Always in my Heart (The Subzero Series, #2) (3 page)

“Thanks! Things are definitely coming along in here!” I say.

I am excited to have Juan Pablo here. His resume was quite impressive having learned at Le Cordon Bleu and working in top bakeries all over the world. He is over qualified for his job and making far less than what he is worth. When I asked him why on earth he would want to work at my little bakery, his answer was simple. He wanted to work in a place that wasn’t so demanding and let him come in early so he could leave early and spend more time with his wife, especially now that their kids were all grown and out of the house. He said he just wanted to be able to get up and bake whatever he felt like baking that day and be able to put all of his love and passion into it. I could understand and respect that and I am happy to have him here.

I feel the same way about Caroline and Marci. The things Caroline could do with modeling chocolate and sculpting tools was insane. During her interview, she sculpted an Asiatic lily that looked so life like. I have a feeling Marci is going to be the bakery mom, which would be nice since my own is so far away. The three of them are the first ones I hired and, since they all had management positions, they helped me interview the rest of the staff. Marci brought breakfast for us all and made sure we took the time to eat lunch. She is sweet and she kind of reminds me of my mom.

“What are you working on there?” Marci asks me.

“Just going over some staple menu items and pricing.” I say as the three of them pull up chairs around me.

“Did you talk to Theo about the scheduling?” Juan Pablo asks me.

I nod. “Yes, he said he was interested in having a set schedule too and he isn’t a morning person. He doesn’t mind closing if you open.”

Juan Pablo smiles, places his elbow on the tabletop and shakes his fist in triumph. It’s nice starting off with staff that was willing to help each other out. I’m sure it won’t always be that way, but hey, I’ll take it for as long as I can! The majority of the staff has rotating schedules but honestly, as long as all of the shifts were covered and they cleared it with their manager, I don’t care if anyone wanted to work it out with someone else so that they had more of a set schedule. I mean, who doesn’t like having the same schedule every week?

“Oh Caroline, before I forget, this is a present from my sister.” I grab the bag containing the airbrush color from the seat next to me and set it on the table in front of her.

She smiles as she pulls each box out of the bag.

“This is great,” She says. “I can’t wait to be able to use some of this color. I hope people start putting in orders for custom cakes straight away.”

“I was thinking we should make a cake for the Grand Opening. Everyone that stops in can get a free piece of cake.”

She thinks for a moment. “You should make a half chocolate, half vanilla cake with raspberry filling and I can make a replica of the bakery to go on top.”

“Speaking of raspberry filling,” I turn to Juan Pablo. “Do you want to go to the farmers market with me the weekend before we open? I called a couple of farms and they said we could put orders in for whatever we need and pick them up at the market. Plus maybe we might even find some other things there that we want to use.”

“Yes, I actually have a few things I want to get from there.”

“Alright,” I turn back to my notebook. “Let’s go over the menu items while you guys are here.”

“Are we going to have set items or flavors that we always offer?” Marci asks.

“We’ll always have cupcakes, cookies, biscotti, pies, fudge, krispy treats, small round and rectangular cakes,” I say reading from my list. “Juan Pablo, what are your thoughts on the daily offerings of pastries?”

“Cannoli’s made to order, éclairs, crème puffs and mini fruit tarts but the flavors for those two will probably change daily, bear claws, turnovers and danishes, again the flavors on those will probably change daily.” Juan Pablo says.

“Uhhh...there’s some strange man peaking in the windows.” Marci interrupts.

We crane our necks trying to look out the window without it being obvious. Juan Pablo is blocking my vision so I can’t see anything. I consider moving to get a better look but I don’t want to get caught staring at some passerby that is probably checking the place out simply out of curiosity.

“He’s going to the front door. Should we lock it really quickly?” Juan Pablo asks.

“I don’t know,” I say. “I can’t see him. Does he look shady?”

“Shady? I mean, his clothes are clean and he looks like he may have showered today. I can see a tattoo of flaming drumsticks on his forearm.”

I let out a laugh. “Does he have blue hair?”

“Yes...have you seen him before?” Carolyn asks.

“Yes, nearly every day for the past year and a half.”

I walk over to the door and pull it open just as Tyler reaches it. He looks me up and down and gives me a smile that makes my heart stop for a second.

“Can you stop poking around the windows? You’re making my staff uncomfortable.” I say, attempting to keep my composure over what the sight of him is doing to me right now.

“Well this should help with that.” He says.

Tyler grabs me by the waist, pulls me in close and leans in to give me a slow, sensual kiss, slipping his tongue into my mouth the first moment he gets a chance. Pulling away, I bite my lip and wrap my arms around his neck and whisper into his ear “Would you mind waiting to kiss me like that for when we can actually finish it?”

Tyler dips his head into my neck and laughs; his warm breath tickles my skin. Shaking my head, I turn away from him and face my three employees, who are seem as though they are trying very hard to look anywhere except at us. Tyler grabs ahold of my hand and squeezes it tightly.

“Marci, Caroline and Juan Pablo, this is my boyfriend, Tyler,” I say. “Tyler, this is my bakery manager Marci, pastry chef Juan and my top cake decorator Caroline.”

“It’s nice to meet you all,” Tyler says as he glances around. “So I guess you decided against the Elvis theme I suggested.”

I bite my lip to keep from laughing. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if Tyler was serious or not when he told me to decorate with an Elvis theme. I’m still not sure actually.

“No, decided to go in a more bakery-esque direction but it was a fabulous suggestion.”

Tyler looks at me, smiles and shakes his head. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better that you turned down my suggestion. I can tell by the cheeky look on your face. See if I ever help you again.”

Tyler walks around looking at all of the pictures we have on the wall and flipping through the menu. “It really does look fantastic. I’m so proud of you.”

A beaming smile spreads across my face as I glance around the room. I walk over to where Tyler is standing and wrap my arm around his waist. He bends down slightly and kisses the top of my head.

“I have to go love. I’m a busy man and just wanted to pop in for a quick kiss, which I succeeded in getting,” He says with a smile and a wink. “Now I have to get on with my day. Want takeaway tonight? I’ll pick it up.”

“Sounds good. Orange chicken and a couple spring rolls.”

Tyler nods. He pauses for a moment next to Marci, Caroline and Juan Pablo to turn and point to me. “I’m going to marry that woman, you just wait and see.”

“So he says, but he has yet to ask me or put a ring on my finger.”

“It’s coming.” He says as he turns to walk out the door.

“He seems sweet.” Marci says as she watches him walk down the sidewalk to his car.

“Yeah, sorry we about branded him a creeper and nearly called the police.” Caroline adds, looking a bit embarrassed.

“It’s okay, really.”

I walk back over to where we were sitting and pick up my notebook. Caroline, Marci and Juan Pablo sit back down around the table. Juan Pablo leans over to Caroline.

“Is crazy colored hair in now? I’ve got a neighbor whose hair is every color of the rainbow. I just thought he was high or something.”

“Crazy hair color is always in.” Caroline says with a laugh.

“Hmm...Maybe I’ll dye my hair blue. What do you ladies think? Would I look young and sexy?”

“Maybe you should do rainbow colors?” Marci teases him.

“No, that I don’t think I could pull off.” he says seriously.

“Alright, let’s get back to this and then we can call it a day,” I say.

Four hours later and I am sitting in my office by myself. I have Marci in charge of signing off on the bakery staff time cards and Juan Pablo in charge of the kitchen staff. They have to review them before they come to me so I can enter payroll. Caroline offered to be in charge of ordering supplies. We worked together to get scheduling completed for the first two months.

I stretch as I finish entering everything in the computer. After hitting print, I swivel my chair around and grab the paper off of the printer. I stand up and reach toward the ceiling, lifting up on my toes in another stretch before heading into the break room to hang the schedule up on the bulletin board. 

Walking back into my office, I look over my
things that need to be done
list. I have at least half of the things I need to do before we open done already. My stomach rumbles and I realize I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Right on cue, my cellphone vibrates with a text from Tyler.

I’m sitting here surrounded by loads of Chinese takeaway cartons. Orange chicken smells exceptionally good. You have 10 minutes before it ends up in my stomach.

I laugh as I type in my response.

For every piece of orange chicken you eat before I get there is one day you go without getting any. You decide what is more important – waiting or
waiting
. I’m on my way.

I get a response almost immediately.

You are evil but I love you! Come home...now!

––––––––

B
y the time Wednesday rolls around I can hardly contain my excitement. We have been waiting for an opportunity like this for so long. It’s our first collaboration with a huge punk rock band. It doesn’t hurt that these girls are positively smoking hot either.

We walk into the recording studio and the receptionist, Clara, tells us everyone is already waiting for us in Meeting Room 3, down the hall and third door on the left. As we get closer to the room, I can hear the sounds of soft, feminine voices ringing through the air. We walk inside the room and are treated to the sight of three of the coolest looking girls I have ever seen. They are sitting there laughing and chatting away with our manager, Collin, and a couple guys I didn’t recognize. Everyone stands up as we walk in.

“Tyler McDermott, Jack Riley, Noah Walker and Dean Marshall I’d like to introduce you to Cath Healy, Ann Wilcox and Marie Kenney.” Collin says.

I’m gawking. It is quite ridiculous actually. I try my hardest not to but I just can’t seem to look away. They have similar features but Ann and Cath tower over Marie. They definitely have the rocker chick vibe going on too. Marie has long, wavy black hair with chunky blue highlights. Her arms look like they are covered with freckles but, as I move closer to shake her hand I realize those freckles are actually tiny star tattoos. How cool is that?

Ann has chin length black hair with chunky bits of purple. She has her nose pierced and, from what I can see, she only has one tattoo. It’s a tattoo of three shooting stars, pink, blue and purple, on the inside of her wrist. Marie and Cath have the same tattoo in the same spot.

They are gorgeous but Cath...Cath sort of catches my eye. I don’t even know what it is about her but she seems different from the other two somehow. Everything about her looks so delicate and girly from the way she smiles to the way she runs hair hand through her curly half brown, half pink hair. My eyes zero in on the black and pink swirly tattoo being proudly displayed and showed off with the one shoulder black top she has on. It is pretty sexy when a hot girl sports some decent ink.

What is wrong with me? I love Abby. I love Abby. I love Abby. I love Abby.

I slide into an empty seat as I continue scolding myself for checking Cath out the way I was. I don’t even realize until it is too late that I took the empty seat next to her. I glance over at her and she flashes me a megawatt smile.

She leans in a little closer to me. “So you’re the drummer?”

“The one and only,” I check out the obvious muscle definition in her arms. “Let me guess, guitar?”

She nods. “Electric.”

“Sweet.”

“Do you play?” She asks.

“A little bit.” I nod.

“He’s just mastered
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
.” Dean says with a laugh.

“You are the one that told me to start with that and I believe I really bring an amazingly sexy edge to that song.” I say.

Cath eyes slide up and down my body. “I’m willing to bet that’s true.”

“I wanted to learn how to play
Yellow
so I go to this sod for help,” I point to Dean and shake my head. “I had this plan to do something terribly romantic and it was completely brill so I asked him for help since he is supposed to be like a brother to me and he has me playing twinkle stars
.
He kept making me play it and I just went on with it because I figured we’d get to my song at some point, which, by the way, we never did, so I guess that actually makes me the biggest mug there ever was for listening to him.”

“I could teach you how to play
Yellow
if you are still interested in learning it.” She says.

“Really?”

“Absolutely, we can play around when we have some down time.”

“You are awesome.”

Cath shrugs and waves her hand in the air. “What can I say?”

“Alright everybody, if we could just get started here,” Collin says. “I understand that you girls wanted to write the songs to be recorded with the guys?”

“Yes,” says Ann. “We want this to be a joint collaboration and we want them to be involved with the songwriting process.”

“Okay, well we aren’t going to keep you all very long in here. We want you to get writing so that we can get into the recording booth as soon as possible. We’ll be around if you need anything, also Domino and Bash are usually found in the control room if you need anything from them. I believe Subzero has their instruments here already, is that correct?”