Page 47 of Breathless With Her

The bride and I had come up with a plan, one where it wouldn’t be as intricate, but would still be beautiful. I wasn’t going to sleep that night, but I would get it done.

Between my staff, Mrs. Murphy’s people, the woman herself, and my two friends, we were making it work.

I was still freaking out while trying not to think about the loss of revenue and the fact that I was going to have to borrow Mrs. Murphy’s kitchen for longer than either of us planned. I wouldn’t have a place to work until the insurance adjusters could finish their piece, and the contractors could come in and do the work. But I would make it work. I would just have to bake out of my home kitchen again just like I had when I first opened the business. I would figure it out.

Because there wasn’t another option.

Zoey had come in with beautiful blue flowers that we were going to use around the base of the cake. I could replicate a lot of the edible flowers, but some of them would have to be real ones. The whole thing wouldn’t be completely edible, but it would still be beautiful.

And the new cake wouldn’t have as much lace, but I was going to do the top tier and the third tier down as all lace. The second and the base tier would have to be smooth fondant, but I was going to do my best to quilt some of it and add some edible pearls.

It would all work out. This wasn’t going to be a complete corpse bride cake.

But the place that was my heart and soul, the business I had put so much of my life into, needed to be redone.

All because a storm had bulldozed its way through my roof and ruined everything.

I felt like I could barely catch my breath, but that was fine. I would make sure everything worked out.

It wasn’t like I had another choice.

I was just working on another set of edible flowers when the door to Mrs. Murphy’s pie shop opened, the bell signaling a customer. I froze when I heard a familiar voice.

A deep voice that went straight to my core and made my spine stiffen.

“Where is she?” Devin asked. I had my head and my back to the front as I worked on the flowers in my hands so I couldn’t see him. I had to focus. I didn’t have time for anything but this project.

But, damn, his voice did things to me.

“Erin? Are you okay?” he asked, coming to my side. I risked a glance at him, tried to smile. I knew it hadn’t done its job when his brows rose.

“I’m fine.”

“She’s not fine, but at least her high-pitched-ness has gone down a bit. Both humans and dogs can hear her now.”

“I would flip you off, Zoey, but my hands are full.”

“I can see your hands are full,” Devin said. “Why didn’t you call me?” he asked, looking down at me with such a fierce expression, I turned away from it.

It was hard to focus when he was around. It was hard to do anything but want him when he was around.

And that was the problem.

“I...I didn’t think about it.”

“You didn’t think about it.”

I winced.

“I’m sorry. Everyone just showed up to help. I was doing fine on my own. I mean, I had to do this on my own. Maybe. But they came to me. And they’re amazing. And I’m sorry. I just didn’t think to call you.” I winced again. “I mean, you don’t work with cakes or anything.”

“I don’t. Neither does my sister. Or Zoey. And you don’t have to do everything on your own, Erin.”

Well, then. That was a verbal slap if I ever heard one. “I’m sorry,” I said, shaking my head.

“I got it. You don’t have to be sorry. But we’re friends, too, right? Don’t forget that. Now, tell me what I can do to help. And we’ll get it done. You got a contractor to work on your place?”

“I do.”

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