“We have to sell ourselves as a couple, firecracker.”
She rolls her eyes, but the corner of her mouth quirks up in a smile. We sit down at one of the tables. A minute later, Barbara comes out with a massive sheet tray and a dozen slices of cake.
She sets it on the table and clasps her hands together. “I put together our very best samples for you darlins’.”
“This looks amazing, Barbara. Thank you,” I say.
I grab a fork and hand it to Kendall. “Why don’t you take the first bite, baby?”
Kendall’s lips purse in annoyance when I call her “baby.” I try not to laugh.
She flashes a tight smile. “Thanks, baby.”
Her voice is sharp as she delivers that pet name right back to me. I start to chuckle, but cough to cover it up. She stabs her fork into a slice of almond vanilla cake.
Barbara makes an “aww” sound. She steps away to fill a napkin dispenser by the register. “You know, my husband always insists I have the first bite too whenever we share dessert.”
I grin at her. “Really?”
“Yes. He’s romantic like that.”
“I like to think I am too.” I turn back to Kendall. She glares at me. I take a bite of almond cake. “Wow. Barbara, this almond cake is amazing.”
Kendall nods and takes another bite. “It really is.”
“Thank you! It was my meemaw’s recipe.”
We sample bites of the other flavors.
“Which one do you like best?” I ask Kendall.
“Definitely the almond,” she says.
“Same.” Out of all the flavors, we’ve eaten the most of that slice. I slide the plate to her side of the table. “You can finish it.”
Barbara rests a hand on her chest and smiles. She pats my shoulder and looks at Kendall. “A generous man is hard to find.”
I look up at Barbara. “So true. I’m a rarity.”
She chuckles. Kendall rolls her eyes while shaking her head. She tosses a knowing look my way. A look that says, “You’re going to pay for this later.”
Excitement flares up inside of me. I can’t wait.
A customer walks in, and Barbara walks to the front of the bakery to help them.
Kendall raises an eyebrow at me. “Aren’t you quite the catch.”
“I really am.” I finish the slice of lemon creme cake, then take a bit of strawberry cake.
Kendall snorts out a laugh. “God, you are obnoxious.”
“Yeah. But I’m generous too.”
“Just because you gave me the last slice of the best cake flavor doesn’t make you a saint.”
I watch as her candy-pink tongue darts along the corner of her mouth, licking at a smear of frosting. My pulse kicks up.
“I never said I was a saint. But I like to think I’m a giving guy. I let Aidan win sometimes when he plays one-on-one hockey with me.”
