Page 57 of The Texan's Secrets

“Nothing you can do about a fire.”

“Afire?” Nico mouthed on a whisper.

“Hang on. Nico’s sitting here. A fire in the bakery kitchen,” Misha said. “The one making Maggie’s wedding cake.”

“Anyone hurt?”

Misha shook her head. “You might have to look further afield,” she said to Maggie. Then she grinned. “Yes, it would be.”

Nico eased back. Clearly, it wasn’t a life-and-death emergency.

“Definitely overkill,” Misha said. “But I can’t think of anyone local.”

“JJ,” Nico said, the idea jumping into his head.

Misha looked up. “What?”

“Not what, who. JJ Yeoh is Rafe’s head chef over at RCW Steakhouse. His mom does specialty dessert catering.”

“Could she do a wedding cake?”

“Maybe,” Nico said. “She uses RCW’s kitchen in their off hours.”

Misha went back to the phone. “Nico has a line on someone local. You want us to reach out?” She listened again. “No. It’s no trouble at all. Don’t you worry about it. You have plenty to do.” She paused. “I will.” She paused again. “Okay. Bye.”

“I’ll call Rafe.” Nico took out his phone.

“Maggie’s shooting us the cake details in case JJ’s mom can do it. But you usually book these things weeks if not months in advance.”

“I’ll tell JJ it’s an emergency,” he said and tapped Rafe’s cell number and waited a few rings.

“Hey, Nico,” Rafe answered, the clatter and voices of the restaurant kitchen a backdrop behind him. “What’s up? You going riding with Emilia again?”

“No. At least not yet.” Nico didn’t want to say never on that. “I have a favor to ask.”

“Ask away.” The clatter faded as Rafe obviously left the kitchen.

“It’s not for you specifically.”

“Who?”

“JJ’s mom.”

“Are you throwing a party?”

“It’s for Maggie’s wedding. Her cake supplier fell through at the last minute.”

Rafe whistled under his breath.

“Do you think Mrs. Yeoh could bake a wedding cake for Saturday?”

Misha’s text pinged his phone, and Nico gave it a read. “She calls it a southern hazelnut praline cake. I’m reading here. Vanilla cake with puff pastry layers, hazelnut liqueur, praline buttercream and dark chocolate shavings. There’s a picture too—four tiers, classic white flowers with gold leaf and cupcakes, many, many cupcakes.”

“Hey, JJ,” Rafe called out.

Nico heard JJ’s muted response.

“Nico needs an emergency wedding cake for Saturday. Think your mom would do it?” There was a pause. “I’m putting you both on speaker.”

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