Page 19 of Cut The Cake

“You don’t have any? Not even one?” She frowned when he shook his head. Bending at the waist, she peered into the display case in case one had been overlooked somehow. “Were there any left over from yesterday?”

“I’m sorry. No.” He gave another rueful shake of his head. With many of the shops in town closed for the day, Mondays were usually slow. Tuesdays made up for that with brisk sales. As a result, only a few shelf-worn cookies remained in the trays that had been filled to overflowing when he’d turned on the lights this morning.

“I guess you’re right,” Jenny said in a small voice. She straightened. “I’ll have to come earlier next time.”

Her crestfallen expression stirred every sympathetic bone in his body, but he firmed his chin. Jenny couldn’t possibly know that behind the swinging doors, dozens of unfrosted cupcakes sat on cooling trays. And he couldn’t tell her. It was against I Do Cake’s policy to sell the next day’s special. He’d established the ironclad rule himself to prevent customers from buying up their favorites ahead of time and leaving him with empty display cases.

He could make an exception for this one bride, couldn’t he? He wavered on the fine edge of making a decision and finally shrugged. What good was it to be the owner if he didn’t bend the rules from time to time? “Now that you mention it …”

“Yes?” Jenny stared at him, her expression hopeful.

“I was just getting ready to frost tomorrow’s special, a mocha chocolate cupcake with vanilla icing. And sprinkles,” he added with a smile. “If that sounds good to you—”

“Chocolate?” A dreamy expression crossed Jenny’s face. The tip of her tongue swept over her lips.

Nick swallowed to make up for the fact that his mouth had gone oddly dry. He wrenched his focus off the bride who stood on the other side of his counter. Beckoning Jenny to follow, he realized he still gripped the damp rag in his hand. He tossed it under the counter while he retraced his steps to the kitchen.

Startled by his attraction to a woman he had no business having any kind of feelings toward at all, he held the swinging door open and told himself it was the gentlemanly thing to do. Jenny’s burnished curls and ready smile had nothing to do with it. He felt sorry for her, that was all. She was alone in a new town, struggling to put together a wedding in less time than most brides spent choosing the flavors of their cake. And not just any wedding, but her own. To a man she’d soon promise to love and honor for the rest of her life.

A fact he’d better not forget.

With that in mind, he made sure to stand to the side as she walked past him. He could have saved himself the trouble. His arms weren’t long enough to keep Jenny’s light floral scent from tickling his nose. He couldn’t avoid hearing her soft gasp when she spied the long lines of cupcakes arrayed on the counter.

“You’ll sell all these in one day?”

“Probably before lunch.” He straightened his shoulders and schooled his attitude. Jenny was simply a customer, nothing more.

“Have you always wanted to be a baker?”

Motioning her toward a nearby stool, he scooped frosting into a decorating bag while he considered the question. Though he never discussed his personal life with customers, he ached to tell her about himself. Especially if she’d return the favor. “My family moved here and opened I Do Cakes before I started grade school. I grew up in this kitchen.” He pointed toward large storage bins filled with different types of flour and sugar. “My mom taught me how to read by tracing the letters in flour. I learned my numbers playing with measuring cups and spoons.”

“What a wonderful childhood.” Fabric rustled as Jenny slid onto the tall stool.

“It was. After high school, I went to culinary school and traveled, working as a bakery chef to beef up my resume.”

He stopped to clear his throat. The rest was personal. A stranger wouldn’t understand how much he loved Heart’s Landing, that he wouldn’t dream of living anywhere else. He felt fulfilled and happy here like he never had in New York or Rome. True, his prospects of finding someone special to share his life with were slim in a town where everyone came to get married, but he had his friends, his work, and an occasional date. None of which was any of Jenny’s business.

“So how are those wedding plans going?” he asked, not sure whether he was asking for his own benefit or just to fill the awkward silence.

“Good. Great, actually. I met with Alicia Thorn first thing this morning. We toured the grounds of the Captain’s Cottage, chose the locations for the ceremony and reception, and picked out everything for the tables. When she found out I hadn’t lined up a caterer, she got me an appointment with the folks at Food Fit For A Queen.”

“You can’t go wrong with Janet. She’s fantastic.” Nick chose a cupcake at random and concentrated on piping perfect circles around its top.

“That’s what everyone tells me.” Jenny patted a flat stomach. “It’s a wonder I’m still hungry after the tasting she arranged. Every dish was better than the last one.”

“Did you try the mini lobster rolls? Those are always a hit.”

“They were fabulous. But so was everything else. It was too hard to choose, so I told her to serve whatever she wanted.”

Nick’s brow creased. For a woman with an obvious sweet tooth, Jenny’s attitude toward the food for her reception was far more casual than he’d expected. Why was that? “You really did get a lot done,” he said while he shook sprinkles over the swirls. To finish off the cupcake, he arranged a miniature chocolate bar on top at a jaunty angle.

“Mm-hmm. Everyone makes it so easy. I’d almost swear Alicia could read my mind. Mildred understood exactly what I wanted. And JoJo at Ideal Images was a dream to work with. She handed me a nifty little checklist and told me to choose the poses I wanted. And just like that, I crossed another item off my To Do list.”

Knowing they’d be thrilled to receive a compliment from a true Heart’s Landing Bride, Nick made special note of the people Jenny had mentioned. When he was sure the cupcake was perfect, he slid it onto a plate, added a fork and napkin, and gently placed it on the workbench in front of her. “Your special, Madame,” he said with a flourish.

Jenny stared down at the plate, her lips parted. “Oh,” she breathed. “That’s amazing.” As if it was the hardest task she’d faced today, she wrenched her gaze from the cupcake to his and whispered her thanks.

“You’re welcome.” The warm spot in his chest expanded. He’d been right to bring Jenny back here and fix a cupcake just for her. The delight and wonder in her eyes rivaled the expressions he’d seen on his niece and nephew’s faces on Christmas morning.

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