by Scott, D. D.
“Not any more. I’m officially borrowing it.”
“You’re welcome to anything I have, JuJu Bee.”
“Anything?” Jules’ raised her eyebrows then lowered her head, challenging Cody to define his offer.
“Yes, Ma’am,” he said, nodding his head without the slightest hesitation. “I’m yours.”
Jules leaned into him and joined her lips with his, sealing the deal.
Where it would take her?
She hadn’t a clue.
But she was looking forward to the ride.
Chapter Eleven
Jules took in the tropical punch-colored paradise she’d created around the Cruz’ pool.
She’d brought the inside of a chic Mexican resort — outside.
Setting the guest list’s well-heeled feet in a faux island mecca, Sienna’s family’s swanky friends would definitely be in the mood for sophisticated sensuality from this first pre-nuptial event through the ‘I do’s’.
With tangerine-colored partitions in lieu of stucco walls, Jules had made an irresistible lounge effect with hot pink sofas and settees, plus fancy bamboo and wicker tables. The best of Baja Peninsula villas had nothing over Sweet Destiny’s pool-side alternative.
The planning and prep had been a bitch.
Thanks to Jacques’s usual antics, decisions hadn’t been easy to come by. He hadn’t changed from his culinary school days. If anything, he’d gotten more careless, lazy, clueless and unproductive.
Every time they’d decided on an idea and gotten Sienna and her mother’s blessing, Jacques changed his mind. Jules was tired of taking the heat for his incompetence. But she’d kept her cool and convinced Sienna and Company to go with her ideas.
Remaining on their good side now would pay off for Fan Fest. At least Jules hoped so.
She helped the florist finish pink and sunset-hued Persian buttercup arrangements by slipping the bold blossoms into silver, mint-julep cups. Set on each table along with floating tea candle gardens, the centerpieces were vivacious, daring and screamed Sienna.
“The hot pink is rather scrumptious,” Jacques said while stuffing flirty flip-flops, fancy towels and a hodgepodge of other overpriced boutique treats into the hand-made jute beach bags the guests would be given as party favors.
Finishing the last bag, he said, “I’m glad you took my advice though and added the orange to keep the pink from being too sweet.”
“It’s amazing how demented you really are,” Jules said, checking off the centerpieces from her work list. “You had nothing to do with choosing the colors. I decided that.”
“Let’s not get bogged down in the details.” Jacques shooed Jules away with tsk-tsk flicks of his manicured fingers.
“Whatever. Why don’t you make yourself somewhat useful? Check with the bartenders to make sure they’ve got the lowdown on making my signature Strawberry Splash. Remember, I want only white rum, club soda and strawberry schnapps. No sugary mixes. These ladies won’t want the extra calories or carbs.”
And neither did Jules. But one of these glasses of liquid courage could and would be hers after she’d made sure the bridal shower was off to a great start.
She checked on her cupcakes next.
Huge towering mini-cupcake trees flanked the sides of a massive chocolate fountain.
And yes, Jules was well aware that chocolate was indeed one of the most temperamental ingredients to work with, but it was rich and decadent and what people expected when they thought of great desserts. The fact she was damn good at working with it added to her creative arsenal.
Each shower guest would also get a half dozen of her fabulously frosted, cupcake delights in keepsake acrylic boxes with the first letter of their last name scrolled on top of each cupcake in butter cream icing.
Jules reviewed the seating chart Sienna had given her, making sure the individually initialed, orange chiffon and raspberry lemon mini cakes were set next to the appropriate chairs. It had taken her and the staff of five she’d hired at the bakery almost a week to get these babies ready. She’d be damned if she was going to blow the effect now.
She was worried enough she’d had to make some of the cakes ahead and freeze them. She preferred fresh-baked but had no time to go that route.
Last, Jules placed a stack of eight designer plates, in a variety of patterns ranging from Asian-inspired florals to zebra stripes and boho baby chic, on each table for serving the salads and croissants.
Sienna would receive a place setting for two of each pattern, and the guests would take home the plate they used as an additional party favor.
Jules checked the time on her watch.
Right on target. Yes.
Her stomach turned flip flops bold and brasher than the neon-colored variety tucked into the guests’ beach bags.
Cody should be there soon with the food. He, Midge and Grams had busted their butts whipping up curried chicken and albacore tuna salad. Jules had baked rosemary, asiago, and walnut wheat croissants to complete the entree. Along with the croissants, Sienna’s family and friends would be served their choice of gorgonzola, Greek or Italian house salad and a variety of soups.
Studying the menu cards she’d had professionally printed made Jules’ stomach growl.
Oh yeah. This was terrific, she silently raved, giving her ego a hefty boost.
She’d done good. Real good.
She headed back toward the inside of the Cruz’s home, planning to stop by the kitchen for one last check-in with her staff prior to the event’s start.
On her way past both bars she’d set up around the pool, she made sure Jacques had the bartenders ready to roll.
Winding her way from room to room, her body relaxed at the precise time she was used to experiencing a big surge to get through the next few hours. She’d always thrived on the adrenaline flooding her body before big events.
Why did she feel so different?
She knew why.
Who was she kidding?
She wasn’t alone anymore, battling her future with only her righteous bravado standing guard.
She’d given Cody her heart, entrusting it to him on the steps of the Parthenon after their first bike ride.
No man had ever filled her with so much confidence and comfort.
But was she a fool to relax into Cody’s safety net?
Should she rely on him instead of face her future and Sweet Destiny’s future on just her own feet?
She was damn good at goin’ it alone.
This at-peace approach, having a complete heart and soul, scared the hell out of her.
• • •
Cody worked with the arugula, spinach and other mixed greens he’d taken from his gardens to make the salads.
Served with Jules’ hot and super delicious, homemade bread, these ladies were in for a treat.
“Everything looks great. Have you seen what Jacques and Jules did to the pool area?” Sienna asked Cody.
Leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen, she sipped some fruity cocktail with one of Cody’s gigantic strawberries garnishing the rim of her glass.
“I haven’t been out there yet. Haven’t had time,” he said, arranging the spinach leaves to best showcase their robust color, trying to block out Sienna’s sultry voice and annoying presence in the kitchen.
He knew damn well the poison lying underneath her pleasing-on-the-surface tone. And he wanted none of it.
“I suppose you’ll be out there soon enough. It really is fabulous.” Sienna twisted her hair around her pinky finger while sucking on her straw.
Cody returned his focus to his mixed greens, refusing to get mixed up in the head games Sienna played like a pro.
But he wasn’t about to allow Jacques to take any credit for the event’s success.
“You need to let Jules know how pleased you are. Jacques hasn’t lifted one of his manicured fingers.”
“A little protective of the Cupcake Queen - are we? She must mean more to you than I thought.”
Sienna came over and stood in front of Cody, making a point to position her leather-tie-bikini-clad cleavage right over his arugula.
“I don’t care what you think about much of anything, Sienna, except Jules. Take that however you want to. But she’s the one busting her ass for you and your wedding, not that asshole of a wedding planner you hired.”
Cody diced up tomatoes, flinching himself at the ferocity with which his knife contacted the cutting board. Damn she brought out his worst and then some.
Easy. Don’t let her get to you, he coached himself, trying his best not to let her have that much power over him. Jules would be proud, he thought, taking a deep, centering breath.
“I didn’t hire Jacques. Mom did. And for your information, I’m not stupid. I can see Jules is the brains and the brawn behind my events. Why do you think I demanded you two come to Cabo? We all make a good team.”
“You don’t know anything about playing as part of a team, Sienna. You gave that up for your career.”
“That’s not true. I can’t help the timing in our lives just didn’t work out. I never meant to hurt you, Cody.”
“It didn’t have anything to do with timing, Sienna,” Cody said, hearing the hiss-like disdain slither through his voice while he relived the venom she’d deposited in his heart. “Our hearts didn’t work. Well, I take that back. Mine did. But I learned, almost too late, that you don’t have one.”
Before Cody could light into Sienna any further, he looked up from his cutting board. Jules now leaned against the same door frame Sienna had just peeled her snake-like body off of.
This could get interesting.
Here he was in the kitchen with two incredibly beautiful women, but two women who couldn’t be more different in how they personified beautiful.
Beauty had little to do with what they were wearing, or not wearing in Sienna’s case.
It was whether or not they were sexy from within.
Cody shivered.
Damn this psychology crap had hooked him good. He’d never been analytical until Jules and Tulip took control of his wits.
Not in a ridiculously skimpy bikini like Sienna, Jules blew him away in her skinny jeans, platform heels and body-hugging, Sweet Destiny logoed cotton top.
With her, it was the total package. Her strong but sweet face, her silky run-your-fingers-through hair, and her authentic smile set her apart from any other woman he’d met.
And her mocha eyes?
Well — every time she focused on him, they went straight to his heart - then his groin.
Jules was his fantasy, not the triple x vixen Sienna had become.
“Sorry to interrupt but I’m ready for the food.”
Jules sucked in a big breath of air, squared her shoulders to both he and Sienna and took command of the room like Cody had come to expect and adore.
“Sienna, I think I heard Diesel and Jacques starting to entertain a few of your guests. You should probably supervise that.”
“I’m on it. Thank you again for your genius and hard work, Jules. I know it’s not Jacques making my dreams come true. It’s you,” Sienna said, throwing her arms around Jules and hugging her before scurrying off to save her guests from The Weasel and his evil sidekick.
Jules gave Cody a look of ‘what was that all about’. Her eyebrows rose, evidently expecting him to dish on how and why Sienna would thank her like that — let alone act so beyond thrilled to see her.
But Cody wasn’t about to reveal his methods.
Hell. Who knew how long she’d been standing there and what she’d heard or not heard.
The important thing was he was taking care of the one woman he cared about more than anything. And maybe, with her help, he could put Sienna in his past forever.
“Okay, JuJu Bee. Let’s get this party rolling. Hand me that stack of plates you got there and I’ll get these salads ready to serve.”
Jules set the stack of fancy dishes on the counter.
Plating food on these precocious things was not Cody’s thing. In his mind, the dizzying patterns and colors took away from the beauty of his produce. But what did he know?
He was used to serving the diner’s fare on plastic picnic plates. These froufrou gigs were way out of his comfort zone.
But Jules needed him — so fine china it was.
The salad’s plated, Cody loaded as many as he could onto the trays he’d brought from the diner then followed Jules out to the pool.
There was no way he’d know how to put these on the table in an artful way. That was her department. He’d stay behind her with the tray and let her work her magic. Enjoying every bit of being by her side.
Stepping into the pink and orange paradise she’d created knocked the wind out of him.
No wonder Sienna was thrilled. She’d be nuts not to be. This was fantastic.
“Jules, honey, you’ve outdone yourself. This is terrific.”
“You think?” She turned back to look at him, her eyes and face that of a little girl wanting nothing more than his approval.
“Well yeah. I thought so five seconds ago and still do.”
Cody loved teasing her about her tendency to repeat questions he’d already answered. He thrived on the feeling that by answering them again and sometimes again after that he gave her the extra confidence she seemed to need.
“What’s not to like? You’re amazing and so very, very talented.”
Cody spotted Jacques, as if he could miss his flamboyant pink and orange shirt tucked into crisp, white pants. Where did he think he was — Miami? He wasn’t the focus of the event, although he seemed to think he was the center of attention of every room he walked.
Setting his trays down on the top of the privacy wall landscaping the pool area, Cody watched Jacques trying to work one of Jules’ lighters.
He wasn’t supposed to be messing with those things, was he?
Jules would shit if she caught him attempting to light candles.
Cody headed towards him to rescue him from a for sure ass chewing, although the thought of him getting one had an appeal Cody couldn’t deny.
He wasn’t taking any chances, however, on anything or anyone ruining this opportunity for Jules.
But before he could maneuver the crowd of guests drinking cocktails and indulging in mini cupcakes, Jacques figured out how to produce a flame.
Too bad he had a table covering in his line of fire.
In one rapid poof the tablecloth ignited, sending gasps through the crowd.
Sprinting past Jules who had seen the horror and was trying to get a bartender to fill a pitcher of water, Cody ran for the pool. They didn’t have time to fill a pitcher.
Before taking time to think of his own wellbeing or that of his favorite hat, Cody pulled off his Stetson and dunked it into the pool.
Dashing for the lit-up table, he doused the flames with one shot, although not completely putting down the fire. Going for a second hat full, he hit the stubborn sparks again, relieved to see the orange spurts go up in smoke and the extra water splash off Jacques and Diesel’s mortified faces.
“Oh my God, thank you,” Jules said, the front of her shirt soaked from running to the table with a pitcher of water they no longer needed except to finish off Jacques and Diesel.
She set the pitcher on the table and threw her sopping wet upper torso around Cody’s shoulders.
“You are so buying him a new hat, you stupid imbecile,” Jules hissed at Jacques while still holding tight to Cody. “And you call yourself a wedding planner. You can’t plan your way out of the holes you dig for yourself let alone events of this magnitude.”
Thinking it best he defuse the firestorm brewing between his two ‘partners’, Cody took Jules by one arm and gently squeezed her damp flesh then turned her toward the guests who had long since stopped drinking and devouring cupcakes.
“I think I’ll drink what y’all are drinking,” Cody said, surprised when several ladies then went for the bar to fetch him a drink
while the rest clapped and cheered.
“Make that two,” Jules said, her eyes giving Cody all the thanks he needed while her body relaxed under his steady hold.
Oh yeah, Jacques Ass. You’re screwed, Cody thought, smiling at his nemesis.
But seeing the dark, frigid glare piercing Jacques’ eyes turned Cody’s celebration to concern. The man wasn’t about to concede.
Well neither was Cody.
Chapter Twelve
Talk about a meltdown.
Even a month after Jacques’ flame retarded antics, thinking about the bridal shower, almost-fiasco had Jules’ heart still racing with the duress of a derby horse.
But no one had ever warmed her heart like Cody did stepping into save her.
And he’d never left her side since.
He’d helped her mark off one goal at a time until she’d achieved each one on schedule.
She’d never relied on a man like she’d grown to rely on him. She’d learned to count on him being there for her — a realization that soothed her soul at the same time it scared her senseless.
Since moving to Nashville, her life seemed all about facing her fears.
Here it was early November, and she’d made two, huge, fear factor-worthy challenges over-the-top successful. Sienna’s bridal shower and Sweet Destiny’s grand-opening.
And the fact that both had made the print version and weblogs of Nashville Scene was better than any icing on her cakes — well almost, but not quite.
She couldn’t bask in her accomplishments now, though. No way.
She had the biggest cookies yet to bake to prevent her dreams from crumbling. Well, not exactly cookies. More like cupcakes.
Since her cupcake-themed events had been such a big hit with the Music City society crowd, Jacques’ had up and changed his Fan Fest application promising bigger and better mini cakes than he thought Jules and Sweet Destiny could ever conjure into confectionary reality.
Let the battle of the cupcakes begin.
But if Jacques thought that would get him back in the Cruz’s good graces, he was sooooo wrong. At least where Sienna was concerned.
Since Jules and Cody had saved her bridal shower from going up in flames, Sienna had ratted out Jacques’ Fan Fest plans.