Page 18 of Craving

Nadia let out a little squeal of delight. “Yes! And yes, I would love a consultation. When can we come in?”

“How about Friday this week?” Camilla was smiling so wide her cheeks hurt. They set the appointment, she hung up the phone and then hopped on the spot for a full minute. This was exactly what she needed! A little bit of good luck to offset the bad.

Five hundred people! Cakes to feed five hundred people! That would nearly pay for a third of her late fee. Maybe she could upsell the Goodhews to a full dessert table. That way, she could fix the window, get the decal, and have all the money set aside for her debt payoff. Normal bakery operations could more than cover the rest, and she’d be able to pay for her living expenses too. Hope bloomed in her chest, stretching her lips into a bright smile. She burst into the kitchen and threw her arms around a confused and sweaty Daniel. He patted her back as best he could while she had his arms pinned, then shook his head.

“You nutcase.”

“Hey. I’m the one who signs your paychecks, remember.”

“You adorable nutcase.”

Laughing, Camilla went back into the office and pulled out a notebook to start jotting out ideas. Fillings, frostings, flavors—they all got written down as she sketched ideas for decorations. This was going to be great.

Camilla loved baking, but she had a special place in her heart for cake decorating. It was just as precise as baking, but it required a whole other level of artistry. Now that she’d hired Daniel to take over the bulk of the first shift and another daytime baker to replenish stock in the morning, these were the types of projects she could take on.

Big, audacious projects that commanded big, audacious price tags.

She was so excited, she felt like she was going to burst. Needing to share this news with someone, Camilla didn’t even realize she was dialing Marlon’s number until her cell phone was at her ear and the line was already ringing. Jerking the phone away from her ear, she smashed her finger on the screen until the call disconnected.

Why would she call him? What was going through her head? They didn’t have that kind of relationship!

Sister Camilla of the Order of the Sexless Roommates didn’t confide in big, burly men. Not even when she meant it completely platonically. She glanced around the room for the wimple she’d obviously misplaced.

Shaking herself, Camilla scrolled through her contacts and dialed Lucy. “Hey, girl,” she said when her friend picked up. “I just got amazing news. Remember Fred Goodhew?”

“Hello, hello!” Lucy’s voice was bright and cheery. “Of course I do.”

“Well. He just called me!” Camilla shared her good news and was rewarded with Lucy’s excitement. Then Lucy insisted on rushing from her apartment to Scarlett’s florist shop around the corner, and she put Camilla on speakerphone so the three of them could talk.

Leaning back in her office chair, Camilla spoke to her friends for another few minutes, then begged off to get back to work. When she hung up, she let out a deep breath. That had been exactly what she needed to center herself: a bit of connection with people she loved who could celebrate her wins with her.

Why had her first urge been to look for that in Marlon? It made no sense. They were only roommates—and temporary ones at that. Camilla couldn’t get attached to him, no matter how much he enjoyed swooping to her rescue.

Shaking her head, Camilla got back to work planning the tasting. She’d tell Marlon about her good news tonight when they saw each other if he asked her about her day. Like a normal roommate would. Then she’d broach the subject of staying at his place longer than anticipated.

It wasn’t until after closing time that Camilla remembered she already had plans for dinner, and she couldn’t rush back to the beautiful gingerbread-trimmed house that was quickly beginning to feel like home.

Sighing, she leaned back in her chair and watched her computer shut down, then dragged herself up to her feet.

Family dinners shouldn’t fill her with dread. It was a once-a-month commitment, and it was good to stay in touch with her parents and siblings.

Wasn’t she the one who’d reached out to reconnect? Wasn’t she the one who wanted a closer relationship with her family, now that she was older and less full of resentment?

She was lucky to have them live so close. They didn’t always see eye-to-eye, but Camilla had always dreamed of having a big family with regular, homey dinners. She should be grateful that they met up as often as they did.

But however many times she repeated those thoughts to herself, Camilla couldn’t help the sinking in her stomach when she finally locked up the bakery and got in her car to head to dinner.

Camilla’s parents lived on a beautiful, wooded estate to the west of town. The lawns were manicured, the house was gorgeous, and it made her feel utterly cold. She’d grown up in a different, smaller house until they had moved to this estate when she was halfway through high school. This place had never felt like home.

Parking in front of the eight-car garage, Camilla locked her vehicle and took a bracing breath. It was only family dinner. This kind of apprehension was absurd.

If she could face Frankie Smith, she could face Dean and Georgina Fox.

Squaring her shoulders, she marched to the front door and rang the bell. It opened a minute later to a harried-looking young woman with a child on her hip. “Camilla,” the nanny said. “Come in.”

“Hi Ali.” Camilla smiled at the eight-month-old boy held in the nanny’s arms. “And hello there, Cole. You’re looking as adorable as ever.”

The baby babbled and squeezed his fists at her, and Camilla laughed. Her nephew was the cutest.

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