“Lead the way.” Sammy gestured toward the house with his chin.
Robin didn’t bother knocking on the door but pushed through and into the front hall. On the right the hall opened into a large great room which was strung with what must be a hundred strands of twinkle lights. People filled the room, laughing and chatting with one another. Sammy spotted a buffet table along the wall nearest the kitchen area and an empty table next to it. Robin must have noticed it in the same moment, because she threaded her way around the room until they stopped at the spot.
Sammy began unpacking the cakes. A woman wearing a deep-green dress approached them.
“Robin, dear, I’m so glad you made it.”
“Jean!” Robin gave the woman a quick embrace. “I’m so sorry I’m late. And that you won’t have the beautiful cake I promised.”
“Nonsense, these are lovely. Are those peacock feathers? How clever! Want some help?” Jean met Sammy’s eye and put her hand to her chest. “Oh! It seems you’ve brought your own help.”
Under the woman’s gaze, Sammy felt his face heating.
“Jean, this is my, uh, friend, Sammy,” Robin said. “Sammy, this is Jean Adams. This is her party.”
Jean held out her hand to Sammy. “It’s so nice to meet you, friend.” Then the woman tugged at their clasped hands until he leaned close. “You hold on to this girl,” she said sotto voce, “and treat her right. She’s one of the good ones.”
He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. “I intend to,” he whispered back. “I think she’s amazing.”
A blond man sporting a full beard and a camera around his neck approached them. Jean released Sammy’s hand and reached for the newcomer. “Robin, Sammy, this is my son, Matt, the photographer. Matt, this is Robin Fox, the cake designer I was telling you about. I thought you could help her get set up.”
“I’d be happy to help.” The man’s voice was a deep rumble. “It gives me a chance to ask a few questions and to advise you how to set up your cake for the best lighting.”
“Great! I’ll go get the rest of it. Be right back,” Robin said.
The men waited by the table as Robin went to retrieve the final cake box. Sammy shifted from foot to foot.
“So, are you her assistant?” Matt rumbled.
“I’m just the grunt,” Sammy said. “Robin is the talent.”
They waited a few minutes more.
Finally, Robin came back in, weaving her way through the party, dodging elbows and furniture. She set the cake box on the reserved table.
Matt and Robin chatted a bit as she set up the peacock. He asked her about her work at the bakery and her experience in Paris. Sammy noticed that she glossed over her reasons for leaving while speaking well of her colleagues. Good girl. Those quotes would look great in print.
On several of the cupcakes, the colors on the hasty frosting job were bleeding together. Robin handed Sammy a palate knife and showed him how to carefully nudge the color back into place. He prayed no one would notice.
“I love this agate look.” Matt gestured to the former cake top doing its current job as the peacock’s body. On top of the small cake, the fondant bird’s neck sagged a bit, giving the impression it was bowing.
“Thanks. It’s the state rock of Minnesota,” Robin said.
Matt took a few steps back from the cake and snapped some photos. “It’s a great marbling effect.” He instructed Robin to stand next to the cake and took her picture from several angles. “Okay, thanks. I think I got everything I need. These are going to turn out great.”
Robin turned to Sammy, eyes bright. “Should we head out?”
He nodded, but before they could go anywhere, a tinkling sound filled the air—the party guests tapping their glasses and calling for a speech. People crowded around, facing the center of the room where Palmer and Jean stood, each with a glass in their hand.
Palmer gazed at his wife with soft eyes. “I won’t be making a speech. I don’t have a way with words.” He looked to the crowd. “But I do want to thank you each for coming to celebrate. There was a time when we didn’t think we would even make it to ten years, and look at us now.” He paused. Cleared his throat. Held up his glass. “To my wife. We may not be perfect, but we are perfect for each other. Thank you for being my bride for fifty-five years. You deserve a medal.”
Those gathered cheered and laughed as the couple shared a brief kiss. The clinking sound came again, and Jean raised her glass.
“My turn. To my husband. You stuck with me through thick and thin. A little more thick than thin these days.” She ran a hand down her waistline and everyone laughed again. “From the moment you walked into my life, I knew it would be an adventure. Here’s to fifty-five more!”
Jean and Palmer linked arms and drank deeply from their cups, the crowd hooting. Then Palmer dipped Jean into a kiss, their empty cups held high.
Sammy watched as Robin made her way through the crowd of well-wishers to speak to Jean and Palmer. Soon she worked her way back to him. “I told them I’d pack my things and that they could just toss the empty containers when they finish the cake.”
