“Okay, smarty-pants. Where’s my cake?”
“What?”
“Don’t what me, Marty. We made an arrangement. You owe me a chocolate cake. I’ve been dreaming about it. How yummy a nice, thick slice would be with a hot—”
Marty reached under her desk and pulled out a cake carrier.
Luke placed a hand over his heart. “Is that what I think it is?”
Marty lifted the lid and revealed the chocolate cake resting inside. “I keep my promises. I even remembered that you prefer the version without frosting or even powdered sugar.” She snapped the lid back on and handed it to Luke.
“You are my favorite,” Luke said as he took the cake.
Marty smirked. “Are you talking to me or the cake?”
“Both.” Luke winked at her, and she turned back to her computer.
He made it three steps down the hall when she called after him.“That cake is still warm, and while it is yours, you had better share if you want to keep your job. Brat.”
“Who’s a brat?” Faith’s laughing voice came from the doorway off the lobby. Luke turned and waited as Faith carried two drink holders loaded with hot beverages to Marty’s desk.
“Special Agent Luke Powell. Brat extraordinaire.” Marty rolled her eyes in his direction. “How are you today, Agent Malone?”
“It’s Faith, and I’m fine. Thank you. I didn’t know what everyone drank, so I brought an assortment. Can I interest you in a vanilla latte? Or a mocha?”
And just like that, Faith had wrapped Marty around her finger. Luke had never seen it happen so quickly. But Marty was a sucker for a generous act, and Faith had thought of her when she’d made her coffee run.
“I’d take a mocha.” Marty stood and approached Faith. “Let me help you with those.” Together they set the drink carriers on the ledge around Marty’s desk and studied the sides in search of the mocha. “Look at this. An Americano with heavy cream that already has Luke’s name on it.”
Luke could almost hear the wheels spinning in Marty’s head. Time to get Faith out of here. “Awesome. It will go great with this cake you made for me.”
Whether she also sensed that Marty was about to pounce or was genuinely curious, Faith helped Luke out. “Marty, did you make Luke a cake? That’s so sweet.”
Marty eyed Faith and Luke with open suspicion. “Huh. Fine. Yes, I did. It’s his favorite. And it will be awesome with that coffee you brought special for Luke.” There was challenge in her tone, but Faith, wisely, didn’t bite.
“Lovely. I’ll take these to the conference room.” She turned to Luke. “Do you think Jacob would like a coffee? I have two black—”
“He’ll take black. He thinks cream is for wimps. Let’s get settled, and I’ll run it back to him.” There was no way he was going to leave Faith alone with Marty while Marty was having a party with the innuendos.
They set the cake and coffees on the conference room table, and Luke snagged a plastic knife from one of the drawers in the credenza. He’d slid the first slice onto a napkin when Jacob strolled in. “I heard there was coffee and cake.”
Luke waved the knife in not-so-mock outrage. “This is my cake!”
“Hand it over.”
Luke slid the cake over to Jacob, who took it and the coffee Faith handed him with a quick thanks. Then he left the room, yelling out, “Coffee and cake in the conference room” as he walked down the hall.
“Now the vultures will descend.” Luke kept slicing cake.
Sure enough, Zane and Tessa appeared moments later.
“Thanks for the coffee, Faith. You didn’t have to do that.” Tessa pulled a cup from the holder, read the label, and smiled. “My favorite.”
“After your glowing recommendation, I had to try it.” Faith took a bite of cake, and her eyes rolled back in her head. “Oh. My. Word.” She dashed from the conference room, and Luke experienced the dual desire to know what she was doing and also to be able to move that quickly.
He didn’t have to wait long.
“Marty! That cake. It’s amazing.” Faith’s voice carried down the hall. “Will you share the recipe? My sister would love it. Her blood type is chocolate.”
