Take the Cake (26 page)

She crossed the street at the light and glanced down the sidewalk to see the red canvas canopy fluttering in the mild breeze. Even after all this time, she sometimes still wanted to hug herself at the thought of owning her own business. It was a never-ending slog, but she liked being independent and being able to do with the store what she wished. Not that ownership or lack thereof had ever stopped Wren from putting her own stamp on things. Between the two of them, they had given the bakery a style that was entirely unique. The charm seemed to beguile the customers as well, as after five years they had acquired a loyal clientele.

As she reached the door, she stood aside to let a couple of customers exit with a smile, and then went inside. Out of habit, she glanced over at the counter first to see Wren and Emily laughing between them as they worked, and then she saw Michael relaxing at a table. When he saw that she had seen him, his smile matched hers as she walked over.

“Hey,” she greeted him as she bent down to give him a soft kiss.

“Hey, yourself,” he replied, running his hands over her hips and cupping the back of her thighs to pull her closer. Kate leaned against his side, her warm body flush against his, and slid her hand around the back of his neck. “How’s my girl?”

“Getting better all the time,” she replied, feeling herself relax under his touch as his thumbs rubbed lazy circles over her jeans. She nodded toward the
National Geographic
on the table. “Checking out the boobs?”

“I am now,” he said, nuzzling his face into her side and making her laugh.

“I meant in the magazine.”

“Ah, my mistake.” He gave her a lazy smile. “No boobs there. I’ve been reading while I was waiting for you, but now that you mention it …” He pulled her closer and kissed her again, longer this time.

“Hey, you two, break it up,” Wren called from the counter.

“Like you can talk,” Kate shot back, laughing as Wren ducked out of sight. “I caught her and David together in the kitchen last week, wrapped around each other,” she said in response to Michael’s curious expression.

“Ah,” he said with a grin, “it sounds like the two of them are going well.”

“Very, but Wren still can’t quite work out what’s going on. She’s used to bad boys, so David is a bit of a shock to the system.” She smiled at the small woman who was working with her back to them now. “He’s keeping her on her toes, and I think that’s good for the little dynamo.”

“David seems happy,” Michael observed, thinking of his friend’s smile whenever he mentioned Wren.

“So it’s all good,” Kate replied, trying to ignore the little voice in her head wondering how long it was going to last. “Are you okay to wait while we finish up?”

“Sure. Is there anything I can do to help?” Michael asked, still holding her close.

“It looks like the girls have everything under control,” Kate said, “but I’d better pitch in and do my bit, and then we can go.” She smiled and walked behind the counter to join in.

Fifteen minutes later, Michael waved off Wren and Emily as Kate tugged the door closed, and then pulled on the roll down security door, which she locked. Kate added her voice to the chorus of farewells before checking the lock again, and then straightened up to take Michael’s hand. They set off toward Michael’s and had gone half a block before Michael shook off her hand and snaked his arm around her waist.

“Do you want to stop off for a drink on the way back to my place?”

“Not unless you want to,” Kate replied. “I’m just looking forward to kicking back on your sofa and taking my shoes off.”

“Hmm.” Michael kissed the top of her head. “High maintenance, huh?”

“That’s me,” Kate sighed, which turned into a small yawn. “Sorry.”

Michael looked at her in surprise. He was still feeling energized from his afternoon of writing. The words had been bubbling in his head all the way home, and he had been distracted enough to give the cab driver an unexpectedly generous tip as he had snatched up his bags and made his way inside. The cold food items had been quickly stashed in the refrigerator before he had made his way to his desk and pulled up his chair. For a brief moment, he had stared out the window again, before the words had risen up in volume and pulled him back to the page. By the time the words had slowed to a trickle, he had discovered that it was almost time to go and meet Kate. He had snatched up his keys again, cursing that he hadn’t allowed himself time to start the dinner prep, and reassured himself with the thought that the evening held no time constraints.

“Are you okay?” he asked, noticing for the first time that she was looking pale.

“I’m fine, just a bit tired,” she replied, leaning into him a little more as they walked. “I’m looking forward to dinner, though. What are you cooking?”

“You’ll find out soon,” he said. “Although to be honest, I haven’t started cooking anything yet. I got some ideas while I was out shopping earlier, so I’ve been working all afternoon.” He gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry.”

“For what?” she looked up at him in surprise. “You’re sorry you were writing? Michael, it’s what you do. It’s a part of who you are.”

~~~

“Here you are,” David said, sliding into the stool beside Wren where she sat at the bar and giving her a quick kiss. “How was your day?”

“Good.” Wren smiled.
Play it cool.
“Better now that my weekend has officially started.”

“Well, I think we’d better celebrate that with something nice,” David said. “How about I take us somewhere for dinner?”

Wren glanced around the bar. “What’s wrong with here?”

“I thought we were celebrating,” David said. “We can do better than a bar somewhere.”

“It’s okay.” Wren shrugged. “I don’t need special.”

“Well, I think you do, and I’m paying so let’s go,” David said in a quiet but firm tone. He put his hand over hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Come on, Wren, let me spoil you a little.” Wren opened her mouth to protest. “No strings,” he said.

She nodded and sipped at the last of her wine. Setting the glass down, she turned to David.

“Ready?” he asked.

“As I’ll ever be,” she replied, and slid off the stool. He held the door for her as they exited the bar, and then offered her his arm. “Are you always this much of a gentleman?”

“It’s how I was raised, to give women respect,” he replied, drawing her hand through the crook of his arm and holding it close.

“Oh, yeah,” Wren said, feeling out of her depth. “So the whole act was drilled into you, huh?”

David looked at her in mild surprise. “Not at all. Mom and Dad set the standards and showed me by example.” He shrugged.

“It must’ve been nice,” Wren said, not noticing how wistful she sounded, “growing up like that.”

“It worked for me.” David smiled. “Now, what do you feel like for dinner?”

“What do you feel like?” Wren countered.

“I’m the one spoiling you, remember? If you could eat anything you wanted, what would it be?” David glanced away from their path and looked at Wren, who was deep in thought.

“You know,” she said slowly, “I think right now I want a martini, and anything beyond that I’m putting myself in your hands.”

David smiled and rubbed her hand as they walked on. “I’ll remember that.”

~~~

Kate gave a groan of contentment as she sank down onto the sofa. “I’d almost forgotten how good it is to sit down.”

“I didn’t think your day had been that bad,” Michael said, reappearing from the kitchen with a bottle of wine and two glasses. Kate shifted her feet enough for him to sit down on the sofa beside her, and he then set out pouring their drinks. “Here’s to Saturday night,” he said, offering her a glass. Kate accepted it, and they chinked their glasses together in a toast to the weekend.

“Oh, that’s so good,” Kate said after she had taken a sip, and then leaned back on a cushion.

Michael rubbed her calf with his hand. “How about you relax, and I’ll go get dinner started.”

“I love it when you talk dirty.” Kate yawned. Michael gave a short chuckle and brushed a kiss on her forehead as he got up. Kate reached up to trail her hand down his thigh, letting her arm drop back to her side as he moved away. Setting her glass down on the coffee table, she curled up on her side and pulled the cushion into a comfortable place behind her head. Her position gave her a partial view of the kitchen, and she caught glimpses of Michael as he moved around, selecting pots and starting the oven. She yawned again, her eyes fluttering closed, and then she saw nothing at all.

~~~

Wren looked around her in amazement as she draped her napkin across her lap. “I can’t believe I haven’t seen this place before.”

“You like it?” David smiled at her reaction. He’d ushered her into a cab for a trip to the Red Cat Martini Bar. “I know it doesn’t look that fancy, but when you said you wanted a martini, this place was the first one I thought of.”

“It’s all good,” Wren murmured, having found the drinks menu. “Oh, my God, you weren’t kidding. Martini ahoy.”

David laughed and caught the eye of a waiter. “I think we’re going to need drinks to start,” he said. Wren looked up and smiled at him, her eyes shining.

He was very pleased with his choice.

~~~

Michael stood at the foot of the sofa, smiling down at the sleeping Kate. He had a choice: wake her up or let her sleep. He considered the options, and then moved to bend over and kiss her cheek.

“Kate, honey …” he whispered, and reached out to trail a finger across her cheek, smiling as she sighed and shifted a little before blinking her eyes open.

“Did I fall asleep?” she asked, her voice groggy.

“Something like that,” he replied, amused at her dazed expression.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she struggled into a sitting position. “That was rude.”

“Not at all,” he assured her, sitting on the coffee table across from her and rubbing her knees. “It’s nice that you feel comfortable enough here to relax like that, and besides,” he went on, “dinner’s ready.”

Kate’s eyes widened at that. “How long was I asleep?”

“Nearly two hours,” Michael said, grinning at her dismay. “Like I said, don’t worry about it. If you’re still hungry, I can serve it up.”

“Oh, I’m hungry,” Kate said as she stood up. “Let’s eat. What’s on the menu?”

“Come see.” Michael picked up her wine glass and led her to the marble kitchen counter that he had cleared and set for two. Gesturing for her to take a seat at one of the leather stools, he handed Kate her wine glass and set about serving. Kate sipped at her wine, enjoying the pepper of the Shiraz, and twisted a little in her seat to peer at what Michael was doing.

“Is that …” she paused, not quite believing what she had glimpsed, “… rack of lamb?”

“It is.” Michael flashed a grin over his shoulder as he slid the lamb onto a platter. A moment later, he set the plate down on the counter with a flourish. “Rack of lamb, hasselback potatoes, and a green herbed salad.”

Kate stared at the platter and then back at Michael. “Where did you grow up, Stepford?”

Michael choked back a laugh as he began to serve. “Thank my mom. She was determined that I wasn’t going to end up as another woman’s problem, so she made sure I learned how to cook properly.” He slid a portion of lamb onto Kate’s plate and indicated that she help herself to the vegetables. “Then I had a few years of trial and error cooking for myself.”

“And it seems to have worked,” Kate said, scooping up some salad. “Your mom sounds wonderful and terrifying all at once. My mom’s idea of home cooking was macaroni and cheese made from scratch. Jack ended up doing most of the cooking.”

“Is that why you’re a good cook yourself?”

“Pretty much. I started helping Jack out when I was old enough, and then Paul and I became self-sufficient early on. It was a big help later when …” Her expression flickered before she shook off the mood and continued, “when we moved here.”

The mood in the kitchen dimmed for a moment before Kate shook her head and lifted her glass with a smile. “Here’s to a wonderful meal,” she said.

Michael picked up his glass and chinked it against hers. “Here’s to us,” he replied, his eyes never leaving hers as he sipped.

~~~

David watched as Wren set her glass down with a sigh. “Good?”

“Oh, so good,” Wren said, smiling at David. “My first blueberry martini, and it’s wonderful.”

David propped his elbow on table and rested his chin in his hand, gazing at Wren as she relaxed further. They had enjoyed their drinks, talking about their week. Wren had told him about some of the customers she’d had, the quotes, and cupcakes, and David had entertained her with student excuses and questions. He watched as Wren’s polite reserve that had flickered to life when he had met her after work began to dim, and then fall away to ashes. Her face became animated and her laughter came freely. She had engaged in a spirited debate over the latest Radiohead album, and had worked her way through three martinis in the process.

“We’d better get you something to eat soon, otherwise you’re not going to be able to walk out of here,” David observed, noting that the hand holding his own drink wasn’t too steady either.

“You know,” Wren said suddenly, “I’m having a really good time.”

David’s eyebrows went up at the unexpected statement. “Well, that’s good to know.”

“I mean really. I’m having a really good time. With you,” Wren said, cocking her head. “Why is that?”

“Uh, I’m not too sure what you mean.”

“You’re a strange one, David Watson,” she said, wagging her finger at him. “You’re this quiet guy that really gets on my nerves, and yet other times, it’s like this.” She fished out the blueberries on a toothpick skewer and ate them with relish, narrowing her eyes at him as she chewed. “So what’s the deal?”

“No deal.” David shrugged.

“Bull.”

“No bull.” David fixed her with a steady gaze. “I like you.”

~~~

“You like?” Michael asked, kissing her as he picked up her dinner plate.

“Would licking my plate clean be going too far?” Kate replied as she topped off their wine.

“It’d be one way of complimenting the chef,” Michael said as he stacked their plates in the dishwasher drawer and slid it shut, “but I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

“I can’t believe I fell asleep and missed the floor show of you getting that incredible meal ready,” Kate commented. “I would’ve loved to see you in action … uh, you know what I mean.” She giggled into her glass when Michael raised an eyebrow.

“Actually, there wasn’t that much to see,” he said, picking up his glass and leading her back to the sofa. “Once I got it all ready, I did some more writing while you slept.”

Kate sat down on the couch, curling her legs up and leaning into Michael’s side. “I’m sorry I was such poor company.”

“Quite the contrary,” Michael said, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer still so that she ended up half-reclined across his lap.

He had called out a question to her from the kitchen and when he got no answer, had walked into the living room to see her curled up and asleep on the sofa. He had simply stood there for a long moment, watching her sleep, taking in her deep, even breaths and the way her hair spilled across the cushion. He had gone about the dinner preparations as quietly as possible, and then took his seat at his desk and worked for an hour before waking her. He had given the words free rein and now they had subsided for the evening, content.

“So, any other plans for this evening?” Kate asked, shifting more comfortably against him.

“I took the liberty of getting a movie for the evening, in honor of our first accidental date,” he replied. “Pass me the remote?”