Page 77 of Not Your Average Vixen
Use that freezer! The cooler the cake, the easier the frosting application.
The tips and tricks she’d learned from her grandmother flowed from her lips, and muscle memory took over. It was as if Grandma Dasher was standing next to her, humming a holiday tune, and looking on as she assembled Lori’s wedding cake. Every flick of her wrist and each swipe of the spatula moved her closer to confectionary perfection as the cake table rotated in a mesmerizing twirl of buttercream-covered precision.
“Wow! That looks so good, Birdie! I want to eat it right now!”
Bridget blinked as a child’s voice pulled her from her buttercream-scented trance. She glanced up to find Tom’s entire family watching her.
“When did you all get here?”
“About twenty minutes ago,” Denise answered.
“Watching you work is like observing a sculptor,” Grace remarked as Scott nodded.
The children scurried across the shop and over to the worktable.
“We went ice skating in the village, and I got to see Santa, like fifty of them! But not one Christmas fairy,” Cole reported with a little frown.
“They are very mysterious and usually don’t like big crowds,” Lori offered.
“Do they come out at night?” Cole asked, perking up.
Bridget shared a furtive glance with her sister. “I think that’s the time they like the best, especially when there’s not a lot of people around.”
“Got it!” Cole replied with a resolute nod.
“It’s quite exciting in the village today. There were many families out and about,” the judge added.
“It sounds like you all had a great afternoon!” Bridget said, tossing the group a quick nod as she checked each cake layer.
Russell sauntered behind the counter, glanced at the cake, then shot a quick look at her breasts. “The town is all right. Not the best singles scene, if you know what I mean,” the guy remarked, then pointed at Soren. “Since you and I are the swinging bachelors in the group, we should check out the nightlife here in Kringle. I did meet a couple of lovely ladies who said they’re in town on business for the next few nights.”
“We’ll see, Russ,” Soren answered, sharing a look with Tom.
Ugh!
It was bad enough keeping Soren in check. She did not need the handsy uncle making trouble, too.
Carly tugged on her apron. “How did you make that big wedding cake, Birdie?”
She pointed to each tier. “It’s just three different sized layers all stacked up. It takes practice and a lot of patience. Do you want to help me add a little more frosting?”
The little girl chewed her lip. “What if I mess up Aunt Lori and Uncle Tom’s cake?”
She handed Carly the spatula. “That’s the great thing about frosting. You can always add a little more because it all smooths out, and in the end, it just gets sweeter.”
“Our grandma Dasher used to say that,” Lori added.
Could that be what Soren needed—a little or a hell of a lot more frosting?
“Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll rotate the turntable, and you can hold the spatula just like this, and then the cake will be done,” she instructed.
“I get to finish the cake?” Carly asked, eyes wide.
Bridget nodded. “You arrived at the perfect time. Are you ready?”
The little girl glanced at Soren. “Are you watching, Uncle Scooter?”
Her surly wolf’s expression softened. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world, kiddo.”
