How to Bake the Perfect Wedding Cake (26 page)

“Come on, my little wild hare, a feast awaits us.” Jack’s eyes flash a wicked hunger.

When I’m hungry I get like a sad Panda until I get some form of nourishment and my blood sugars start rising. I raise my eyebrows at him. “Okay, Hawk-eye.” I grab the car handle and step out onto the street. Brr. It is cold, even with my navy pea coat and white scarf. I’m freezing. Jack rushes around to my side of the car and wraps an arm over my shoulder.

“I’m okay with the idea of Hawk-Eye…but I never really bonded with his character.” He is guiding us directly towards the entrance of The Platters. My stomach gurgles. The sounds of cars are loud enough to ensure Jack did not hear it.

“Well I haven’t
bonded
with the idea of a wild hare…so I guess we are even?” I air quote the operative word.

Jack laughs. “But, Lauren, you are my wild hare.” He leans down and kisses my head. Little tingles flow down my body like sand in an hourglass filling up the lower half and causing an eruption of emotion.

I’m blaring ‘Fever’ in my internal sound system and flames are igniting everywhere, but Jack is steering us in through the doors. The smiling hostess feasts her eyes on Jack and I furrow my brows.
Um hello, he’s obviously with a date.

“Hi there, how many in your party?” She sticks the top of ballpoint pen in between her puckered lips.

“Two, please.” Jack squeezes my hand.

“Sure thing, right this way.” She motions come hither to us. We follow behind her as she navigates a straight path to the window overlooking the harbor. I’ll never get tired of seeing this. There are a few sailboats in the water and a brave kayaker. He appears to have on a full wetsuit, but still it’s got to be at least forty degrees outside and next to the water it’s always chillier. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to fall in.

I slide into my chair and pick up the menu in front of me. I’m starving.

“Two coffees, please.” Jack says to the hostess.

“Anything for you, honey, I’ll send your waitress right over.” She stands in front of our table for a second too long.

I roll my eyes at my menu.

“What’s on your mind?” Jack cocks his head to the right.

“Nothing but food.” Obviously I’m not going to mention Miss. Flirty-pants, this would only make me seem insecure, which I am not.

“Me too. I read online they have creamy lemon ricotta pancakes.” Jack wiggles his eyebrows at me.

I laugh and nod my head. “Sounds tasty, I think I’m going to go with my favorite Hang Me Over My Yammies and Patties.”

“Do you have a hangover?” Jack’s eyebrows furrow.

“No, do you?” I raise one eyebrow at him and purse my lips.

“A couple of glasses of wine is not enough to give me one.” Jack reaches for my hand. “I do have a different type of hangover though.”

The sides of my mouth pull up. “Oh really, what’s that?’

“A Lauren hangover.” His eyes are flickering at me.

“Hmm…Well, a hangover is usually a bad thing.”

“It might be, but I don’t want a cure.” Jack pulls my hand to his mouth and kisses my knuckles.

“Two coffees?” A curly redhead is holding two steaming cups in front of us.

“Yes, please.” Rescued by coffee, that was a close one. “Could I have some cream, please?”

“Sure, what can I get you for breakfast?” She grabs out a pen and takes down our order and trots away towards the back of the restaurant.

“So what’s a typical day like here for you?” Jack pries into my eyes.

“A typical Saturday?” I furrow my eyes. Surely Jack doesn’t want to hear about my weekend errands and blue moon excursions with Brianna.

“Any day, I want to know more about you and your world.” Jack taps me underneath the table with his foot. I’m not sure if this is an attempt at footsies, an accident, or cue for me to spill my boring daily life with him.

“Oh, well on Friday I was offered a huge promotion at work.” My shoulders rise and fall, thinking about the offer makes me a bit nervous but extremely proud. This is the biggest promotion I have ever received.

“Wow, Lauren, congratulations! That’s great news. What does the new promotion entail?” Jack is grinning from ear to ear.

“Well, I’m going to have my own team to manage and I get to select them myself, which is pretty cool.”

The waitress returns with my cream and places it down next to me without a word, she must be one of those hands-off servers. “Thank you.” I manage to say as her back is turned to me.
Oh well, I tried to be polite.

“That’s fantastic. Do you have candidates lined up?” Jack takes a sip of his coffee.

“I’ve got my eyes on a few people, but I don’t have to choose anyone until January.” I drizzle a few drops of cream into my cup and stir it with the silver spoon.

Jack nods his head. “I’ve got my eyes on some new candidates as well.”

“For the retirement home?” I squint my eyes.

“No, it’s a special project I’m trying to get off the ground.” Jack raises his cup to me.

“With your architecture firm?” Where is Jack going with this?

“No, it’s more of a personal project, not exactly job related.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He glances at the face. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to take this. If the food arrives, please go ahead and begin.” He stands up and walks towards the exit. The door opens, but I’m sure they aren’t seating anyone on the deck due to the temperature.

I pull out my own phone from my purse and tap on the display. As I figured, I’ve got several text messages. My phone was on vibrate since last night. I don’t like to sleep with the ringer on in case anyone decides to reach me in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

The first text message is from Brianna:
So…deets. Give me the scoop.

Ten minutes after that is a second message:
Seriously, are you still in bed?

Five minutes later, a third message:
Oh, I see…this is how you’re going to play this? Not cool. Take a mini-make-out break and run to the bathroom and call me.

I text back:
We are at breakfast, I’ll call you later.

I text once more:
Remember, patience is a virtue.

Brianna texts back:
So is decency, you shouldn’t make me wait. ;)

I roll my eyes. As if Brianna would be dialing up my number while hanging out with Owen. The final message is from Megan.

“Did you get your tickets yet?”

Crap. I need to get them. I pull up my airfare app and search through the fares. My eyes can’t bulge out any further. The prices have literally doubled since the last time I checked.
Arghh.
I shake my head. I shouldn’t have put this off, what a mistake. I scan all of the airports near me in Baltimore and Austin to see if I can come up with some crazy combo flight to save a few hundred dollars. All the prices are the same. Well, that’s fabulous. I rummage through my purse and grab my faded leather wallet and take out my credit card. Gulp. Good thing I’m getting a promotion. I shut down the app after sending an email confirmation to myself.

I type back to Megan:
Yes, I fly in on the nineteenth. See you at the airport?

My phone shakes in my hand. Megan has filled up the text box with every possible happy face emoticon, along with a wine glass, party hat with streamers, Santa, Frosty, and a Christmas tree.

I grin as I type back with the plane emoticon and the two ballerina girls, this is the emoticon we use to represent ourselves. She immediately responds with a winking emoticon blowing a heart smooch.

The waitress returns to the table with two steaming dishes in her hands. “All right, please be careful, these plates are hot.” She sets them down and walks away. I giggle to myself, thinking about the hot plates skit on SNL. Jack is pacing on the deck and waving his hand around back and forth. I know he said to go ahead and eat and I’m starving but I think it would be rude to begin without him. I pick up my coffee and take a sip.

Who could he be talking to on a Saturday morning so furiously? I hope it’s not more bad news with Vintage Estates. He turns around and we make eye contact. I raise my eyebrows at him. He motions with his index finger in the air. Surely it won’t be longer than one more moment, I don’t think my stomach will make it. The cream in the coffee is barely enough to keep me from passing out. I glance back at the window and Jack is making his way towards me. I pat my tummy.
Almost.

“Don’t you just love it when you come back to the table and find your food waiting for you?” Jack winks at me.

“I think you mean coming back from the bathroom, except in your case it would be the deck.” I raise my eyebrow to him. I can quote from
Pulp Fiction
any day of the week.

“Yes, sorry about that.” Jack rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

“Not more bad news?” I pick up my fork. I can’t wait any longer and these yammies are screaming my name and my stomach is quoting from
Austin Powers
.

“Unfortunately, yes.” Jack scoops up a bite of his pancakes and take a bite.

I’m on my fourth mouthful. I should slow down, I don’t want him to think I’m a pig. I place my fork down on my plate and pick up my coffee which is almost gone.

“Remember how I said Sherry had taken out a loan against Vintage Estates?” Jack takes another bite of his fluffy pancakes.

I nod my head.

“Well, apparently the loan Sherry signed for has a balloon payment due by the 28
^th
of this month.” He grabs his coffee and takes a sip. He eyes the waitress and motions for her to come to our table.

“The food is great, but could we please have another round of coffee?” He points at our cups.

“Sure thing.”

“Okay, so you have to pay a large amount on the 28
^th
or what?”

“Or, the bank owns Vintage Estates.”

My eyes practically drop on the floor. They are hurting from straining. “Are you serious?” I immediately wish I hadn’t said this as I know this is serious and Jack wouldn’t make this up.

Jack nods and takes another bite of his pancakes. The waitress returns with a pitcher of coffee and fills up our cups. We both thank her.

“What are you going to do? Do you have to leave?” My shoulders tense up.

“No, I’ll leave tomorrow as planned. I have a few options. I’ll meet with the bank and my lawyer on Monday. Let’s not talk about it anymore. I just want to enjoy my time with you.” Jack reaches for my hand and brushes his thumb over it.

“Okay, so other than that, how have things been?” I smile.

“Things are really good right now. I’m sitting across the table from a gorgeous woman and I’m eating the best pancakes I’ve ever had.” Jack squeezes my hand.

I inspect my almost empty plate and then beam back at Jack. “You’re quite the looker yourself, the hostess practically slipped in her drool.” I roll my eyes.

Jack laughs and motions for the server.

“More coffee?” She holds up a pitcher.

“Not for me, but the check please.”

She pats her apron and pulls out a white lined card. Jack reaches for his wallet and gives her his credit card.

“I’ll be right back.” She turns and walks away.

“Are you up for an adventure?” Jack flashes a grin at me.

“An adventure?” I crinkle my eyebrows and inspect my feet. I am wearing my boots and not heels. “Yes, I have the proper footwear.”

“Lauren, Lauren, Lauren, I told you don’t need proper footwear just a good partner.”

The waitress returns with a small black folder and hands it to Jack. He opens it up and signs his name.

“We’re not going dancing, are we?”

“Maybe, I’m always up for dancing.” Jack winks at me and stands up. He takes my hand and we wander out of the restaurant.

CARINA™

ISBN: 978 1 474 04504 9

How to Bake the Perfect Wedding Cake

Copyright © 2015 Gina Henning

Published in Great Britain (2015)

by Carina, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.