Page 28 of Fire and Icing

“No. Not mine. Nope.” She glances around.

Leave it to me to cross a line and use the nickname Emberleigh’s grandma used when bragging over her childhood photos.

“Can you bake?” Sydney asks, stepping up next to Emberleigh.

She catches me off guard, but I’m grateful for the change of subject.

“Not even a little. Why?”

“What about the other guys at the station?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe some of them. I could ask.”

Emberleigh shoots Sydney a questioning look.

Sydney lowers her voice and looks at Emberleigh. “The ontest-kay.”

“Pig latin? Seriously, Syd?” Emberleigh rolls her eyes in my direction.

“Not everyone speaks it,” she defends.

“I eak-spay ig-pay atin-Lay,” I say with an amused grin. “What contest?”

“Excuse me,” Emberleigh says.

She moves further down behind the display case to ask a customer if she can help her. Sydney launches into an explanation about a contest that Emberleigh could enter if only she had a significant other who couldn’t bake. Sydney’s entire body and face are animated while she lays out the details of this contest, the prize money which she says they could really use, and how Emberleigh would obviously win, but she can’t even enter because of what Sydney calls “some silly rule.”

“Of course none of you would have to marry her.”

“Of course,” I agree with a chuckle. “Wait. What?”

“To be in the contest. Only people here in town know if you’re actually her partner. And it would be perfect. You’d be a fan favorite right away. The baker and her fireman? Come on.”

Emberleigh rings up her customer and rejoins us.

“No, Syd. Absolutely not.”

“Why not? It’s a silly rule. Un-American. Discriminatory. I bet you could get a lawyer and fight it.”

“I am not getting a lawyer.” Emberleigh looks me in the eyes. “I’m sorry. Excuse her. She gets a little … much … when she’s championing my cause.”

“What about Patrick? He’s single.” Sydney persists. “I think we need to find out if that man can bake.”

“I can find that out today,” I volunteer.

“No need,” Emberleigh says. “I’m good. I have already given up the idea of entering the contest. There are plenty of ways to raise money. I don’t need to enter that specific contest. Besides, there’s no telling who would win.”

“You could use the money, though?” I ask her.

It’s a personal question, but given the way Sydney just laid everything out, I feel like I have an opening to ask.

“She needs the money,” Sydney says before Emberleigh can answer.

“Don’t you have some dough to knead?” Emberleigh asks Sydney. “Or cookie batter to mix?”

“I’m good.” Sydney smiles a smile that reminds me of the one I give my brother when I’m messing with him.

“What if I were your partner?” I volunteer, not even knowing what in the world I’m committing to.

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