and Nico walked out. Spotting the girls, he gave a little wave before walking over.

“Cleo! You made it.” He gave her a quick hug.

“Yes. This is my friend, er, assistant, Elle.”

Nico shook Elle’s hand and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too. This place is beautiful,” said Elle, waving toward the house.

“Right? Thankfully, one of the bigwigs had a house we could use. Here, I’ll show you to the kitchen.” Nico gestured to the house and began walking.

The inside was even more impressive than the outside, with a large crystal chandelier and a double staircase. As they walked, Cleo could only imagine what the kitchen looked like. When they reached it, it did not disappoint. It had white quartz countertops framed by white cabinetry with gold hardware, and a large island in the center.

“Feel free to move freely about the kitchen. The caterer will be here to set up soon and they’ll be working out of the butler’s pantry. I thought you could set up just outside the dining room. There is already a large table ready for you and pull whatever you need from the cabinets,” said Nico.

“Thank you. This is great. We’ll start bringing everything in.”

It took about an hour to set up the dessert table. Cleo was glad Elle was there to give her a second opinion for the display. There were more than enough trays and cake stands to choose from. Once they were finished, they stood back and admired the table. It was grandiose, with the number of desserts sitting on crystal platters and tiered trays.

Elle put her arm around her and gave her a squeeze. “You did it, girl. Now, we just need a little champagne to celebrate. It is a party, after all.”

“Elle! I’m working!” Cleo laughed.

“Did I hear champagne?” Nico walked up holding two glasses. He handed one to each of them.

“Thank you!” said Elle with no hesitation.

“You two deserve it. This looks incredible.”

“Thank you,” said Cleo.

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