“If I have to, I have to,” Trish returned, but her adolescent grin was back. So was her blush.
“Girlfriend, he’s got you acting like a teenager all over again, you know.”
“Yep. Hold this, would you?”
Funny, Nadia thought as she accepted her friend’s punch cup, but for someone as worldly as she was, she wouldn’t mind feeling like a teenager again. Just for a little while.
Chapter Two
Christmas Day itself was a bit of a blur to Nadia. Morning at her mother’s house where family members who hadn’t seen each other since last Christmas all gathered, a phone call to her father to wish him happy holidays—she’d had to wait until she’d left her mother’s for that one, knowing the mere mention of her father’s name would likely cause a very un-Christmas-like reaction—and then on to not one but two different parties at the homes of friends. A final round of Christmas caroling with a handful of friends along snowy streets had capped off the day.
Then it was back home to collapse on the couch with the uncomfortable feeling that she had drunk way too much eggnog that day and would likely pay for it later. Shoes off and feet up on the coffee table, she’d fallen asleep in that position with her last waking thought being to wonder how on earth another year had passed so rapidly.
And now it was December twenty-sixth, and after a day spent baking and hobnobbing with customers, Nadia found herself running late to meet Mrs. Beasley’s young accountant at the proposed coffee shop.
Wondering for the umpteenth time how she had allowed Mrs. B to talk her into this, Nadia spotted the shop up ahead and lengthened her stride, blinking her eyes against a flurry of powdery snowflakes. Five minutes. Ten at most. She could fill ten minutes of time, surely. If this guy was as clueless about women as Mrs. B had led her to believe, she could throw him the basics and call it good. And then she could go home and put her aching feet up.
Be a good listener. Look a woman in the eye when she’s talking. Don’t wipe your forehead on any of her accessories…
Stepping into the coffee shop and brushing a dusting of snow off her shoulders, Nadia glanced around at the people already inside.
A couple with their heads close together at a cozy table for two, giggling the way new lovers always seemed to do…
A silver-haired man in a denim jacket sipping his coffee with an almost grim determination…
A trio of middle-aged ladies talking in low tones…
And a guy in a suit with a briefcase beside his feet and an overcoat draped on the arm of his chair. His back was to her, allowing her to see how the ends of his short, dark hair were trimmed so evenly along his neck that she could have used his hairline as a straightedge.
Yep. Accountant, she thought.
The sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could go home and soak in the tub. Weaving around a few other tables that were in her way, Nadia stopped in front of the man, plastering a smile onto her face. “Twenty bucks says you’re Benji.”
Startled, the young man looked up at her. Behind wire-rimmed glasses, his remarkably bright blue eyes blinked at her, and she could have sworn he did a double take at the sight of her. “Benjamin Garner, yes.” He stood quickly and held out his hand. “Miss Normandy?”
“Please. Call me Nadia, honey.” Firm handshake, she thought, pleasantly surprised. That was a good sign. “Sorry I’m late,” she added, removing her coat and laying it over the back of the chair that was opposite him. “Bakery got slammed five minutes before my shift was supposed to end.” It actually might be time to consider hiring some extra help, which was kind of exciting. Business was going well.
“Not a problem.”
“Hang on, I’m going to grab an espresso, okay? Be right back.” He nodded, and she left him to go give her drink order at the counter. While she waited for the barista to prepare it, Nadia turned and took advantage of the opportunity to study Mrs. B’s accountant.
He definitely looked like a stereotypical number cruncher with the crisp suit and tie and the way not a single hair on his head looked out of place, but although he was certainly no linebacker, his shoulders were broader than she expected. The suit was ample enough to make it impossible for her to tell just how well he did or did not fill it out, but she guessed he was on the lean side. Tall, too. Tall was good.
Mr. Garner—no, that wouldn’t work, Nadia thought. He was too young for her to call him mister, possibly even a year or two younger than her. It would have to be Benji—Benji glanced up then and caught her staring at him, and then he began fidgeting self-consciously with his tie.
Nadia, on the other hand, was not the least bit embarrassed to have been caught staring. If she was supposed to help this guy out, after all, she had to appraise the situation fully, and her appraisal was…
He was cute, she decided finally as she took the espresso that the girl behind the counter handed to her. Not pretty-boy cute, although he did have pleasing features, but an awkward sort of cute that could actually work quite well for him if someone was to teach him how to use it to his advantage. Enter one Nadia Normandy.
Benji stood again as she returned to the table and then waited until she was seated before he sat down.
Good manners, too, she observed. Somebody’s mama raised him right. All in all, things looked more promising than she’d anticipated.
“So, Miss Normandy—”
“You’ve got beautiful eyes,” she told him suddenly, peering into them. And he really did, even hidden behind those wire frames. “That’s going to work in your favor. Remember that.”
“Oh.” He blinked at her as if startled by her words and then turned faintly pink. “Okay. Thank you.”
She nestled back in her chair, which, she was regretfully aware, was not nearly as comfortable as a tubful of bubbles and hot water. “So, I assume you’ve got some questions for me. Or do you want me to just dive right in?”
He shook himself out of his apparent daze. “I have a few questions, of course, but it might be better to start with a general overview of your expectations.”
“My expectations?” His remark struck her as odd, but maybe he was merely trying to be an accommodating pupil. Nadia took a sip of her espresso and then leaned forward, lowering her voice in a conspiratorial way. “You know…”
Benji leaned in to listen.
“…I should probably tell you that when Mrs. B suggested this to me, I thought she was off her rocker. I’m not exactly an expert in these kinds of things, but you seem like a nice enough guy, so I’m going to do my best, all right?”
He squinted as if having trouble following her. “I—all right.”
She leaned back again. “But I’ll be honest, honey. My feet are killing me, and all I really want to do is go home and soak in a hot bath, so maybe we could do the Cliffs Notes version here, okay?”
“I’d be happy to schedule an appointment for you during my normal business hours, if you’d prefer, so we could take our time.”
Was it her imagination, or did he emphasize the word normal as if she was intruding on his time? “An appointment?” Nadia shook her head and tried not to let her flicker of irritation show. He’d most likely been strong-armed into doing this as well, but still, how exactly did he think any of this was benefiting her? “Look, I’m not sure what Mrs. B told you, but I understood this to be a one-time kind of thing. No offense, it’s just—my schedule’s a little on the full side.”
“I understand,” he said, frowning slightly. “So is mine. But in order to really give your financial goals the attention they deserve, I don’t recommend we rush through anything, Miss Normandy.”
“Nadia.”
“Nadia,” he agreed.
His words sank in then, and Nadia abruptly straightened. “Wait a minute—what did you say?”
“I’m just trying to point out that financial planning isn’t something you want to just pay lip service to. It—”
“Financial planning?” she repeated, her eyes widening as an om
inous suspicion took root. “You think I’m here to talk about my finances?”
“Well, the short answer would be ‘yes,’” Benji said, a wary expression on his face. “Did I misunderstand something? Why are you here then?”
“Because I’m a little old lady’s pawn, apparently.”
“Huh?”
Nadia sighed. Mrs. B, I love you, but I’m going to kill you. “What exactly did Mrs. B say to you to get you to come here today?”
Benji rubbed his forehead as if it ached. “She asked me to do her a favor, and she said something about this friend of hers. You,” he added, gesturing at her.
“Yeah, but what was the something?”
“You know, come to think of it, she was kind of vague,” he admitted, and then he frowned. “I don’t think she actually came right out and said financial planning, it was just somehow implied. How did she do that?”
“Because she’s very gifted at that sort of thing,” Nadia told him grimly. “I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you got set up, and you got set up good.”
“Set up how? What did—wait. Is this…is this a date?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
She thought he sounded a little disappointed, and it was impossible not to be flattered by that. “Consider me as more of a coach.”
“In what?”
“In women.”
Benji made a sort of choking sound, and his blush returned.
Feeling a flicker of sympathy—and perhaps a tiny bit of satisfaction after his earlier impatience with her—Nadia patted his hand. “Do you need a minute?”
“No,” he sputtered. “But a graceful exit would be nice.” His answer made Nadia grin, and he noticed. “What?”
That awkward sort of cuteness he possessed was showing through again, and it was beginning to grow on her. “Nothing, it’s just—I think I know why Mrs. B chose you as her next project.”
“Because I’m gullible?”
“You’ve got a certain something buried underneath that suit and tie. You’re a nice guy, you’re funny, you’re cute…you’ve got definite potential. You just need somebody to help you bring it out, that’s all.” Nadia gestured at his suit, well-pressed and wrinkle-free. “Plus you’ve got this whole neat and tidy thing going on that could actually work to your advantage. There’s something about a guy who’s all prim and proper.”
He raised his eyebrows, reeking of skepticism. “There is?”
“Yeah.” A slow smile spread across Nadia’s face. “It just kind of makes a woman want to mess him all up.”
This time the blush even spread to his ears.
Oh, this was fun. She’d never met a man who turned red so easily before. Hopefully the fact that she found herself enjoying it didn’t mean she was some kind of sadist, but the truth was that Benji here was starting to intrigue her. When was the last time that happened with a man?
She couldn’t remember.
“You know what? Screw it,” Nadia said abruptly, picking up her espresso and leaning back in her chair again. “I’m in.”
“In what?”
“This,” she returned, gesturing at the two of them and feeling a flicker of unexpected anticipation. “Whatever it is. Yes, Mrs. B manipulated us both into it, and I’m so going to have a chat with her about that later, but I’m in. You want to learn about women? I’m going to help you. By the time I’m done with you, women are going to be tripping over themselves to get to you.”
“I don’t think—”
“Sorry, honey, but Mrs. B’s already got you in her sights, so there’s really not much point in trying to fight it. If I walk away now, she’ll just find some other way to get you out on the meat market. You do realize that, don’t you?”
Benji stared at her for a long moment and then slowly slumped back against his chair as if stunned.
Oh, yes, he was adorable.
Nadia grinned at him over her coffee cup. “Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle.”
* * *
“It was a scam?” Trish asked her the next morning as they hustled to get batches of freshly baked scones out of the ovens before they got overly brown.
Nadia handed her an oven mitt. “Are you really all that surprised?”
“Not really, I guess. Think she’ll show her face in here today, or do you think she’ll be too embarrassed?”
“Ha! Mrs. B? Are you kidding? She’ll probably pop in and demand to know what kind of progress I’m making and whether or not Benji’s engaged to a nice girl yet.”
“Benji.” Trish rolled the name around on her tongue a few times and shook her head.
“She was right, though. It really does suit him.”
“So you’re really going to tutor him, huh?”
Setting out scones to cool, Nadia nodded. “First lesson is today. I made him promise to meet me for lunch before he had time to think about it. You know, I’m starting to think this whole thing could be kind of fun. I mean, I’ve never had official carte blanche to make over a man before.”
“Carte blanche, eh? Did he really say that?”
Actually, he hadn’t said much of anything after she asked him to meet for lunch—well, okay, maybe it was more like informed him where and when they would meet—and she’d left him sitting in the coffee shop with a rather dazed look on his face. But she had chosen to interpret his lack of a “no” as permission to go ahead. “Not in those words,” she hedged.
“Really?” Trish looked at her suspiciously. “Which words did he use then?”
“Oh, come on,” Nadia returned, dodging the question ever so slightly and fully aware that she was doing it. “If I don’t help the guy out, who knows what Mrs. B will try next with him. He’s better off in my capable hands, trust me. A week with me, and he’ll be a changed man.”
“Cocky much?”
“Hey, I just know what people need, and I’m good at what I do.”
Trish’s eyes widened with mock innocence. “Oh, you mean bossing other people around?”
“Careful,” Nadia warned her, picking up a scone. “I have excellent aim.”
“All right, all right…”
Nadia put the scone down and resumed removing the rest from the tray. “I’ll take very good care of Benji.”
“You’re so selfless and giving.”
“Sarcasm might be risky, Trish.”
“No, I mean it. You’re incredibly caring and generous. Especially with your friends.”
“Well, thank you, girlfriend. I—” Suddenly Nadia realized Trish was looking at her hopefully. She grew wary. “Wait a minute, what are you—”
“In fact, I’ll bet you’d just love to help your good buddy Trish out tonight and babysit Kelsey so that Ian and I could go to the movies and have a little alone time, wouldn’t you?” Trish said, the words coming out in a rush as if she hoped the sheer speed of them would overwhelm Nadia into agreeing.
“Babysitting?” Nadia winced, dismayed. “Trish—”
“I’ll be your best friend.”
“You already are my best friend.”
“I’ll be your best friend even more,” Trish offered, pleading. “Kelsey’s a great kid. You’ll love her, I swear.”
“Mmm,” Nadia said in return. She paused in removing scones to look at her friend more closely. “You’re really falling hard for this guy, aren’t you?”
“Little bit, yeah.”
Again, Nadia felt that flicker of wistfulness, but she buried it. “Lucky for you, I’m a romantic at heart.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Far be it from me to deprive you of time with your honey.” Nadia pointed a finger at her. “But I am not, under any circumstances, watching cartoons. Deal?”
“Deal.” Trish clasped her hands together in delight and beamed at her. “Yay! Thank you. We’ll even bring you candy from the concession stand, if you like.”
“Candy, wow. My night is looking up.”
“Well, if you’d prefer—”
The bell on the door out front jingled. Trish and Nadia looked at each other, both of them holding baking trays in their hands and with four more on the counter that needed to be loaded up and put in the ovens.
“Shoot,” Trish muttered, peeking into the front of the bakery. “There’s a whole group of them out there. I’ve got a cake to make, a batch of brownies to mix, and not enough hands to do it. Can you help them?”
It was becoming more and more common for them to have to scramble to keep up with both the demands of the counter out front and the duties of the kitchen, which was good, but…. “I think it’s time,” Nadia said solemnly.
Trish’s eyes widened. “Holy—you think so?”
“I do.”
They stared at each other. “Help-wanted ad in the paper or sign in the window?” Trish asked finally.
“Let’s try both.”
Both women whooped with delight at the same time, and no doubt they made an interesting picture as they tried to hug each other without dropping any trays or scones.
“Girlfriend,” Nadia added, feeling a sudden wave of optimism despite the stint of childcare in her near future, “I think this might just be our year.”
Chapter Three
Nadia wasn’t late this time—not really—but Benji still beat her to the café where they planned to have lunch.
“I’ll bet you’re early to every single meeting you go to,” she said by way of greeting, unable to resist teasing him. It was the suit and tie, she supposed. A girl couldn’t be expected to resist trying to loosen a guy like him up a little bit. “Aren’t you?”
He immediately rose from his chair and didn’t sit down again until Nadia was seated. “Not every meeting.”
She gave him a knowing look, and he momentarily averted his eyes. “Liar. It’s okay, though. Women much prefer a man who’s early to one who keeps them waiting.”
The Heavenly Bites Novella Collection Page 7
