Page 29 of Sweet Dreams

Yuri chuckled, extending his hand. "Very much real, I assure you. And you must be Reese. Beth's told me so much about you."

"All lies, I'm sure," Reese winked, shaking his hand. "Though I must say, her descriptions didn't do you justice. No wonder she came back from Belarus with stars in her eyes."

"Reese!" Beth hissed, feeling her cheeks warm.

"What? I'm just stating facts," Reese said innocently. "Now, are you two lovebirds going to stand there all day, or are you going to help us prep for this competition?"

Before either could respond, Jessie emerged from the back room, her arms full of what looked suspiciously like scientific equipment. "Beth! Oh good, you're back. I've been running some experiments on sugar crystallization rates, and I think I've found a way to— oh!" She stopped short, noticing Yuri. "Hello. You must be the former premier nightclub owner. I'm Dr. Jessica Brooke, but you can call me Jessie. Everyone does."

Yuri raised an eyebrow at Beth, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Doctor? I didn't realize we'd have a scientist on our team."

"Oh, I'm not really on the team," Jessie explained earnestly. "I'm just here to provide empirical data and analysis to optimize Beth's recipes for maximum flavor impact and textural appeal."

"In other words," Reese translated, "she's our secret weapon. Speaking of which, we should probably get back to work. The competition's tomorrow, and we still have a ton to do."

Beth nodded, slipping off her coat. "Right. Yuri, I hope you don't mind jumping right in. We could really use an extra pair of hands."

Yuri's grin was positively wicked as he rolled up his sleeves. "Moye solnyshko, my hands are yours to command. Where do you want me?"

Reese let out a low whistle. "Oh, I like him. Can we keep him?"

"Down, girl," Beth laughed, tossing Yuri an apron. "Alright, team. Let's show this town what international collaboration looks like."

For the next few hours, the bakery was a whirlwind of activity. Beth and Yuri moved around each other with an effortless synchronicity, as if they'd been baking together for years instead of hours. Reese watched them with a knowing smirk, whileJessie flitted between workstations, muttering about molecular gastronomy and flavor profiles.

"So, Yuri," Reese said as she piped delicate rosettes onto a tray of cupcakes, "tell us more about this nightclub of yours. Beth mentioned it was quite the hotspot."

Yuri's smile dimmed slightly. "Ah, Rhapsody. It was... special. Imagine the energy of a thousand people, all moving as one to the beat. The lights, the music, the atmosphere – it was magic."

"Was?" Jessie asked, looking up from her refractometer. "Did something happen?"

A heavy silence fell over the kitchen. Beth reached out, gently squeezing Yuri's hand. He gave her a grateful smile before turning back to Reese and Jessie.

"There was a fire," he explained quietly. "We lost everything. Including... including a dear friend."

"Oh, Yuri," Reese breathed. "I'm so sorry. That must have been awful."

Yuri nodded; his eyes distant. "It was. For a while, I thought I'd never find that kind of passion again. But then..." his gaze shifted to Beth, softening, "I found a new kind of magic."

"Aww," Reese cooed. "That's disgustingly sweet. I love it."

"Indeed," Jessie nodded seriously. "The parallels between nightclub management and bakery operations are quite fascinating. Both require a keen understanding of crowd dynamics, sensory stimulation, and product delivery. Perhaps we could design a series of experiments to—"

"Or," Reese cut in, "we could focus on not burning these cupcakes. Jess, can you check the oven?"

As Jessie hurried to rescue the cupcakes, the bell above the door chimed again. This time, it was Kelly who burst in, her arms laden with shopping bags.

"Alright, my little sugar plums," she announced, "Mama's here with reinforcements. I've got energy drinks, snacks, and— well, hello there, tall, dark, and handsome!"

Yuri chuckled, extending his hand. "You must be the famous Kelly. I'm Yuri. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Kelly's eyes widened as she shook his hand. "My, my, Beth. You weren't exaggerating. The accent, the smile... if you ever need a taste tester for this particular dish, you just let me know."

"Kelly!" Beth exclaimed, torn between embarrassment and laughter.

"What? I'm just appreciating the view," Kelly winked. "Now, tell me everything. How's the prep going? Are we ready to crush this competition or what?"

As Beth filled Kelly in on their progress, Yuri found himself drawn into a debate with Jessie about the merits of various leavening agents. Reese watched it all with an amused smirk, shaking her head as she continued to decorate.

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