My Cupcake, My Love

by Carey, Carolynn

  But at least she’d had enough sense to schedule the cupcake decorating class for a week before Valentine’s Day itself, which was good. With a week between the two, she should have time to recover from making cupcakes and preparing icing for the class before she had to supply the first of the special order cakes. Now if she could just depend on Devin Morris to follow through on his end.

  The thought had barely entered her mind when the chime above the door sounded and Mr. Morris stepped inside. Bri’s heart gave a tiny leap, just as it had every time she’d spotted Devin in the hallways of Cedar Hollow High all those years ago. She suppressed a sigh of disgust with herself. Really girl, shouldn’t you be more mature by now? She had realized back then that he was out of her league. Now, even though they clearly disliked each other, her silly heart didn’t seem to understand that simple fact.

  Fortunately, he appeared to be in a good mood today. His smile was both wide and friendly. “Good afternoon, Miss Galen. I need to run something by you if you have a minute.” He was carrying a box in both hands, obviously making an effort to keep it level. She couldn’t imagine what he’d need to see her about.

  Bri didn’t bother to return his smile but she did nod. “Certainly. What can I do for you?”

  His smile faded a bit, no doubt in reaction to the reserve in her tone, but he walked over to the counter and eased the box down in front of her. “This just came in from New York. I had some sample decorations made up and I wanted your reaction before I place an order for more. I’ll also need an estimate of how many to order.”

  Bri’s interest was piqued in spite of her continued irritation with Mr. Morris. “Okay, I’ll be glad to give my opinion. Let’s see what you have.”

  He gingerly pulled the tape away from the box’s seams, then lifted the flap. Bri gazed at the contents. Half a dozen dark chocolate and an equal number of white chocolate figures lay on the bottom of the box. She immediately recognized Cupid because of his bow and arrow, but he was not alone. “Is that Psyche with Cupid?” she asked.

  Mr. Morris frowned. “Psyche? Who’s Psyche?”

  “According to mythology, she was the woman that Cupid loved.”

  “I never heard of her, and I certainly didn’t ask that she be included. I usually associate Cupid and Cupid alone with Valentine’s Day.”

  Bri nodded. “I suspect that’s true for most people.” She bent to look more closely at the molded chocolate. “But that must be Psyche. I can’t imagine who else it would be. May I?” She reached for one of the white chocolates.

  “Please do.” His smile had widened again. He obviously expected her to be delighted with his purchase.

  Although Bri could judge just by looking that the figures were too big for the tops of cupcakes and probably too dainty to be handled by young children, she had no desire to invite more criticism from Mr. Morris by giving the impression that she was less than open minded about his proposed contribution. She gently picked up a figure and inspected it closely.

  “Oh my God,” she muttered.

  His smile faded. “Is something wrong?”

  “I’d say so,” she said. “What on earth were you thinking? Do you see what Cupid is doing to Psyche? And what she’s doing to him? I can’t have these around young children. Their parents would sue me, and rightfully so.”

  His mouth dropped open and he hurriedly picked up a dark chocolate Cupid and inspected it closely. “Damnation. This is obscene. I can’t believe this. I’m sure I told that chocolatier that these were for a children’s party. He must have thought I was joking.”

  Bri dropped the Cupid back into the box and looked at Mr. Morris, whose face appeared a lot rosier than it had when he first entered the store. “Obviously there was some miscommunication between you and the chocolatier. But really, Mr. Morris, there was no need for you to special order something fancy from New York. I have some colored sugar that the children can use on the cupcakes, and you can buy some red and pink sprinkles at the grocery store. Perhaps you could get some cinnamon drops and a bag of those little candy hearts that have sayings on them. That would be sufficient.”

  He nodded, obviously chagrined. “I’m sorry. I just thought something different would be nice.”

  “Different?” Bri repeated. Laughter bubbled up into her throat. She tried to swallow it, but Devin Morris’s blushes and his comment about buying “something different” for decorating the cupcakes were just too much for her. A giggle escaped. “Well, those are different all right,” she said before breaking out into full-throated laughter.

  For a second, she thought Devin would take offense, but then he grinned and a moment later, he was laughing too. Both laughed so hard that Mrs. Sandler came out of the kitchen to see what was going on. Devin took one look at the older woman and slammed the lid down on the box, which seemed amazingly funny to Bri and her laughter grew more intense, as did Devin’s.

  Mrs. Sandler stared at each of them for a minute, then shook her head and disappeared back into the kitchen. Bri finally got control to the point that she could quit laughing, after which Devin also sobered. He pressed the tape back into place on the seams of the box. “I’d better trash these before I get home. I don’t want Kaitlin seeing them.”

  “No, you don’t want that,” Bri agreed. “Leave them here if you want. I’ll toss them in the dumpster out back.”

  “Thanks. I’d appreciate it. I’m sorry to have taken up your time and exposed you to… eh, to…”

  Bri grinned. “No apology necessary. I haven’t had such a good laugh in weeks. And if you don’t mind, I’d like the phone number for that chocolatier. Occasionally I get requests from ladies who are planning wedding showers and want something a little on the raunchy side. Something along this line might be exactly what they’re looking for.”

  Devin’s brows shot up, then he grinned. “I’ll be sure to pass the number along to you. And thanks for disposing of these.” He pushed the box across the counter before turning and hurrying out the front door.

  As soon as the door closed behind him, Bri grabbed the box and headed toward the kitchen with it. She could hardly wait to show the contents to Mrs. Sandler, who would no doubt thoroughly enjoy the story of Devin and the obscene chocolates.

  Chapter Three

  Devin leaned back in his desk chair and stared out his huge window at the valley below. He should be writing, but all he’d been able to think about for the last half hour was Briana Galen. Her laughter yesterday afternoon had stirred something in him, almost like a switch flipping. Instead of the slightly irritating owner of a small-town bakery, she’d suddenly become an enticing enigma he wanted to know more about.

  Why had she disappeared after her freshman year in high school? Where had she gone? When did she come back to Cedar Hollow? Why did she own a bakery? When did she become so beautiful, and why wasn’t she either married or in a relationship?

  The last question had him sitting up straight in his chair. Maybe she was in a relationship. He didn’t know. He only knew he wanted to know more about her. He could ask Mrs. Lang, of course, but asking for second-hand information didn’t appeal to him. He wanted to find out about Bri from Bri herself.

  Unfortunately, he figured she either hated him or considered him an inept clown who couldn’t obtain cupcake decorations without messing up.

  Or some combination of the two.

  He had to come up with some way to redeem himself. But how?

  First of all, he needed a really good excuse to see her again, and the only reason he could think of was more cupcake decorations. Obviously he couldn’t order anything else special made, but someone had to produce some sort of unusual decorations, something other than what he could find in the local grocery store. All he had to do was locate them.

  He saved the few pages he’d written thus far and then opened a browser. Within a few minutes, he’d located several companies that sold edible decorations, and one of them was located in nearby Knoxville, Tennessee. He glanced at his wa
tch. He had time to drive to the city, buy some decorations and get back before Bri’s closing time. He would pick up some pizzas and invite Bri to have dinner with him and Kaitlin.

  First, of course, he’d have to tell Mrs. Lang that she wouldn’t need to cook anything for them today and also ask her if she could stay late if he was delayed for some reason. He knew he was taking a chance, running off to the city to buy sprinkles and pizza without first determining if Bri would accept a casual invitation from him, but he’d never been one to back down from a gamble. Besides, he could always freeze the pizza if she turned him down.

  But he really hoped she wouldn’t.

  Four hours later, after a successful trip to Knoxville, he pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store on the outskirts of Cedar Hollow and reached for his cell phone. He’d already programmed the bakery number into his contact list. Bri answered on the third ring. “Bri’s Bakery. Can I help you?”

  “Eh, hi, Bri.” Dear God, could he sound any more juvenile? He cleared his throat. “This is Devin.”

  “Yes?” Her tone didn’t indicate that she was thrilled out of her mind to hear from him, so he hurried on. “I’ve been shopping for edible decorations and want your opinion on them. I don’t want to impose, but could you come by the house on your way home this afternoon? While I was in the city, I picked up some pizzas, and I was hoping you’d have dinner with me and Kaitlin before we discuss the decorations.”

  “Pizza?”

  He thought he detected a note of interest in Bri’s tone so he forged ahead. “From Pepperoni Palace. Have you ever eaten there?”

  “Not in years, but I patronized that restaurant a lot after Mom and I moved to Knoxville. I love their pizza.”

  “Then you’ll have dinner with me and Kaitlin?”

  “I’d love to. Can I bring dessert?”

  A grin spread over Devin’s face. Not only was she going to join them for dinner, but he’d just discovered that she and her mother had moved from Cedar Hollow to Knoxville. That was a fact he could use as leverage to ask other questions.

  “Devin? Are you there?”

  Oops, he’d gotten carried away by his successes and forgotten to respond to her question. “That’s a definite yes. Kaitlin and I would love for you to bring dessert.”

  “I have two cakes I haven’t sold yet. A strawberry and a German chocolate. Do you have a preference?”

  “Surprise me.”

  “Okay,” Bri responded, and Devin thought he detected a smile in her voice. “But don’t complain if I bring what would have been your second choice. I close at five thirty and will be at your house by six.”

  “I’ll have the outside lights on and be watching for you. I’ll come out and carry the cake in.”

  “That sounds great. See you in a bit. Bye.” She hung up.

  Devin placed his cell phone back in the holder before pumping one fist into the air. He hadn’t felt this lighthearted since before Francine announced that she was in love with another man and was moving to Europe with him, giving up all claims to Kaitlin in the process.

  But now that he thought about it, this feeling of euphoria was rather frightening. Francine had been the most beautiful woman he’d ever known and also the most egocentric. Even giving birth to a beautiful little girl hadn’t made a dent in the exterior shell of her self-interest.

  And he’d made up his mind then to steer clear of beautiful women who showed signs of narcissism. He didn’t think Bri fit that description although there’d been a time or two she’d given the impression of being a little self-centered. He’d have to be careful not to fall into the same trap all over again.

  * * * *

  Bri smiled to herself as she stowed the cake in her SUV and then turned to lock the back door of the bakery. Hard to believe she was having dinner with Devin Morris.

  Devin Morris! The guy who’d turned her youthful heart to mush when she was a freshman in high school. The talented writer who was consistently on the best seller lists. And—although she hated to admit it—the man who was way too similar to her former fiancé.

  Her smile faded. She really had to watch her step here. She didn’t like to generalize, but in her experience, men who were both handsome and wealthy tended to be overly suspicious, assuming that anyone who professed love for them was, in fact, interested only in their possessions and attracted to them only because of their appearance.

  Michael had certainly turned out that way. He’d been a successful Atlanta businessman while she was struggling to pay her culinary school tuition and rent on a studio apartment. They’d met while each was visiting an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia. Bri was there not only because she loved modern art but also because she could buy a ticket for only a dollar with her student ID. Michael was searching for a new artist to sponsor in hopes that his or her work would appreciate in value over the years.

  They’d both been admiring the same watercolor when Bri’s stomach rumbled. Rather loudly. She’d skipped lunch because she didn’t want to eat out when she had food back at the apartment.

  Michael had turned to look at her. “Student?” he’d asked. When she nodded, he asked if he could buy her a sandwich at one of the nearby restaurants.

  She’d refused, of course, but he’d motioned for the exhibit manager to come over and vouch for him. It turned out that his company was one of the museum’s major donors. And because Bri was intrigued—not to mention hungry—she agreed to walk with him to a nearby sandwich shop. As they walked, they’d discovered several topics of mutual interest. They’d lingered over their sandwiches, talking, and when he discovered she’d taken the bus to the museum, he’d asked to drive her home. Before a week passed they’d been in love. In less than two months, they were engaged. Then…

  “Oh good heavens,” Bri said aloud. She’d been so engrossed in reliving the past, she’d almost missed the turn to Matthews Road where Devin lived. She braked, turned, and then made it a point to pay attention to her driving until she pulled up in front of his house. The outside lights were on, and she’d barely cut her engine when he came hurrying down the steps, a bright smile on his face.

  By the time Bri could unfasten her seatbelt and open her door, Devin stood in the driveway waiting for her. She wasn’t thrilled by her body’s reaction to the way his black jeans encased his muscular thighs or the way his gray sweater emphasized the width of his shoulders. She had thought she was beyond feeling this sort of jolt just because of a man’s physical appeal. Obviously not.

  “Good evening,” he said. His smile did nothing to settle her stomach. “I’m glad you could join us for dinner. Shall I carry the cake up?”

  Bri took a deep breath before attempting to answer. “Yes, thanks. It’s sitting in the back.” She slid out of the seat into the driveway, ending up so close to Devin that their chests were almost touching. Bri took another deep breath, which turned out to be a mistake. As close as she and Devin were standing, she’d inhaled a hearty dose of his aftershave, which smelled both masculine and expensive. Her head felt a bit light, and for a split second, she swayed.

  Devin grasped her shoulders as if to steady her but released her almost instantly. If he was as affected by their proximity as she was, he didn’t show it. “Which is it?” he asked, taking a step back so she could move away from the vehicle.

  “What?” Bri had no idea what he was talking about.

  “The cake. Is it strawberry or German chocolate?”

  “Oh!” She smiled to herself. Time to get a grip, girl. “It’s the German chocolate. I’m sorry to say that the strawberry cake sold right after I talked to you.”

  “No problem. I love German chocolate. On the other hand, I’ve heard so many good comments about your strawberry cake, I was looking forward to trying it.”

  “In that case, I’ll plan on making some strawberry cupcakes for the decorating class and you can try one of those.”

  “Great. That’s another reason for me to look forward to the cl
ass.” When Bri opened the back door, Devin picked up the cake box, then waited for her to close the door and begin walking beside him up the steps toward the front porch.

  “You surprise me. I wouldn’t have thought you’d be looking forward to an afternoon of neglecting your writing so you can join a group of young children in decorating cupcakes.”

  He grinned. “You wound me, Miss Galen. Of course I’m looking forward to the class. Aren’t you?”

  Bri cocked her head to one side as they paused on the front porch. “Am I looking forward to it? I’ll tell you after I see these latest decorations you’ve come up with.”

  She was delighted that Devin understood exactly what she was saying and that he laughed heartily at her implied doubts about his ability to provide appropriate cupcake decorations.

  By this time they were at the front entrance, and Devin balanced the cake box in one hand while stepping forward to open the door for Bri. “Go on in,” he said, and Bri stepped into a large foyer with a slate floor and a massive chandelier hanging from the high ceiling.

  Kaitlin stood in the center of the foyer, jumping up and down. Bri suspected Devin let Kaitlin choose her own outfits because she was dressed in lime green tights, pink sneakers, a black and white striped skirt, and a red sweater.

  “Yay,” the little girl shouted. “It’s the cupcake lady.”

  “Kaitlin,” Devin said in a scolding tone, but before he could say anything further, Bri crouched until she was on the child’s level. “Yes,” she said, then paused to run her hand into her voluminous tote bag. She pulled out a clear plastic to-go box. “But I’m also the cookie lady. Of course your father will have to agree before you can have one for dessert.”

  Kaitlin’s eyes widened as she observed the three elaborately decorated sugar cookies arranged in a single layer on the bottom of the box. “Oooh, it’s a princess. See her crown, Daddy? And a beautiful fairy with wings, and… Who’s this?”

  “That’s Dorothy in Oz,” Bri replied. “See her Ruby Slippers?”

  Kaitlin frowned. “Dorothy who?”