Page 31 of Sweet Dreams

Beth buried her face in Yuri’s chest, laughing as her friends dissolved into excited chatter about international romances and fusion wedding menus. "Welcome to my world," she mumbled.

Yuri's chuckle rumbled through her. "It's perfect," he said softly. "You're perfect."

And as they turned back to the controlled chaos of competition prep, Beth couldn't help but agree. This – the bakery, her friends, Yuri by her side – was exactly where she was meant to be.

The Christmas Baking Spectacular didn't stand a chance.

Fifteen

The community center bustled with activity as contestants and spectators alike filed in for the Christmas Baking Spectacular. The air was thick with the scent of sugar and spice, punctuated by the occasional whir of a stand mixer or clang of a baking sheet.

Beth stood at her assigned station, surveying her ingredients with a critical eye. Yuri hovered nearby, ready to assist but careful not to overstep the competition rules.

"Nervous?" he asked, his voice low and soothing.

Beth took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "Terrified. Excited. A little nauseous. Is it possible to be all three at once?"

Yuri chuckled, discreetly squeezing her hand. "Perfectly normal, moye solnyshko. You've got this. Your macarons alone could bring world peace."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Minsk," Beth grinned, some of the tension easing from her shoulders.

"Alright, lovebirds," Reese's voice cut in as she approached, arms laden with last-minute supplies. "Save the sweet talk for after we crush this competition."

Jessie trailed behind her, looking slightly frazzled. "I've calibrated all the measuring tools to ensure maximum accuracy," she reported. "And I've prepared a series of charts detailing optimal baking temperatures and times based on relative humidity and barometric pressure."

Beth blinked. "That's... very thorough, Jess. Thanks."

"Oh, and I've also calculated the statistical probability of various flavor combinations appealing to the judges based on their publicly available dining preferences and social media activity," Jessie added, producing a thick binder from her bag.

Reese raised an eyebrow. "Jess, honey, I'm pretty sure that's cheating. And possibly stalking."

Before Jessie could protest, a booming voice echoed through the hall. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the First Annual Stanford Christmas Baking Spectacular!"

Mayor Winters stood on a small stage, beaming at the crowd. "Today, we'll see the finest bakers in our lovely town compete for the coveted title of Stanford's Star Baker. Contestants, are you ready?"

A chorus of affirmatives rang out. Beth gripped her rolling pin tightly, adrenaline surging through her veins.

"Excellent!" Mayor Winters clapped her hands together. "You have four hours to create a showstopping Christmas dessert that captures the spirit of the season. On your mark... get set... BAKE!"

The hall erupted into a flurry of activity. Beth dove into action, her earlier nerves forgotten as she lost herself in the familiar rhythms of baking.

"Reese, can you start on the gingerbread while I tackle the macarons?" she called out, already reaching for the almond flour.

"On it, boss," Reese replied, expertly measuring molasses.

As Beth began piping perfect circles of macaron batter, she caught sight of Zack at a nearby station. He gave her a small wave, which she returned with a smile.

"Ah, is that the famous Zack?" Yuri asked, his tone light but with an undercurrent of... something. Jealousy?

Beth laughed, shaking her head. "Down, boy. Zack's just a friend. And speaking of friends, shouldn't you be cheering from the sidelines? Not that I don't appreciate the view, but I'm pretty sure having a personal assistant is against the rules."

Yuri held up his hands in mock surrender. "As you wish. But first..." He leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "For luck," he whispered before sauntering off to join Kelly in the spectator area.

"Girl," Reese said, her eyes wide, "if you don't marry that man, I will."

Beth felt her cheeks warm. "Let's focus on winning this competition first, shall we?"

The next few hours passed in a blur of flour, sugar, and increasingly complex baking techniques. Beth's vision for a winter wonderland dessert slowly took shape: a gingerbread castle surrounded by delicate snowflake macarons, with a mirror-glaze lake and spun-sugar icicles.

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