Beefcake & Cupcakes

by Fennell, Judi

  “I’m worried about you. You’re stretched thin these days. And with tonight’s gig, well, like I said, you’ve got a lot on your plate.”

  Gage leaned against the saw horse. “Are you going Dr. Phil on me?”

  Bry snorted. “Yeah, that’s me. Dr. Shrink. No, I’m just making sure your head’s screwed on straight.”

  “It is. Don’t worry.”

  “All right then.” Gage heard him rifle through some papers. Bry hadn’t quite grasped the no-paper age. “Do you want to do the Girls’ Weekend Fling party on Friday or should I?”

  The thought of spending five hours with a group of ten single girlfriends in their thirties no longer seemed appealing. Especially since he had yet another bachelorette party tonight. “I’ll pass on that one. Megan’s sleeper-hold was more than enough for the month.”

  “Gotcha. Okay, well let me know how the leads turn out. Gina said almost everyone filled out a card.”

  And at least two-thirds of them had had personal messages to him or Carlo on them.

  He hung up, working cold calls into his schedule after the Torrington’s basement this afternoon before the McCullough gazebo. There were never enough hours in the day.

  And now he’d added Lara to the mix, though he wouldn’t have any trouble making time for her.

  He called her. It’d only been an hour, but hey, a guy was entitled to call the woman he’d spent the night with an hour after breakfast if he wanted to.

  “Hey.” Her voice was soft and throaty like the last time she’d uttered his name when she came in the early hours of the morning.

  “Hey yourself. How’s your morning?”

  “Busy. As usual. I still have to empty out the van, fondant is refusing to cooperate, and Cara’s doing deals left and right. We’re going to hire our first employee.”

  “Hey, that’s great. Business is booming.”

  “Just what we need.”

  “I hear you.” And he did. It was good to hear her voice. He was going to miss her tonight, but they both had events and would get home too late to get together. “So about dinner tomorrow. I can pick you up on my way back from the jobsite, but I’ll be pretty dirty. I hope you won’t mind if I leave you with Missy while I grab a shower.” He’d thought about asking her to take one with him, but with Connor in the house, that wasn’t the best idea. Plus, then they’d never get to the party.

  “Why? Is Missy some dangerous person I should be afraid of being around? I mean, I did already meet her and after suffering through that drunken father of the bride at the expo, I should be able to handle a sister.”

  Gage scowled at the reminder. That guy had been inappropriately leering, never mind touching. He should be thankful he hadn’t touched. “Missy’s harmless compared to that guy.”

  “Seems to me you made that guy pretty harmless.”

  He could hear the smile in her voice and it brought one to his face. He wasn’t above being a knight in shining armor if that’s what she wanted. “We aim to please, ma’am,” he said, doing his best cowboy impersonation without the chaps, hat, or boots.

  “You certainly do, Gage. You definitely pleased me.” And with those provocative words, she hung up.

  And left him hanging.

  Chapter 21

  “That has got to be one of the coolest birthday cakes you’ve ever made,” said Cara the next afternoon, checking out Connor’s chessboard.

  Gage had told her about Connor’s obsessions with chess and his favorite video game, so she’d given up her free afternoon to go online to come up with ideas for the chess pieces that looked like the game’s characters. She’d made the chessboard the great hall of a castle and used the game’s logo as the color scheme. All sorts of medieval weapons, suits of armor, and thrones ringed the edges, with the court made up of more of the characters.

  “Any seven-year-old will love it.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Oh he will. The problem is going to be when it’s time to cut it. I bet he’ll want to play with it instead.”

  The thought had crossed her mind, but with all the birthday parties they’d done, she had yet to meet a child who could resist cake.

  Lara closed the lid on the cake box and took off her chef’s hat. “You’re sure you’re okay with manning the place while I go home to shower before dinner? I should be back in plenty of time before Gage gets here.”

  “No problem. It’s Paperwork Sunday. I’ll just work on that and answer any calls that happen to come in. I have to figure out how to set up payroll for our new employee.” Jesse had jumped at the chance for a full time summer job. “Go doll yourself up for the man.”

  That’s exactly what Lara intended to do.

  Back at her condo, she glanced at the latest text message from Gage just before getting into the shower to wash off the day’s efforts.

  Can’t wait 2 C U.

  She couldn’t either. They’d been texting fiends for the past thirty-six hours with one late night hour long call last night.

  Her face—and the rest of her—heated at that memory. Who knew phone sex could be so hot?

  She fanned herself. She’d never done that before but it came as a natural progression when they were both in their respective beds and the night wrapped around them with their mutual desire.

  She used her stash of designer scented soaps and oils she’d bought after leaving her former life—fragrances she’d chosen—took extra long care to keep the Medusa curls from springing to life like a bunch of steel wool, then agonized over what to wear.

  She was being ridiculous. It was just going to be her, Gage, Missy, Connor, and a few of his friends. Pizza and chips with cake and ice cream for dessert, not a trip to the country club.

  And for that she could say she was grateful. She’d never liked the lifestyle Jeff had aspired to. It hadn’t been her, but she’d done it for him.

  And where had it gotten her?

  Looking at herself in the mirror, in a sundress and low-heeled sandals, Lara had to admit that trying to fit into Jeff’s world had gotten her where she was now: looking forward to dinner with a wonderful man and his family.

  Not a bad a place to be to be at all.

  ***

  Gage pulled into the bakery parking lot fifteen minutes early. Great. Fifteen more minutes he’d have with Lara.

  He went inside. The reception area was small. They could use some touch-up paint in here and maybe a lower counter. He always hated when the receptionist couldn’t see over it to greet new arrivals. Not that that was an issue for them at the moment, but with Lara’s talent and Cara’s determination, it would be eventually.

  He headed down the hallway. “Hello?”

  “Back here!”

  He followed the voice. It turned out to be Lara’s cousin in an office to the right of the kitchen area. “Hey, Cara. Is Lara here?”

  Cara looked up, her curls springing from her head as if she’d stuck her hand in a light socket. “She should be shortly. She went home to shower.”

  An image he’d had in his head all damn day…

  “Want a tour of the place?” Cara slapped the stack of papers she was holding onto the desk.

  “That’s okay, you’re busy.”

  She stuck her pencil on top of the papers. “No biggie. I’m sick of looking at this stuff. Contracts are not my forte, not when I have to figure out how to do payroll for the help we’ve hired, go over inventory for a new client’s job, stuff like that.” She cocked her head, looking enough like Lara that she was pretty, but missing that special something that made him interested. “You’re not really interested in hearing this, are you?”

  “Sure I am. Anything Lara’s into interests me. Plus I know all about supplies and scheduling. I’m working on three construction jobs myself at the moment.”

  “In addition to BeefCake?”

  He shrugged. “All work and no play makes Gage a dull boy.” It was sarcastic joke between him and Bryan because there weren’t enough hours in the d
ay for all they had going on to think about play. Maybe in five years.

  She walked around her desk. “BeefCake is playtime for you? You find grope-y horny, ill-behaved women fun?”

  Cara obviously hadn’t gotten the sarcasm. “Whoa. Hold on. You misinterpreted what I meant.”

  She plunked her hands on her hips and walked toward him, a tiny ball of fury. “Well why don’t you explain it to me since you’re seeing my cousin? She doesn’t need some player using her. She’s been through enough hell with her asshole of an ex. I thought you were a decent guy, what with all you’re doing for your nephew. I mean, I’m all for Lara going out and getting some, but with the way she’s been mooning around this place for the past two days, there’d better be a little more substance to you than just good sex.”

  “She said that?” Here, he’d been hoping she’d thought it was phenomenal.

  Cara rolled her eyes. “That’s what you focus on? Men. I swear to God I’ll never understand you creatures.”

  “Perhaps if you stop calling us creatures, you might.”

  “When your kind stops acting like them, I will.”

  Talk about a chip on the shoulder… “You don’t let your size stop you, do you?”

  “What does my size have to do with anything?”

  Apparently nothing since she had him backed up against a wall.

  He held up his hands. “Truce? Give me a chance to explain?”

  She crossed her arms and tapped a toe. “Two minutes.”

  He really shouldn’t smile. He tried not to. “I’m working three different construction projects at the moment, am trying to drum up more for when they’re finished, I have the sales calls to make on the leads for BeefCake, not to mention helping my partner with scheduling, hiring, training, costuming, and everything else associated with putting on a traveling show, am looking for a venue to have a permanent presence, and oh yeah, have an injured nephew who needs therapy and surgery, with a sister who’s doing everything she can to make ends meet. So occasionally I do delve into the realm of sarcasm to deal with the stress. You just happened to overhear that little side trip.”

  Surprisingly, he’d shut her up.

  She sat back on the edge of the desk—actually she leaned against it because she wasn’t tall enough to sit on it—and studied him.

  “Are we okay now?”

  She tapped her lip. “I think so. But if you hurt Lara, you’re going to have to answer to me.”

  That prospect frightened him more than Megan launching herself into his arms the other night.

  “I’m not planning to, Cara. I care about her. But the reality of the situation is that there are only so many hours in a day, so I have to be happy with what I can get with her.”

  “That’s why you invited her to dinner tonight.”

  “One of the reasons. The other is that I wanted her there. She’s important to me, and Connor’s birthday is important to me. If you want to come, you’re more than welcome to.”

  She tapped her lips again. “That’s a thought.”

  Crap. He hadn’t thought she’d take him up on the offer.

  She stood up. “So, do you want that tour?”

  Luckily, the back door in the kitchen opened. “Car, I’m back!”

  Lara was here.

  “Sheesh. You don’t have to look so relieved,” Cara muttered as she brushed past him on her way out of the office.

  Gage smiled and shook his head. He couldn’t blame Cara; Missy would do the same thing if he left her alone with Lara—

  Which he was planning to do when he got home. Maybe it was a good thing for Cara to come. She could prevent an interrogation that really didn’t need to happen.

  He walked out after her.

  “Gage! You’re early.”

  He was very glad he was. Lara looked stunning. Her dress clung in all the right places and her hair was a jumble of soft waves falling around her shoulders like it had when he’d threaded his fingers through it the other night as he’d made love to her.

  “I got done sooner than I thought, so I headed over. Wanted to surprise you, but the surprise was on me.” He looked at Cara. That’s sarcasm, sweetheart.

  Cara glared at him.

  Lara looked between the two of them. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah. Sure,” said Cara. “I’m coming to dinner with you.”

  “Um, what?”

  Gage shrugged. “The more the merrier, right?”

  “That’s what I always say,” said Cara.

  “No you don’t. You hate crowds.” Lara put her hand on her hip. “What’s going on, you two?”

  “Nothing, Lara. Honest.” Gage held out his arms. “Can I get a hug or will I mess up your outfit?” Two sisters had also taught him the importance of asking permission for just that reason.

  Lara went into his arms. “The day a man can’t hug a woman because of that is the day the world should come to an end.”

  A woman after his own heart—

  Whoa.

  “Gage?”

  He’d stiffened and she’d felt it. “I, uh, don’t want to mess up your hair.”

  She pulled back and looked up at him. “You two are acting awfully weird. Are you sure there’s nothing going on?”

  “Everything’s fine.” He tugged her close. Everything was fine now.

  “Yeah, Lar, everything’s good,” said Cara, for once on his side. “Now, shall we grab the cake and get out of here? I, for one, am sick of this place today. I haven’t seen daylight in hours.”

  Gage looked at the outside of the building as he carried the cake out to his truck and stuck it on the bench seat. Cara’s office had an outside wall. It was cinderblock, but if there weren’t any electrical wires running along it, he could put a window in for her relatively inexpensively. He did have that extra one he’d salvaged from a house when the owners had opted for French doors instead. He could use that. And he had a couple of odd shaped pieces of granite that he could work into a new reception counter too, now that he thought about it. Some scrap lumber he could make a chair rail out of, and he had enough left-over paint to spruce the place up. A day, maybe two, and their reception area would look good as new. And Cara could have some sunlight to keep her in a better mood.

  He shook his head as he walked around to the driver’s side. Look at him; like he didn’t have enough to occupy his time, now he was going to put in volunteer work at the bakery.

  Lara opened the door and sat in her cousin’s car, her dress sliding up to reveal that expanse of thigh he’d spent considerable time getting well acquainted with the other night.

  Yeah, he’d make the time.

  Chapter 22

  The house was overrun with seven-year-olds, most of them in full-on fantasy garb, with Connor dressed up like a king, lording over them all from his chair, in particular a small blonde troll with dimples and angelic blue eyes who looked at Connor as if he really were a king. Gage smiled. Ah, it started young with the Tomlinson genes.

  It did Gage’s heart good to see his nephew enjoying himself. The kids often came by, but one-on-one got old after a while, and with Connor house-bound for the most part, this was a welcome afternoon.

  Missy threw him a grateful smile when they walked into the kitchen.

  “Thank God you’re here. They all came early. Apparently Connor spread the word that he wanted a full scale battle before the pizza arrived so here they are. I was wondering why he kept bothering me about what time we’d order. Any chance you can supervise while I get everything ready in here?”

  “Let me run up and grab a quick shower, then I’m all yours.”

  “Cara and I can handle them,” said Lara. “You go shower and we’ll man the fort.”

  From the look on Cara’s face, Gage would guess she wasn’t a fan of that idea. But he kissed Lara’s cheek on his way upstairs. “Thanks. I owe you.”

  “And me,” grumped Cara. “You definitely owe me. Big time.”

  Oh Cara definitely had a go
od grip of sarcasm.

  ***

  “Thanks so much for helping out,” Missy said when her brother left the room. The poor girl looked worn out and the party hadn’t even started.

  “No problem,” said Lara. “Anything we need to know before we venture in?”

  “Just keep the light sabers away from the flat screen. It’s Gage’s pride and joy.”

  “Will do,” said Lara, heading into the horde of invading mongrels.

  Cara snorted. “Gee. A guy in love with a giant boob tube. Why am I not surprised?”

  “Did something happen with Nick?”

  Cara rolled her eyes. “Of course not. I don’t define my entire existence by my boyfriend, you know.”

  “Are you trying to tell me something?”

  Cara looked at her. “Um, no. I’m sorry. You’re right. I was being bitchy. Too much paperwork, I guess.”

  “Ooh, she said a bad word!” One of the kids tossed back his mask and pointed at Cara. “Fifty cents in the curse word jar!”

  Five others picked up the chant. Apparently curse-word jars were a common occurrence among Connor’s friends.

  Lara led Cara away from them. No need to incite a riot.

  “Un guard!” yelled a minion as it charged toward a troll, his French in need of an overhaul.

  “I’m going to spewer you,” said another, trying to actually do that.

  Lara grabbed the light saber. “Hey, no skewering allowed. Otherwise the cake will fall out of his belly.”

  “Cake?” Twenty pairs of eyes turned her way and the pandemonium came to a standstill.

  Only to start on a different tangent.

  “Where’s the cake?”

  “I want some.”

  “Can I have an end piece?”

  “Is there a rose? I want a rose.”

  “I don’t like chocolate.”

  “I only like coffee cake.”

  “Do you have pie?”

  Cara was spinning around as if the kids were pulling her like a top. Lara had to laugh. It was amazing how similar she and Cara were in many things, but the thought of a child blew her poor cousin right out of the water. Twenty of them could send her to the loony bin.