Page 27 of Sweet Dreams

Beth rolled her eyes, dropping her bags and enveloping her assistant in a tight hug. "Missed you too, smartass. How's everything been?"

Reese's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh, you know, same old, same old. Although..." she leaned in conspiratorially, "Zack's been in here every day asking about you. I think someone's got a crush."

Beth felt a pang of guilt. In all the excitement with Yuri, she'd completely forgotten about Zack's attempts at flirting. "Reese, I—"

"Relax, boss," Reese cut her off with a knowing smirk. "I've seen that look before. How was the trip?”

Before Beth could respond, the bell above the door chimed. Jessie burst in, her cheeks flushed from the cold.

"Beth! You're back!" she exclaimed, pulling her friend into an enthusiastic hug. "How was Belarus? Did you find any scientific advancements in pastry technology? Oh! Did you bring back any samples for analysis?"

Beth laughed, extricating herself from Jessie's grip. "Slow down, Jess. I've barely had time to put my bags down."

"Right, sorry," Jessie said, not looking sorry at all. "It's just that the Christmas Baking Spectacular is in three days. I’ve been working on some theories about optimal sugar crystallization that I think could really give us an edge."

"Three days?" Beth felt her stomach drop. How had she lost track of time so completely?

Reese raised an eyebrow. "Please tell me you didn't forget about the competition you’ve obsessed over for weeks."

"Of course not," Beth lied, her mind racing. "I just... lost track of the days a bit. But don't worry, I've got plenty of ideas from Belarus. We're going to blow this competition out of the water."

As if on cue, her phone buzzed. Beth's heart skipped a beat as she saw Yuri's name on the screen.

Yuri:Missing you already, moye solnyshko. How was your flight?

Beth bit her lip, trying to suppress a grin as she typed back:

Beth:Landed safely but experiencing severe Yuri withdrawal. Might need to book a return trip ASAP.

"Earth to Beth," Reese's voice cut through her Yuri-induced haze. "Care to share with the class?"

Beth looked up to find Reese and Jessie watching her with matching expressions of curiosity. She sighed, knowing there was no point in trying to hide her happiness.

"Yuri is amazing,” she admitted. "My trip to see him and his country was amazing."

Reese's eyes widened. "I’m so glad. I still can’t believe you went to see a man you only have known online for a few weeks. Beth Mason, you dark horse! I didn't think you had it in you."

Beth protested weakly. "We just... connected. And now..."

"You've been googly-eyed and giggly for weeks," Reese finished for her. "It's disgustingly cute. I approve."

Jessie, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly piped up. "Now that you've spent time with him, have you considered the logistical challenges? The time difference alone would require significant schedule adjustments, not to mention the potential visa issues if things progressed—"

"Whoa, slow down there, Einstein," Reese laughed. "Let's let Beth enjoy the honeymoon phase before we start planning international relocations."

Beth's phone buzzed again. Another message from Yuri:

Yuri:Funny you should mention that. How would you feel about having a very enthusiastic cheerleader at your baking competition?

Beth's heart leaped. She quickly typed back:

Beth:Are you serious? You'd come all this way?

Yuri:For you, moye solnyshko, I'd cross oceans. Plus, I hear there might be cookies involved. How could I resist?

"Okay, that's it," Reese said, plucking the phone from Beth's hands. "No more lovey-dovey texting until you fill us in on everything. And I do mean everything."

For the next hour, as they prepped the bakery for opening, Beth regaled Reese and Jessie with tales of her Belarusian adventure. She told them about the Christmas markets, the delicious food, and, of course, Yuri. By the time she finished, Reese was sighing dramatically, and Jessie was scribbling notes about Belarusian baking techniques.

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