by Elsie Davis
Kevin smiled and nodded, knowing it was his bid that won.
“Kevin Thompson, meet your secret chef, Amanda Tillman.” The crowd cheered, but Kevin tuned them out as he tried to grasp what he’d just heard.
Amanda. No way. He shook his head in disbelief. It couldn’t possibly be the same woman, but as the brunette with cobalt eyes stepped forward, he knew it was true. He just paid a hefty price to have the woman he’d avoided all night come to his home and cook dinner for him and the girls.
Unbelievable.
There was no way this would end well.
* * *
Amanda couldn’t believe it when she heard Kevin’s name. She hadn’t even known he was signed up for the secret-chef dinner. He must’ve been a last-minute entry, and now, well, this was a disaster. She’d been roped into participating in this event, her stupid inability to say no putting her in this position in the first place.
The man had spent the entire evening avoiding her, so him winning her secret-chef services was the last thing she’d expected. But it wasn’t as if she had a choice, she had to honor the commitment. Luckily, it was just one dinner. She’d make the best of it, the same way she always did. Once upon a time, Kevin might’ve been the type of guy she was interested in, but not anymore, no matter how attractive he was or how nice his smile. Meeting him on February Fool’s Day was a big, fat sign to stay away, something she’d gladly do after she fixed this one meal.
The two of them moved off to the side.
“Congratulations on winning the bid. It looks as though you’re stuck with me. For a guy who openly made a point he wasn’t interested, making a bet like you did makes me wonder. You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” She had to be sure, and since he was a straight shooter, it was best to serve him up the same.
“Hardly. Your dessert was amazing, and that’s what I bid on. I had no idea it was you.” He shrugged.
“But a hundred and seventy-five? That doesn’t sound like a bid for somebody who doesn’t know who they’re getting.” Narrowing her eyes, Amanda watched closely for any sign he wasn’t telling the truth.
“No, but it does sound like a bid a guy made to make sure he got the person who cooked the dessert. Something I was completely assured would be in high demand. It sounded as though the bids were going to be coming in high, and I just wanted to make sure I won it.”
“So, is this a winning thing or a dessert thing?” Even though neither option was flattering to her as a woman, both were acceptable choices.
“Maybe both.” He shrugged again, unsure of himself. “Honestly, the guys made it sound as if they all knew who the secret dessert chef was and that they would be bidding high for the privilege of one of your home-cooked meals. You have quite a reputation.”
“And who told you this?” she persisted, wanting to get to the bottom of this. Something sounded fishy.
Kevin pointed across the room at the older man who stood in the center of a group of men laughing.
“You’re kidding. My friend, you’ve been had. That’s Tanner’s dad, Parker Wilson.”
“Well, I’ll be. Didn’t see that one coming. Some of the comments make more sense now. Can I at least hope your cooking is as wonderful as they say it is?”
“You won’t be disappointed.” Her answer might sound overly bold, but it was the truth and there was no sense downplaying the fact she could cook.
“It’s for a good cause, so it’s fine. Any chance we can do this dinner Sunday evening?”
“I can if you’re sure about this.” Amanda was hoping he’d back out, but her chances were slim to none.
“The one thing I’m sure of right now is that I paid a hundred and seventy-five dollars for a dinner, and I’m looking forward to it. Or at least I better be.” He chuckled. “Oh, and there’ll be four of us for dinner, including you.”
She hadn’t expected to be included as a dinner guest, nor had she expected it to be a dinner party, but the more, the merrier in this case. It would make it a lot less awkward to be around the guy who made her heart race a tiny bit faster with each smile he sent her way.
Chapter Three
“Good morning, Cuppy.” Amanda reached down and patted her dog on the head before continuing to the kitchen for a much-needed dose of caffeine by way of coffee. She poured a cup and took a few sips, savoring the robust chicory flavor as it fueled her brain with a wake-up call.
Today was going to be a busy day between dealing with the demands of the bakery and then her secret-chef obligation for Kevin’s dinner party. Luckily, she’d had the foresight to pick up all the groceries for the meal yesterday, which had allowed her to complete early preparations for the beef Wellington. It was picture perfect and ready to go in the oven.
Now that the Valentine’s rush was over, the bakery was back to its all-too-quiet mode, and back to its closing time of five o’clock. Luckily, Diana, her part-time helper, would be able to come in at the last minute and cover for her today. Amanda wouldn’t have much time to clean up and get to Kevin’s place by four, but she’d make it happen.
“Jennifer is going to come over and let you out later today and to feed you. I’m sure you don’t mind.” The dog rubbed up against Amanda’s leg, her tail wagging. Cupcake loved it when her friend visited and took the time to play with her. But lately, with Jennifer’s love life in full swing, she’d had less and less time to spend at Amanda’s. “I’ll be home early, I promise.”
“Woof. Woof.” Cupcake nuzzled her hand, demanding more rubs. From the minute Amanda had laid eyes on the dog at the shelter, she’d fallen in love with the chocolate Lab. And for the past two years, Cupcake had managed to wrap Amanda around her paw.
“Yes, I know, you hate being alone all day, but I’ve been busy lately.” Amanda fed the dog and let her out in the backyard to run and potty. Short on time, the dog’s walk to the park wouldn’t happen today. Amanda would make it up to her in the morning by allowing extra time. The pastries and donuts needed to be in the oven by six, and she was already running behind schedule, trying to make sure she had everything she needed for tonight.
She dressed warmly in her hat, scarf, and heavy winter jacket, hoping to ward off the chill as she went to start the car and load the two bags of her supplies she’d organized earlier. Amanda knelt beside Cupcake, who’d followed her to the front door. She kissed the dog on the forehead and gave her a big hug. “See you tonight, girl. Be good for Jennifer.”
Mornings were always the busiest, but day after day, Amanda showed up in time to bake her fresh pastries, donuts, loaves of bread, and desserts. The first batch was ready by the time the bakery opened and the first customers started trickling in. With each lull in traffic, which was far too frequent, she baked more goods to replenish what sold.
By late morning, Amanda had started on tomorrow’s creations. Some were tried and true favorites she made every day, others, she changed up for uniqueness. Everything refrigerated nicely, waiting for her to bake them fresh in the morning. It was a never-ending process, but one Amanda loved. The joy of measuring and sifting and rolling was soothing. Her mother had had a way of making it fun, and even now, Amanda could still see her smiling.
The people in Hallbrook had loved her mother, her kind heart making everyone she saw feel special. Amanda had tried to follow in her footsteps, and things had been going well, at least until the Glen Haven bakery opened. Her mother was no longer here to turn to for advice, and Amanda had no choice but to put all her hopes on the contest. She prayed her mother would help guide her to pick the right recipe to help save the Sweeter Side of Life bakery.
Ever since the contest was announced, she’d racked her brain for something to submit but had come up empty-handed. The biggest disappointment had been not finding something in her mother’s recipe book. Jennifer was right, it was hard for a non-chocolate lover to come up with an award-winning chocolate recipe.
Her gaze landed on her grandmother’s recipe book on display on a corner shelf behind
the counter. It was one her mother had used frequently, and one that Amanda used on occasion. It gave her an idea. Maybe there would be something unique and special in it that she could make her own.
She took the recipe book down off the shelf so she could go through it when she had a few minutes, or to at least take it home for later tonight when she was snuggled up in bed. It would make for excellent night-time reading.
The overhead door chimes jingled as a customer ambled in.
“Good morning, Mrs. O’Malley.” The woman was a pillar of the community, her volunteer work having touched many lives here in Hallbrook over the years. Amanda’s mother had once told her Agnes O’Malley had been one of her first customers and a regular ever since.
“Good morning, dear.” Mrs. O’Malley made her way toward the register, her pace slow and steady.
“How are things going at O’Malley’s Charm?”
“The boys are managing it just fine. Can’t say I miss working there all the time. Even Frank is finding it easier to quit meddling in how they run the place and is spending more time enjoying our senior years.”
“That’s great to hear. Maybe he can take you somewhere special this spring?” Amanda said as Mrs. O’Malley peered into the glass case, checking over today’s choices.
“You know me, I just like to stay put. More than enough here in Hallbrook to keep me busy. Speaking of, I saw you at the Masonic Lodge last night, but I didn’t get a chance to talk to you. What do you think of the contest they announced? You’re going to enter, aren’t you?” She pushed her glasses back on her nose and peered up at Amanda. The woman wasn’t much above five feet tall and was a total sweetheart.
“Absolutely. I was just thinking about it and trying to figure out what to make. So far, I’m not having much luck.” Amanda shrugged, letting out a deep breath of air.
Mrs. O’Malley frowned, one finger tapping her chin. “I remember when your mama made a chocolate cake and the whole town couldn’t stop talking about it. I don’t know why she quit making it, but it sure was delicious.”
Amanda shook her head. She hadn’t heard the story before, not even from her mother. “You know mom. She was always one to keep trying new recipes and creating new things. She loved to play with ingredients to see what she could come up with.”
“True. But still, it’s a shame. Maybe you should look through her recipes and see if you can find it. You wouldn’t have been more than a couple of years old, I reckon, when she made it. I think it had some creamy caramel and nuts on the top. But then don’t go by that. My memory isn’t what it used to be.” Mrs. O’Malley smiled, the wrinkles of her face deepening.
Amanda picked up the old recipe book and held it up for inspection. “I’ve been through mom’s recipe book and didn’t see anything like what you’re talking about. I was going to go through my grandmother’s recipes as my bedtime reading material. Hopefully, it’ll be in here because the recipe sounds perfect for what I need and it’s already been taste tested,” she joked.
“I hope you find it, my dear. Now, I’ll take three of your lemon scones and two of the old-fashioned sugar donuts. You know Frank, he won’t be happy if I don’t bring those home for breakfast before church.” Mrs. O’Malley grinned and shook her head.
Amanda bagged the order and rang it up on the register. “Thanks for the tip about the cake. I hope I can find it.”
“Always glad to help.” Mrs. O’Malley held out a twenty to pay for her order, and Amanda counted out her change. “So, when are you going to Kevin Thompson’s house to cook that dinner?”
“Tonight, actually. I guess everyone in town knows about that, too.”
The older woman winked. “How could they not know about it with Parker Wilson running around town claiming he and Tanner set it all up.”
Amanda had suspected as much, but to have it confirmed still came as somewhat of a shock. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I heard it from Sally Little over at the diner, who heard it from Parker, that Tanner asked him to try and do some behind-the-scenes matchmaking. You know Parker. That man is always up for a challenge. They made sure no one else outbid Kevin. I heard he could have bet a dollar and still would’ve won. This town enjoys a good love story and you know it.” Mrs. O’Malley grinned, the twinkle in her eyes telling that she was one of those people.
“There is no love story. I don’t have time for such nonsense, and you know it. All my time is wrapped up in the bakery and trying to keep it open. That bakery in Glen Haven has given me enough worries without adding man worries to the mix.” It was the truth, but nobody seemed to be listening. It was as if they all had romance on the brain this time of the year. Who knew February Fool’s Day would be contagious?
“You’ve always been a smart girl. Can’t say as I blame your attitude after living with Frank for thirty-five years, but married life does have its upsides. A lot of them. Not always perfect, but I highly recommend it. It’s all about finding the right guy. You’re young. Give it time, and for the record, Kevin does seem like a nice guy.” Her grin widened.
“Well, apparently, he’s as uninterested in a relationship as I am. The matchmakers in town need to let this one go. What’s the old adage? Barking up the wrong tree.”
Mrs. O’Malley chuckled. “Okay. I’ll see what I can do to spread the word, but sometimes this town has a mind of its own.” She waved and headed for the door. “See you in church.”
“Absolutely.” Everyone knew Amanda closed the bakery for one hour on Sundays. She was unwilling to give up listening to the pastor’s message but wanted to catch the after-church crowd. And this morning, she especially needed words of hope and encouragement and faith that everything would turn out okay.
She considered calling Kevin and breaking the whole thing off, letting him know he had every right to back out of his contribution and the deal. But then she reasoned that nobody had made him do what he did. And the Masons did need the money, so it was all for a worthy cause. The right thing to do was to see this through, and in doing so, prove the town wrong. When it came to love, they needed to realize you couldn’t go around matchmaking people and playing with hearts.
After the church crowd dwindled, time dragged slowly, Amanda stressing over tonight’s dinner party. Typically, she and Grandpa would have been having their big Sunday dinner, but she’d had to cancel on him this time. Of course, he understood and was all too willing to have her cooking for a single man, probably hoping she’d make an impression with her culinary talents. Like many townsfolk, he didn’t agree with her decision to focus on the business and not date.
Amanda used her free time to examine the recipe book. Page after page, she searched for the chocolate cake recipe Mrs. O’Malley had referred to. The recipes in the book were in no particular order, and she’d been through almost the entire book before she found what she’d been looking for. Without a doubt, the caramel nut cake was the one, the relief at her discovery overwhelming.
She scanned the recipe and frowned. There didn’t seem to be anything special about it. Basic chocolate cake with a scrumptious topping. Maybe it was the wrong recipe. There was only one way to find out, and tonight was the perfect opportunity. She changed out the ingredients in the oversized bag she’d prepared to take to Kevin’s for the ones in the cake recipe.
There’d be no torte tonight, just good old-fashioned chocolate cake.
Right at a quarter to four, Diana arrived, ready to take over. Other than a few short notes, everything was ready, and Amanda left in a hurry. She drove to Kevin’s, the address not far on the outskirts of town. It was the old Crofton house, people who’d long since moved away from Hallbrook. The Victorian home had been on the market for quite some time, and it was great to see it sold. It was a big house for a bachelor, and more than she’d want to keep up with, but maybe Kevin enjoyed his space.
She knocked on the door. Kevin answered almost as if he’d been waiting for her by the front door.
“Hey there. Come on
in. You’re punctual, I like that.” His kind smile reached his eyes, softening his features. She loved the shade of his green eyes and was curious if they ran in his family, but under the circumstances, there was no way she’d be asking him. That would be getting too personal, something she was determined not to do.
“When you own a bakery, punctual tends to be an admiral quality. Don’t want to keep people waiting for their morning pastry and a strong cup of coffee since that’s all that separates them from a good and bad day sometimes,” Amanda teased.
“Point taken. I can attest to the fact sugar and caffeine can go a long way. Here, let me take one of those.” He reached out and took a bag off her shoulder.
“Thanks.” She followed him into the house and down the hall. The old house had fared well over the years. The beautiful hardwood floors were freshly polished, and the walls painted an off-white. Pictures lined the hallway like a real home and not a bachelor pad.
They entered the kitchen, and the room was a pleasant surprise. For a bachelor, this was quite impressive. The stainless-steel appliances and oversize island were a baker’s dream.
“Just set your things down here.” He pointed to the island. “Make yourself at home, and consider this your temporary kitchen. If you need anything, ask, and I’ll see what I can do to find it, but other than that, I consider this my night off.”
“No worries. I love to cook, and tonight is for a good cause. I’m sure I have everything I need.”
“This is awesome. I’m really looking forward to a home-cooked meal. And I just wanted to say thanks in advance, in case things get hectic and I forget.”
Amanda understood completely. People who didn’t cook always appreciated an enjoyable meal without having to leave the comfort of their home. “You’re welcome in advance.” She grinned.
“Do I get any hints as to what’s for supper?” Kevin leaned up against the counter as she unpacked.
