Page 30 of The Cupcake Standard

The kind words hit me unexpectedly. I’ll have to hire a cleaning crew to take care of the dust in that place; my allergies are really getting to me. Or so I told myself as I swiped at my watery eyes before climbing into the backseat. It had been a while since I’d felt so seen.

Chapter Six

After lunch at the best barbecue joint in town, Aunt Tasha assured me she’d take care of everything, despite it being a rush job. We snuck Greg a pulled pork sandwich, which he ate leaning against the limo.

Between bites, he said, “Where to next?”

I glanced at Gina. “You up for some party planning?”

Greg looked curious.

So I explained, “I missed Derek’s birthday last week since I was sick with food poisoning.” A pinprick of guilt hit me, but I brushed it aside. I hadn’t known about his birthday, and technically we weren’t even going out yet.

Fake going out, I corrected myself.

Greg snorted, narrowly avoiding a piece of pork falling onto his shirt. “From what I hear, you didn’t miss much.”

“Exactly. I’d like to throw a party tailored to him. I get the feeling that doesn’t happen very often.” If ever. “Is there a coffee shop near Derek’s?” I needed some caffeine, and I hadn’t had much chance to explore the area near the apartment yet.

Mouth full, Greg nodded.

I sent a quick text to Liam asking what he was up to.

He replied, Nothing much.

Good, come meet me for coffee and scheming, but don’t let Derek know.

As we exited the limo outside the Starbucks, I paused, eyeing the driver. “Greg, how long have you known Derek again?”

“Since he was thirteen. I was hired on with his family when I was nineteen.” His smile twisted. “We've been through a lot together.”

I exchanged a triumphant glance with Gina, then we each linked an arm through one of his. “Perfect. You’re coming with us.”

Coffees in hand, we staked out a table near the window to watch for Liam.

“Greg, why do you keep top-shelf whiskey in the limo? It’s Derek’s favorite, isn’t it?”

He nodded, sipping his coffee.

I exchanged an excited glance with Gina. “So maybe a whiskey tasting.” My uncle who made maple syrup was also a whiskey connoisseur. He’d always supplied Daddy from his best, most private stash. He owned a distillery and had a liquor license so he could carry top-shelf liquor from around the world at his little shop. Gina and I had hung out with him often enough that he knew her. If I sent him a text saying what I needed, I knew she could handle the rest. “Could you figure that out?”

Gina agreed.

“Hopefully, Liam can help with the food and music. And the guest list. Derek had a bunch of guys over the other day for football. I’m assuming he’d want most of them.” I pictured an intimate gathering, maybe playing poker after. I turned to Greg. “Do you know any place that would be good for around thirty people? On the upscale end?” With his profession and experience, I thought he might have a better idea of the types of places Derek was used to.

Greg thought for a minute. “My cousin manages a hotel with a decent event room. I’d be happy to give him a call. They cater, too.”

By the time Liam showed up, my coffee was already half gone. We’d halted our party planning since so many things hinged on him. Frustration swirled within me as he sat down in the empty chair, but I managed to stay calm.

Gina, however, held nothing back. “Gee, so nice of you to grace us with your presence. It’s not like we don’t have better things to do.” She arched an eyebrow in his direction while peering down her nose. She’d perfected the look in high school, one that sent many guys running.

But it just put Liam on the defensive. “Gee, so nice of you to give me some advance notice. I could have come straight from the gym, dripping sweat. I thought someone might appreciate me showering first.” He turned to me as if to say ‘can you believe this girl?’

Instead of taking sides, I settled for introductions. “Gina, this is Liam, Derek’s best friend. Liam, this is Gina, my best friend. So form a truce because you’ll be seeing a lot of each other.” I glared until they both looked down at the table. Then I got Liam a cup of coffee, and we picked his brain about the party.

“When are you thinking of having it?” Liam turned to me. “Derek’s sharp. Rhonda and I’ve tried to surprise him before with no luck. He always figures it out.”

“Actually,” I said with a wicked grin, “I think I have a surefire way to prevent that. My birthday is November seventeenth, so he’ll expect us to be planning a party, and all the things to go with it. He just won’t expect the party to be for him! It’s the perfect cover.” I beamed, looking around the table for reactions. It only gave us a couple weeks to pull everything together, but I thought we could do it. “It’s a little late, but better late than never.”

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