Page 80 of Forever Home

A three-layer red-velvet and chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache filling, accented with a vanilla bean fondant… my eyes carefully read over every detail about the cake. Down to the airbrushing of reds and flakes of gold that are to be intertwined within the design.

This is a cake for royalty, it seems, but nothing that couldn’t easily be taken care of.

“I’ll do it.”

“What?” Jaxson and Vicki both say at the same time.

Glancing up at them, my smile falls as my brows pinch together. “Please. I can make this cake in my sleep. If the baker fell through and the planner is obviously an idiot—so glad to see it wasn’t Sam’s company—then someone needs to make this cake. We can’t let a blushing bride walk down the aisle without a wedding cake waiting for her at the reception. Come onnow…”

“Madi, you didn’t come here—” Jaxson starts, but I quickly hold my hand up, cutting him off.

“I know what I came here for, Jaxson. To spend time with you. However, this is an emergency, and as abaker extraordinaire, I can’t in good conscience let this poor girl down. Now, I just need the ingredients and your kitchen.”

“Give it to me,” Vicki speaks up quickly. “Write down what you want and I’ll make sure it gets done. The dessert on the menu tonight is already prepped and done, so you can have my station and I’ll help where you need it.”

Surprise fills me at her offer to help. I barely know the woman and she is willing to step in where needed to assist me?

The thought of seeing the bride's face drop as she realizes she doesn’t have a cake breaks my heart. Even if I’m up all night working on this, which will probably be the case, at least I know she won’t be disappointed tomorrow on her wedding day.

The moment that Vicki leaves, Jaxson stands and crosses the room toward me.

“Thank you for helping me out,” he says softly, looking down at me. “I appreciate it.”

“As a baker… I can’t let this bride be disappointed on her wedding day.”

“You have more care for your work than that bakery then. Because I know for a fact that they had that order. I spoke to the owner about it weeks ago. So, obviously, someone dropped the ball.”

As much as I want to say that I’m surprised they would drop the ball, I’m not. Things are hectic when it comes to baking and managing a business. I can only imagine how many employees that company probably has and though it’s a shame they did drop the ball, no one’s perfect.

All I can do is jump in to help everyone out.

“It doesn’t matter. But it does mean we will be here decently late. And I have to come back early in the morning to frost and decorate the cake… when's the reception?”

“At two p.m. It’s an early wedding.”

“Okay, that’s fine.” I sigh, realizing that there is more work than I initially expected and with the timing of everything… it’s definitely going to be tight. “I can do this.”

***

“Who honestly has their wedding on a Sunday?” I ask Vicki, who's been helping me for the last two hours to prep everything for the cake I offered to make. “I mean… December 22nd… this close to Christmas.”

She laughs, shaking her head. “You would be shocked how many get married on Christmas.”

“Oh, I can imagine,” I cringe internally. It may be something other people like, but not me. I love the holidays, especially with Mom. The thought of having to share my anniversary with a major holiday like Christmas is not appealing at all.

“So, how long have you known Jaxson?” she asks casually.

“Um, since we were kids… it’s been so long I honestly can’t tell you. Why?”

“Just curious,” she replies with a shrug of her shoulders as she continues to take the cake layers out of their pans to cool. “I mean, it’s obvious you two are sleeping together, but I wasn’t sure if you’d placed a label on it yet.”

My eyes widen as I freeze in the middle of piping out the flowers that will have to chill overnight for the cake. I had anticipated small conversation, but this woman was going straight to the point. Taking a moment to collect myself, I glance at her, noting the smile on her lips as she gives me a pointed look.

“It’s… complicated.”

If that’s even what to call it.

She laughs. “Complicated? Honey, I've seen complicated things with him. You’re definitely not that.”

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