Page 35 of Hers to Marry
Chapter 10
Kat stared at the tray of colorful cake flavors for the testing. Neither Parker nor Drew would be tasting them now. With a shaky breath, Kat inhaled and exhaled slowly. She put back on her apron and hairnet and took the tray out to the front. At least the patrons would eat them. No one ever turned down free samples.
Susie rushed forward. Eyes of the patrons on them. Had they heard the argument? Despite her threat to keep quiet if she never saw Kat again, Parker was incredibly loud. The news and reason for Kat’s firing would be known by half the town by the end of the day.
“Kat, what happened?”
Kat cleared her throat and moved past Susie. She methodically set the cupcakes onto the sample tray. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t give me that. We all heard. Then she came out here screaming like a banshee. Drew looked angry, and he didn’t pick up the order he’d placed earlier.”
“Really? Parker was screaming?” Kat’s lower lip trembled, but she maintained her composure.
“Parker was yelling about him cheating, and then she said your cakes were trash just like you. I’m glad he got her out of the shop as quickly as possible. That’s not good for business to have someone loudly complain about how terrible your product is.” She shook her head in disappointment.
Although none of that was remotely true and Kat felt their goods spoke for themselves, she couldn’t help feeling even more guilty that Susie had to experience that embarrassment.
“Susie, I’m so sorry about that.”
“Is anything she said true?” Susie whispered her question. “Katrina?”
Kat sighed. Reluctantly, she met her boss’s bugged-out eyes. “Yes, it’s true.”
Susie’s mouth hung open.
“Well, not exactly.” She finished placing the cupcakes out. “I hope you don’t mind, but they aren’t going to be coming back for a taste testing.”
“I should say not.”
Kat’s shoulders slumped. She’d lost a major order. A wedding cake was good business for them, especially Parker, since she would undoubtedly order the most expensive one. Parker didn’t do cheap. And it was a rush service.
“Parker walked in on Drew and me almost kissing.”
“Almost?”
Kat nodded. “I know it’s wrong—”
“So nothing happened.”
Kat groaned. “That’s not the point, Susie!”
A wicked gleam flashed in Susie’s eyes, and she smiled. “Well, well, well. You stealing Drew away, huh?” Susie punched Kat in the shoulder. “Katrina Kaye, I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“This is a joke to you?”
“I think it’s progress.”
Kat didn’t have any words.
Susie smirked. “We can both agree that Parker’s a bit…much. The way she practically berated Drew when they first came in here? I’m surprised he’s still with her. He wants to marry her? What is he, as sadist?”
“Apparently they have some heavy history together.”
“Is that a reason to stay when you’re unhappy?”
Kat considered what Drew had said earlier. He and Parker weren’t on the same page. They were both stressed out for different reasons and Parker seemed hell-bent on pursuing her career at the cost of the wedding. From what little Kat knew of Drew, he wasn’t going to give in to Parker’s demands easily.
If he gave in at all.
