Of course. This man hadn't popped out of nowhere, he was Karen's groom. The one who'd lately been partying with lap dancers inVegas.
And so you see, children, this is why insta-love is a thing you only read about in storybooks. Because the second you find yourself hopelessly smitten, you find out the guy is already engaged to the biggest bitch on the planet. Thus endeth thelesson.
"Cal?" Maura demanded. She looked impatient and frazzled, a total switch from the happy employee I'd left five minutes ago, and I winced. I hadn't even looked at her since I'd entered theroom.
"Yeah," I said, walking back behind the counter mentally setting my shoulders and ignoring the beautiful man. Ash, I reminded myself. He wasAsh.Just like all my hopes and dreams. "What's up,Maura?"
"You remember me telling you about Karen Mitchener," she said, gesturing politely to the woman in front of her, even though her eyes werestormy.
"Yes, of course." I turned to Karen. "It's nice to finally meet you." I mentally tacked onCruella DeVil. "Is there aproblem?"
"You're doing the cake for my wedding this weekend," she whined. "The Mitchener-Martinwedding?"
I nodded. The cakes were already in my freezer, and I'd started the preliminary decorating. "Yes. We have everything set to go, justas..."
"But I need a cake for therehearsal dinner," she interrupted. "I need somethingepic."
I looked at Maura, who shook her head, and then at Ash, whoshrugged.
"Okay. You need a cake," I repeated, trying to understand the problem. "Well, you've come to the right place." I gestured toward the display case, where there were half a dozen cakes already decorated beautifully, if I did say somyself.
"Those areValentine’s Daycakes," she informed me. "And this is not a Valentine's Day wedding." She turned to Ash. "Valentine's weddings and engagements are so cliché. It’sgross."
"You think? I think they're kind of cute," Ash said, his voice all sexy and rumbly. It pissed me off that this was one more thing we had in common.Stop being so perfect, snow-god.
Ash shrugged and smiled at Karen with strained patience. "But you're thebride."
"Yes! Yes. I'm thebride." She glared at Maura, as though Maura might not have realized this crucial information. "And I need a cake that's not...that."She waved a dismissive hand at my cakes and I felt my nostrilsflare.
"Whoa! Dial it back, Karen," Ash told her. "Those cakes look awesome, and you insisted earlier that this was theonlyplace in all of freakin' North America you wanted to get the cake." Behind Karen's back, he rolled his eyes at me. "I suggested getting something at the market down the street, butno."
I chuckled, despite my annoyance. I couldn't deny that him defending me stirred something in my gut that went way beyond simple attraction. "Yeah, no. Lyon's Imperial will pretty much only sell you cakemix." I ran a hand over my jaw and considered. "OrTwinkies."
He laughed, then clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle himself when Karen gave him an angry glare. He straightened his face completely and told me, "Twinkie cakes are socliché."
Life was so notfair.
I only managed to keep myself from laughing at the outrageous, gorgeous creature by digging my fingernails into my palms, and reminding myself of the sad fact that my Valentine's Day date had an affinity withfrogs.
I nodded at Karen. "Okay, so you need a cake that's not for Valentine's Day. Tell me what you had in mind, for how many people, and when you need itfor."
"Well, it's for seventy-seven or seventy-ninepeople." She shot a glare at Ash. "We're still waiting to hear about two of the groom'sfamily."
Ash opened his mouth, then shook his head once and clicked it shutagain.
This was admirable restraint, and no lie, I was impressed. I was also really fucking aroused, wondering how far that restraint would take him. How far he could I take him beforehe...
Maura's foot came down on top ofmine.
Jesus, Cal.Focus.
"That's, uh, a large group for a rehearsal dinner, isn't it?" I asked, trying to cover my silence. "I think the wedding cake was only meant to serve one hundred and ten?" Which was still pretty large for a destination wedding, in myexperience.
Karen shrugged and examined her nails. "All my family is coming in early from out oftown."
"Right, okay! Well, when is thisfor?"
"Friday," Karen said, and Maura made a choking noise that meant,See theproblem?
Friday was the day after tomorrow, and tomorrow was Valentine's Day, usually one of the busiest days of the year for us. We'd be selling dozens and dozens of cakes, cookie bouquets, and chocolate-covered strawberries to all of O'Leary's lovebirds. Our freezer stock was adequate for what we'd need, but there wasn't a surplus, and there was no way we could handle that order unless I agreed to come in very, very early or leave very, verylate.
My face must have shown my hesitation, because Ash's forehead puckered in concern, and his dark eyes suddenly looked incrediblytired.
Ah, fuckit.
This man wasn't meant for me, clearly, but he seemed like a really good guy nonetheless. And I didn't want to fight against my instinctive need to take care of him, to make this one thing a little better. So I said something totally unwise. "We can handlethat."
