Page 69 of Royal Icing
“Helping.” She rolled up her sleeves and ducked to peer into his cabinets. She reappeared a moment later with a bottle of dish detergent and a scrubbing sponge. “I’m not going to let you mess this up. Now go find Beatrice.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
EMMA
Emma’s heartwas in her throat as she stepped down the path to the village. Her toes were already numb, and her eyes were itchy with fatigue from staying up too late baking and checking the nanny cam the night before. Ziplock bags full of test croissants swung at her side.
Last night had been a disaster. Leo had given her the most romantic date of her entire life—a covert Christmas wonderland in a steamy greenhouse—and her past trauma had infiltrated as suddenly and as unexpectedly as a rock shattering a windshield.
It was yet another thing her father had taken away from her. She had no idea how to have a functional relationship. A profound hesitancy to open herself up. And now, the only time in years she found someone she felt a real connection with, her own brain had betrayed her.
She had made Leo feel awful. For hours last night, Ruby had scooped up her used pans and replaced them with clean ones. The first stack had arrived with a piece of Leo’s stationery and a simple note.
I’m sorry.
How was she going to explain herself to him? Not even Dylan, her only long-term boyfriend, knew the details of what she and her mom had gone through. And should she really be dredging all these volatile memories up days before the biggest project of her entire career?
She needed to keep her head in the game and secure the money. The safest course of action would be to hide in her apartment and avoid Leo until she left. She had known all along that they were fundamentally incompatible. He was a European prince. She was a Brooklynite baker. But he deserved an explanation in person, no matter how inept she was at providing it.
She hesitated outside the doors of the community kitchen. Would they even allow donations? The bag of test croissants crinkled in her hands. There was no reason why they should go to waste. They were perfectly edible, and the people of Lynoria certainly deserved them more than the royal family, who wanted for nothing.
She shoved the door open with some difficulty and ducked inside to find Gus.
“Miss Emma,” he said with a smile. “What brings you in this morning?”
“I don’t know if you can take these, but I have some fresh donations.” She slid the bags across the counter. “I’m ServSafe certified, and these were made in a clean environment, if it helps.”
Gus opened the bag and sniffed. “These smell magnificent. We won’t let them go to waste. Could you plate them and put them on that table over there?”
He rummaged under the counter and passed her a pair of tongs, gloves, and a serving platter.
The door opened, and a handful of people filtered in. Gus greeted them by name as Emma plated the baked goods. Shemade a quick detour to the bathroom and took a moment to breathe. The nerves were making her pee every ten minutes.
On her way out, a voice caught her ear.
“Did you make these, miss?”
A man in a frayed jacket lifted a croissant in her direction.
She nodded.
“I haven’t had a croissant like this since I left France thirty years ago. Thank you.”
Heat rushed into her cheeks. “I’m glad you like it.”
All around them, early patrons were taking bites of pastry. She cast a glance over the other kitchen offerings. Cold cereal, a slow cooker full of what looked to be oatmeal, and hot water for tea. The croissants were almost gone. Any food was better than no food. But how long had it been since these citizens had had a treat? Gus tried his best, that was evident. But he was probably at the mercy of whatever government-sponsored food vats were sent down the pipeline.
She made a mental note to return with some of her homemade dinner rolls and left with a final wave to Gus. If she had more time, she would chat with Gus, learn about their donations process and supply coordination. But time was short, and she still needed to explain herself to Leo.
Minutes later, the doors of the community center rose before her. They were enormous, weatherworn, and heavy-looking. Every door she had encountered in this village was slightly irregular and had required an unusual amount of muscle to open, so she braced herself and pushed on the right one with all her might. The door opened effortlessly, slamming off the wall as she stumbled through the opening. Her hand caught the edge of a bench before she could fall face-first, but the damage was done. Everyone in the audience whipped around and stared at her. Warmth rushed into her cheeks.
Idiot.
Leo was at the front of the room, yellow legal pad in hand. His brow was furrowed, and it looked like he was frozen mid-step. When he caught her glance, a smile crinkled the corner of his eyes. Was it her imagination, or did he look relieved? It was probably only a millisecond, but an eternity passed as they looked at each other.
Something fluttered in her stomach, and she was suddenly hyperaware of her body. What the hell was that?
“All right?” Leo asked softly.
