“For God’s sake, don’t jump!” She came to his side and elbowed him.
“You’re not funny, sis.”
“And you aren’t happy.”
He nodded over his shoulder. “With those two, who could be?”
She blew out a breath. “Tell me about it. I deal with this mess every day.”
“That should have scared you off marriage. Why didn’t it?”
“Why would it? I was not going to let them ruin my adult life, too. I adore my sweet, unassuming hubby. He’s mellow. I’m not. He’s calm—”
“You are definitely not that.” He grinned when she punched his arm. “Nor are you strong.”
“Shut up, all right? Geez, can’t a girl get her point across around you?”
He straightened. “What does that mean?”
Bethany smacked her hand on her head. “You don’t know? She’s in love with you. L-O-V-E! You don’t suffer from hearing loss. So how blind can you be?”
Fusions of wonder cracked wide open behind his ribcage. “No. It’s infatuation at best.” But his heart stuttered and shook and maybe even lurched while his body hummed.
“Could be. But you’ll never know if you don’t pursue it.”
“Not happening.” Why not? “I’m not going to subject her to that,” he tilted his head toward the living area, “ever again.”
“They honestly, truly love each other. The forever after kind.”
“What? If that’s real love, I don’t want any part of it.”
“It’s like a little dance they do. She spars. He retreats. She stirs the pot. He engages.”
“That’s utterly insane.” It made sense, though. “Why? She started this.”
“Attention. Affection.”
“Money—”
“Has nothing to do with it really. She hits it where it hurts the most. The vineyard. Don’t you remember her always yelling he was married to it?”
Fragments of arguments rushed back. “One of many accusations.”
“Look, brother. Don’t take this the wrong way. Dad did have an affair.”
“No way.” He shoved away from the railing and looked at her as if she’d grown two heads.
“Before.”
“If it’s before, then wouldn’t it not be an affair?”
“Mom doesn’t see it that way.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I hear everything!”
“You spy, little sister.”
She shrugged. “So sue me.”
He chuckled. “No more courts, please.”
“The point is—”
“Another point?” He groaned. She jabbed him again. “Okay, let it fly.”
“Mom lets the past control her. She’s all wrapped up in Dad having this torrid affair one summer before they met that she’s forgetting how he wooed her and asked her to marry him. Four kids later and devotion aplenty, she found out. Now she won’t ever let him rest.”
“We’re never getting out of this mess, are we?”
“Ah, hold on, wait for it… You, my big lug of a brother, are doing the same thing. Letting the past control you, that is.”
“No.” He shook his head. She glared at him. “No!” She raised her eyebrows. His parents were the problem. They spoiled the entire concept of marriage for him. That’s why he’d never fall into that trap. Slowly, the unnerving feeling of Bethy being completely accurate floored him. “I’m not.”
“Protesting too much and all that.” She folded her arms over her chest and shot him a smug smile. “Go see.”
Noah glanced around. “See what?”
“The video of her, that Gretchen chick. King’s aired it live and it’s on the website. Half a million hits so far.”
“How do you know these things?” He itched to get on his laptop to check it out.
She held up her phone. “A little birdie named…hum, let’s see…inside info…told me. Peg, I think. The clipboard lady. We’re becoming fast friends. That Rico guy, too.”
Noah gently, but firmly, set her aside and marched back into the hotel suite. His parents were quietly talking. Quietly? “What gives?” He held up his hands. “No, I’d rather not know, thank you very much.”
In less than fifteen minutes, Noah, ensconced back in his own hotel room, fired up his laptop. With a few taps and typed words, he pulled up the footage.
“Gretch…” He smiled and laughed. With his heart in his throat, he watched it all the way through, surprised to witness the look of wonder on her face as he came to her just off-screen. He played it again and again; each time a stronger, fiercer well of love bubbled up and expanded. “Good God, I’m in love!”
Chapter 18
The garbled message had Gretchen yanking the phone away from her ear. “What?”
Clicks and fuzzy stuff sounded. “…cake…”
“Hang on a sec.” She swore she wouldn’t answer the phone this late, but she had no idea whether it was Harrison checking up on Lola. Gretchen backtracked, setting the baby back down in her car seat safe inside the playpen, and then repositioned the receiver. “Let’s try this again.”
“Rush order,” the deep voice rumbled.
Man? Woman? Very strange. “It better be since we’re closing in days.”
“Holy moly! Days?!” Surprisingly the question was high-pitched.
Ah, a woman. Why disguise her voice though? “When do you need it by and what do you need?” Her tone remained flat and resigned.
There were more rustling sounds and heated whispers. No came across a few times.
“Hello? Did you forget someone? Like me?”
“Gir—I mean, miss. Lemon cake, please. Tomorrow.” This seemed like someone new.
Gretchen yanked the instrument away, frowned at it, and then returned it. “Time? Fillings? Icing?”
“Nine sharp.”
Cake at nine in the morning? Hmm… My kind of girl or boy. She glanced at the clock and then blinked. The hands were climbing on ten p.m. She’d have to stay to make it.
A muted pounding came over the line. “Helloooo!”
“I’m here.” She chuckled.
“Raspberry, I believe, she wants. With buttercream, whatever.”
A tiny ache swept over her. That’s the one she was making the night she kissed Noah. She glanced at the spot—their spot. Yeah, right over there. She sucked in a painful breath. “O…okay.”
“Mary Lou on the top.” The phone clicked. The loud, annoying buzz followed.
“Mary Lou who?” Strange! She slammed the receiver back in place.
Lola woke, crying.
Going to her, she said, “I’m so sorry, sweetie. Auntie didn’t mean to wake you. There. There.”
The baby whined more.
“Come on.” She undid the strappings and lifted her. “You and me. I’ll give your daddy and Jana a little more time and then we call them in.”
With one hand cradling her and another slinging on the baby pack, Gretchen fit the little one snugly in front of her, dropping a few kisses on her sweaty temple. After pulling out her favorite bowls and the ingredients, Gretchen set to work.
The soft cries stung. “Yeah, me, too. I know. Two single ladies working late. How does that happen?” She fussed some more. “Okay, ready? A one and a two… Her name was Lola…” she sang, taking a few steps side to side and then back and forth. “She was a showgirl…”
Lola half cried and half chuckled.
“That’s it, baby. You can do it!” Gretchen tapped her wooden spoon on a mental pan, going with the clinking rhythm and getting into the song. “Oh, yeah! Throw those arms out.”
Gretchen continued, mumbling a few lines and then belting it out again. “His name was Rico—” She came to a complete stop. “Wait a minute now!” She pointed her wooden spoon at the phone. “The second voice. That was Rico!”
What was he up to this time?
***
Noah blew out a pent-up breath in the morning air. “I don’t know if I
can do this.” His head throbbed as he paced the sidewalk a few yards away from Just Desserts. How could this have happened to him? Gretchen! So damn sweet and loving, she stole her way in and around his heart until he thought it would burst. Ha! So much for never falling in love!
“Holy sassafras, Boss 1, is this a bust or what?” Peg tapped her foot, glaring at him with her clipboard at the ready.
“Girl, look at those shoulders. My, my!” Rico nudged her.
“Enough, you two.” Griffin cut Noah off, stopping him in his tracks, and then held up his hand in front of the camera. “We don’t have to film this part. Blackstock, I never took you for a fool. Don’t be one now.” Griff straightened his suit jacket and walked back to join the others.
He gazed around; people from King’s cluttered the area. There had to be over a dozen. Ha, now you're think like Gretchen, in baking terms.
“Hey, fella, if you don’t mind, I want to try those delish cinnamon rolls I keep hearing about.” Dolly, with her arm looped through her big, black purse, nodded toward the bakery.
Marcus shook his head. “She’s got a one-track mind, Noah.”
A cream-colored SUV screeched to a halt nearby. Doors opened, several familiar faces jumped out, and then slammed the doors behind them.
Relief shot through him. The troops are here!
“We’re not late.” Danny grinned.
Max, scooping Joey into his arms, rushed up beside Annabelle and Gigi. “Jonathan had a class. Otherwise he would have joined us.”
“Can we have cake now?” Joey pointed to the bakery sign.
“Wow! I don’t know what to say.” Noah dragged a hand down his face. “Thanks for coming, everyone. Even you, Mom and Dad and Bethy.” He nodded to his family. His sister’s and father’s smiles made up for his mother’s huffy look. That sealed it for him. Living in the past no longer served him; he’d punished himself far too long for the mistakes of his parents. Once he told Gretchen she deserved better. So did he. “She’s what I want. I mean, who I want.” We’ll make this work, won’t we?
“Ah, Noah, can you hurry this up a bit? You know, pregnant lady, swollen ankles.” Charlie smiled sweetly.
“Yes, of course. And we have to get back for the rest of the contest today…”
“Turn,” Rico instructed, assisting him. “That’s it! Now, walk. Forward. Psst! Peg, you got the brother in place?”
“Yeppers!” She checked off something on her clipboard. “What do you think? I got this.”
“Well, the cake ordering part. You weren’t so good at it.”
“And you were, buddy boy?” She snorted.
With a slow burning deep inside, Noah ignored their chattering and marched to the door. The bell rung as he swung it open.
Harrison stood behind the register, cradling a sleeping Lola. “It’s about time you showed up, Blackstock.”
“Oh my gosh!” Jana cupped her hands together. “I can’t believe this is happening.” She waved to the crowd piling in behind Noah and then to the camera, whispering, “I’m so glad you could make it, everyone. Isn’t this exciting?”
“Nice to see you, too.” He looked around the half wall. “Is she back there?” He spotted her swiping a hand across her forehead and smearing flour there. She’s so adorable. And sexy. And hot. Noah stood up straight. “Call her.”
“Yo, sis! Mary Lou’s here for her cake!” Harrison’s big goofy grin spread across his face.
“Coming right out…” Her voice trailed off and then she was there, carrying the pink box. “I never knew one Mary Lou until the other week. Now there’s tw…two.” Her voice went up an octave at the end when she looked up. “Noah?!”
His heart tumbled over. Sweet Jesus, it was true! He was in love!
***
“And here I thought I was your John.” He cocked an eyebrow.
Gretchen burst out laughing. “Doe. John Doe, I believe. You’ve come back to deliver an order?” Her hands shook. Jana gingerly removed the heavy box from her hands and placed it on the counter.
“My posse,” he tilted his head over his shoulder, “and I came for some of your treats.”
In the background, she was highly aware of their audience and the camera. “I don’t share with just everyone.” Her gaze lingered on his face, his lips, and then back to hold his green-eyed stare.
He reached over the counter, grabbed her cold hand, and helped her step to the side until they were both at the end and nothing separated them. “About that tip…”
“You like my cupcakes?” That catch in her voice caused the brown flecks in his eyes to flare. Her chest expanded.
“For starters.” Reaching up, he brushed off the smudge from her forehead. “Good news first.”
“You’re here. I didn’t scare you away.”
“I’m still shaking, but I am here. No, that’s not the good stuff.”
What could he mean? “Really? What could be better than that?”
“It’s me,” Charlie called out as she took a seat. “You crashed our website last night.”
Gretchen felt the blood drain from her face. Pressing a hand to her neck, she went to Charlie, tugging Noah along. She sat down at Charlie’s side. “That’s bad. I’m sorry.”
“Actually, it’s fantastic. You are a mega hit.”
Gulping hard, she asked, “I am? Wait, what does that mean anyway?”
“You just had to be yourself, Gretchen. Letting you shine through and connecting with our customers and the audience. They felt what you felt. That’s what worked. And, if you’re willing, we want you as part of the King’s family. We’d like you to be one of ours now.”
“Yeah, you’re adopting me!” She giggled. “I can’t help myself. I’m shaky inside right now.”
“You, Gretchen Hart, will do recipes and cameos and whatever else that works for us and you.”
“Wedding cakes? Please, pretty please.” Could this be real? Could her dreams be coming true?
“I think we can work something out.”
She threw her arms up in the air. “I won!”
King’s employees, the Whitfields, family, and friends cheered—her brother loudest of all.
Noah leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I have better news.”
Her breath caught. “Do you? Better than good?” Isn’t that what he’d told Charlie yesterday?
“Come with me.” He stood, pulling her to her feet and maneuvering around the crowd to the back. The sounds were muted in her kitchen area.
“You did this? For me? You brought them here.” She drew close, holding his dear face as he nodded. “Noah. No one’s ever taken care of me before. It’s always been me doing that for them…”
“Gretchen.” He dropped a tender kiss on the tip of her nose. “I’ve never wanted to be that someone for anyone before.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you. About your twelve-year plan… Can we negotiate that?”
A lump stuck in her throat. “You don’t want kids. Never mind four.” It came out flat and hollow. How could this be better news?
Noah rubbed a hand along his jaw. “The thing is, in four or five years when Lola starts school, well, it’s a long time to wait. For us. Can we speed things up a bit? Like say, we start a year after we get married.”
“Married?” Her pulse drummed in her ears. “Noah, you’re proposing?”
“Sweetheart, I can’t promise you it won’t be rocky along the way or even more bad than good some times. I can say that I will fight for you and with you; no more doing it alone. Lean on me. Rely on me. I’m here.” He sucked in a gusty breath. “And I can promise you that you have my heart. Always.”
Tears trickled out of the corners of her eyes. “That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me, Noah Blackstock,” she whispered. “To me, that’s the perfect ingredients to begin a recipe for love.”
He tilted up her chin, leaned down, and trailed his lips over hers. “Now, about settling up that tip….”
Epilogue
The notes of the haunting romantic ballad faded away as the solo singer struck the last chord on his guitar. It resonated in the night air on King’s rooftop garden, softly lit from the glowing candles and strands of sparkling lights. The heady scent of the beautiful flowers lingered on a breeze.
“He’s good,” Gretchen leaned over to Noah and whispered loudly.
“You’re rootin’ tootin’ he is! He’s mine.” Peg stood up and clapped louder than the other wedding guests and then whistled. The shrill sound sliced through the air. He glanced up and had the biggest grin on his face directed at Peg. “Hot stuff!”
“The Austin Rhodes is hers?! The rock star?” Gretchen and Noah asked at the same time and then laughed at each other.
Rico reached back from his seat in front of them and smacked them on the legs. “Stop, will ya!” But he chuckled, too.
“I should see to the cake, Noah. Make sure everything’s all right.”
Jana and Harrison were present to help. Even Lola, dressed in her little pink dress, came to celebrate. Still, this was her contribution to the lovely affair and to her friends.
Gretchen glanced first at the row of chilled Blackstock wine waiting to be consumed nearby and then at the long table several feet away. She beamed at the creation. The bottom tier was draped in colorful flowers, the next one mimicked Annabelle’s rooftop fountain nearby; for the top of the cake, she molded figures of Max and Annabelle, drenched in water and kissing—just like she’d heard happened here when they finally got together.
It had to be her best yet. Pride swelled in her. You done good, Gretch!
“It’s gorgeous. Just like you.” Noah dropped a kiss on her forehead. “But a cinnamon roll cake for the groom?”
“He loved it, by the way.”
“And Joey loved his own mini peanut butter cake. God, you’re amazing.”
Warmth bathed her cheeks. Could she ever get used to this? Try me! “Have I thanked you today?”
“Here? Really, Miss Hart, in front of everyone?”
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