Page 163 of Lavender Lake
“There you are!” Poet said, running up to the both of us. “They’re bringing out the cake in the next few minutes. I thought you guys were going to miss it.”
“We’d never miss cake,” Cas quipped.
“Especially because there’s all this air of mystery surrounding it,” I added.
“Well, I did get a little bit out of Hadley. It has chocolate in it,” Poet whispered. “But that’s all I know.”
People congregated on the dance floor, holding their drinks and talking to one another while we waited for the cake to be unveiled.
Gracie pushed a barrel on a wheeled carrier onto the dance floor, flanked by two cater waiters, ready to lend a hand if there was trouble. But Gracie got it onto the dance floor and pressed the brakes on the wheels to keep it in place.
“Hadley, you want to do the honors?” Gracie asked.
Hadley stepped forward toward the barrel and lifted the top. It swung back like a hatch to reveal a three-tiered chocolate cake with edible chocolate horse imprints around the sides. On top were two chocolate molds. A cowgirl lassoing a cowboy.
“I can see why you wanted to keep this a surprise,” Declan stated. “This is incredible! Gracie, you did this?”
“I did,” Gracie preened.
“That’s not the only surprise,” Hadley said, taking Declan’s hand and looking directly at him. “It’s a cherry mash cake.”
“No,” Declan said.
“I’m serious,” Hadley said with a laugh.
“What’s a cherry mash cake?” someone asked.
Hadley turned to address the party-goers. “A cherry mash is Declan’s favorite candy. It’s cherry fondant on the inside with a chocolate peanut coating on the outside. There are no peanuts in this cake, because I don’t want to kill anyone who might have an allergy.”
There was another chorus of laughter.
“You had Gracie make a cherry mash wedding cake,” Declan said.
“Yes.” Hadley nodded.
He cradled her cheeks and kissed her.
The two cater waiters set up a table near the barrel and one of them handed Gracie a knife.
“Did we get pictures of this masterpiece?” I asked. “To go down in history as the most incredible wedding cake of all time?”
“We got photos,” Hadley assured me.
Gracie stepped up to the cake. “Should I start slicing?”
“Yep, I’m ready,” Hadley said.
“Surely not the most incredible wedding cake to go down in history,” Amber said as she stepped forward out of the crowd.
Wyn frowned at her.
Hadley turned to look at Amber. “What do you mean by that?”
“Salem’s wedding cake will be even better, don’t you think?” She lifted her Tom Collins in mock cheers. “After all, she can’t help but always one-up you, Hadley.”
I took a step toward Amber with the intent to silence her, but stopped when Harlan grasped her arm. He gently tugged on it, but she wrenched her arm from his clasp.
“I’ve heard about you,” Wyn said. “Why are you even here? We don’t evenlikeyou.”
