Page 70 of Bake You Mine
Between the ovenemergency and a last-minute catering order, the meeting with Gary about the last challenge nearly slipped Aubrey’s mind. She ducked into the tiny bathroom staff shared with customers, wedged into the far back of the café.
Crème patisserie was smeared across her cheek, and her bun keeled to one side like that tower in Italy. Luckily, she kept a change of clothes at the patisserie.
Tom raised an eyebrow when she pushed her way through the kitchen doors. “You clean up nice. Trying to impress anyone in particular?” Before she could answer, he carried on speaking. “Maybe someone who answers to the name of Liam?”
“Can’t a girl look nice every now and again for no reason? Besides, I need to go. I’m running late.”
That wasn’t enough reason to stop Tom.
“Of course, you can, but we both know there’s someone you want to look pretty for, duh. I won’t press you for deets before you’re ready.”
She ignored Tom. With the third challenge coming up, the reality of the competition had settled in on her a bit. She wanted it to be over, but on the other hand, she loved thishappy little bubble encasing her and Liam. The last challenge was a wrecking ball looming at the edge of her vision.
Aubrey scurried over to the vacant space. The back door was thrown open, and voices carried into the alley.
“So, what you’re saying is that the winner will have this space sooner than anticipated?” Liam’s voice had a skeptical edge to it.
Gary and Liam looked in unison toward her when she arrived. They weren’t the only ones there: two other men moved around in the rear of the space. One had a tape measure in one hand, the other a notepad.
“Good, you’re here. Aubrey, meet Brad and Kevin. Brad is my go-to contractor. He works on all of my projects. Kevin is my architect. They’re here because, as luck would have it, Brad had a job fall through. He can start work shortly after the winner is announced at Port Fortune’s Night Out.”
“By shortly, like the day after,” Brad said.
“Seriously? I mean, I guess that’s a good thing?” Liam said.
“That’s why we’re all here,” Gary said. “If we have it all planned out, construction can start immediately, and you won’t have to be closed for as long as we originally thought. If you win, that is. At this stage, it could be either of you. All the more reason I’m glad I made this third challenge so vital!”
“Thanks for the reminder,” Aubrey groaned.
“It’s a little unusual, but I figured we could take advantage of this schedule change.”
“Well, that’s something,” Aubrey managed.
Why did the prize suddenly feel like one of those cartoon weights hovering on a rope above her head?
Once Brad and Kevin left, Gary rounded on the two of them.
“It’s the final challenge,” he sang the old Europe song “The Final Countdown.” Ah, shit. She’d completely forgotten the original reason for their meeting.
“I’m waiting for circus monkeys and clowns to come barreling through the door,” Liam said.
“It’s funny you mention that, because this final challenge does have a bit of theater to it.” Gary dragged out the syllables in the word theater.
They groaned in unison.
Gary tutted at them. “Oh, have a sense of adventure.”
Aubrey stared out the window, wondering what theatrics would accompany this challenge. She didn’t have to wait long, as Mary and Ashley appeared through the back door. One handed a tablet to her boss, and another gave him a tatty old top hat and striped jacket. He howled with laughter.
“A proper ringmaster hat and jacket. Oh, how utterly wonderful!” He donned them both, then thrust his phone at Aubrey. “Be a dear and snap a photo.”
“The look is top-notch, but can we get on with this?” Liam asked as Aubrey took the photo.
“Oh, fine.” He doffed his hat. “I have special guests announcing this challenge.”
He turned the tablet around, revealing a video with a black screen. He hit play, and Chip Sanchez and Diana Brighton, the hosts ofSunrise Washington, the area’s most popular local morning show, appeared on the screen.
Gary tapped the screen to pause the video. “Any guesses so far?”
