Page 20 of Playoffs & Promises

I pick up my rag and toss it at her. "I cannot believe you just said that."

She laughs as she catches the rag and sets it aside. "It's true. You're giving me Elizabeth Bennet energy."

"I am not." I protest. "He definitely is not Mr. Darcy. If anything he's a Wickham."

"Oh please. Do I need to get Hannah on the phone?"

"You said you'd drop it."

She mimes zipping her lips, and lets me change the subject back to her cake for the engagement party. Using a notebook from my office, and images from the internet for ideas, I sketch out a design she likes. By the time Nate comes to pick her up, Penelope in tow with a raspberry hot chocolate, we have a final design and he approves it. A chocolate and vanilla layered cake with multiple tiers. A cream cheese frosting alternated with a raspberry filling between the layers to break up all the richness. The design will be a test run for the wedding cake which will have slightly different decorations and fondant. The engagement cake will have a blue fondant, whereas the wedding cake will be white.

They leave happy, and I take my notebook into my office. I go through my email really quick since the bakery will be closed tomorrow. There are junk emails that I trash right away, and then one from the Glacier Bay PR Team makes me pause. Orders from the arena aren't unusual, but my eyes go big as I read what they're asking for. An opportunity like this could be big for my business. I quickly reply back that I'm available and ask for more details.

Just before I turn off the lights I take a look around. My eyes naturally fall on the board once more with the house, and then to that scorecard. It still stings. I pick up my purse and keys and flip the switch, leaving it behind.

When I get home, I have my evening all planned out: order a pizza, take a long shower, and curl up on the couch with my book. The bakery is closed tomorrow, so it's my one day to sleep in. Perfect.

But the sight of lemons sitting by my door puts a dent in my plans. I sigh, looking at the bags where they lean against each other. Months without a lemon bar, and yet Lou's still at it with these deliveries. You'd think he'd give up by now, but no.

Instead of ignoring them like I usually do, I march straight to Lou's apartment and knock on the door. A flurry of excited barks erupts from inside, followed by Lou's deep voice trying to shush the dog. When the door opens, just a crack, a black nose pokes through, followed by loud sniffing and a soft whine.

"Oh!" My heart melts, and I drop to a crouch to try and get a better look. "Who's this?"

The door opens a little wider, revealing an adorable dog the color of cinnamon and cloves, with big floppy ears. She's straining against the leash, clearly wanting to lunge for me, but Lou keeps a firm grip so I'm not bowled over.

"Cinnamon, down," Lou commands gently.

The dog's butt hits the ground, but her tail wags furiously. Lou's smile is warm, and he rewards Cinnamon with a treat from a little bag clipped to his belt. "Good girl," he says softly. "Such a good girl."

"Can I pet her?" I ask, unable to resist.

Lou's smile widens. "Sure."

I extend my hand, and Cinnamon sniffs it eagerly before licking my fingers. The ticklish sensation makes me laugh, a sound I hadn't expected to make around Lou.

"Sorry," Lou says, rubbing the back of his neck. "We're working on her manners."

"Is she the dog that was barking all night a year ago?" I ask, remembering how I'd been ready to complain to building management until the barking suddenly stopped. In hindsight, the dog was probably barking when Lou was gone at a game and wasn't home to do anything about it.

Lou looks puzzled for a moment before shaking his head. "No, that was a foster. It wasn't a good fit."

"Bachelor pad wasn't it?" I tease, trying to imagine Lou with a pack of dogs.

"Rex needed a home with more of a pack," he says with a shrug. "Cinnamon here… well, she's just temporary."

I glance up at him, surprised by the sadness in his voice. "Temporary?"

"Yeah," he says, his tone quieter now. "I'm just fostering her for a few weeks until she finds a permanent home."

"Oh." My heart aches a little for both him and the dog. "Well, if you need someone to watch her during your games, I volunteer."

Lou's eyes widen in shock, as if I've just offered to move mountains. "Really?"

I nod, feeling a little shy under his intense gaze. "My heart isn't made of stone, you know."

"I didn't think it was," he says, still looking at me like I've done something completely unexpected. "I'm just surprised you'd offer… considering."

"Considering what?"

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