Winner Cake All

by Denise Swanson

  Returning to the call, she said, “I am free that day.” The other woman cheered, but Dani cut her off and continued, “However, in order to do this, I’ll have to charge double the price that I originally quoted to you guys because I am going to have to hire additional staff, including a sous-chef, and none of that is going to be cheap.”

  “Not a problem,” Vicki said quickly. “Let’s say triple your initial estimate since we don’t want you to feel you have to skimp on anything. I’ve been told by the happy couple that the sky is the limit budget-wise.”

  “I’m not expected to provide the china, crystal, silver, or linens, right?”

  “Correct. We’ve got that covered with the same company responsible for the tent and other equipment,” Vicki assured her. “Just text me a list of the type and number of plates, as well as the type and number of flatware that you’ll need for your menu.”

  The wedding planner’s voice was almost giddy and Dani wondered why the woman was so relieved. There were other caterers in Normalton. Although, perhaps not on such short notice.

  “Speaking of the menu, I’ll need it approved by Yvette before nine so I can place the food orders by ten. Oh, and a firm guest count,” Dani cautioned. “Will that be a problem?”

  “Absolutely not.” Again Vicki sounded a little too cheery, but Dani shrugged it off. “We’ll go with four hundred as we’d rather have leftovers than not enough. And Yvette agrees to the entrées, sides, and appetizers that we discussed yesterday. Did you come up with the desserts?”

  “Yes.” Dani crossed her fingers for luck. “How does hand pies with apple-and-green-chili filling, stout-infused chocolate cake with pecan-and-caraway-streusel topping, and an assortment of bomboloni filled with pastry cream flavored with matcha, pumpkin, and Baileys liqueur sound?”

  “Amazingly delicious!” Vicki gushed, then said, “Let me run those by Yvette, then I’ll come over to sign the contract and give you a check for two-thirds of your fee before nine. I believe that is the standard deposit for an event that is within a week away?”

  “Sorry, but no. I’ll need the full amount due because of the short notice.”

  “No problem,” Vicki said almost before Dani stopped speaking.

  Dani was about to disconnect when a question popped into her head. Was it unprofessional to ask?

  Shrugging, with so little time left, she doubted they’d fire her for a minor infraction so she decided to go for it and said, “One more thing. Why the change of date?”

  Vicki blew out a long, noisy breath, then her tone dry, answered, “Yvette just found out that the original Saturday she chose was All Saints’ Day.”

  “So?” Dani scratched her head. “Does her religion forbid parties on that day?”

  “Not at all.” Vicki chuckled. “But with Halloween the day before, she was afraid that it might somehow, don’t ask me how, taint her party.”

  “Maybe she was afraid people would come in costume.” Dani rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I’ll expect you before nine.”

  Once they said their goodbyes, Dani took a quick shower, then threw on a pair of black yoga pants and a red T-shirt with the Chef-to-Go logo. Then she twisted her hair into a messy bun and applied bronzer and mascara. Almost ready to face the day, she ran downstairs straight to the coffee maker.

  While the machine was working its caffeinated magic, Dani checked the newly installed dry-erase board on the wall next to the fridge. Technically, her renters didn’t have to keep her informed of their comings and goings, but she’d asked them to indicate whether they were in the mansion or not just so she’d know if they needed to be evacuated in case of an emergency like a fire or tornado.

  Studying the board, it appeared Ivy and Starr had already left and Tippi either hadn’t woken up yet or had forgotten to sign out. Either of which were a possibility for her.

  While Ivy and Starr generally followed the house rules to the letter, Tippi always pushed until Dani was forced to come down on her. Mrs. Epstein was a judge, and Tippi was pre-law, making Dani wonder sometimes if the girl had seen so many defendants wiggle out of a conviction due to a technicality that she used those same concepts to avoid her own obligations.

  Giving her the benefit of the doubt, Dani assumed Tippi was still upstairs asleep or at least hadn’t left the mansion.

  After pouring herself a cup of coffee, Dani grabbed a legal pad and began to make her list of supplies. Four hundred guests was a huge number and she checked and rechecked her figures, afraid that she’d miscalculate the amount she needed.

  Vicki was true to her word and rang the bell at precisely nine o’clock. She approved the desserts, signed the contract, and gave Dani a certified check, then quickly left saying she had other vendors to see.

  An hour later, Dani put her phone aside and rubbed her eyes. She’d placed the food and other supply orders, secured eight servers in addition to Tippi, Ivy, and Starr, and hired her friend Gray as sous-chef.

  He’d wanted to work for free, but Dani insisted on paying him the going rate. Thankfully, there hadn’t been any high-profile murder cases in a while, so he wasn’t busy with his real job as chief detective of the Normalton Police Department. Dani was fairly certain that Spencer would not approve, but if he didn’t like it, he could always come and help out too.

  Chapter 5

  Dani was antsy. At the moment, there wasn’t anything else she could do to prepare for next Saturday’s engagement party, but it felt like she should be working on it.

  She’d received a text from Spencer that he’d pick her up at 6:00 p.m. and it wasn’t even noon. She wasn’t one to sit around. What would she do with herself for the next half-dozen hours?

  Gazing around the kitchen, she searched for something that needed her attention. Except for her dirty spoon near the coffee maker, the room was spic and span.

  Saturdays, her boarders were on their own for meals and everything was already set to go for tomorrow afternoon’s birthday party. For once the guests had no dietary restrictions, and the five-year-old’s parents only specifications were that the food should be fun, not totally unhealthy, and cater to the birthday boy’s obsession with trucks, trains, and heavy moving equipment.

  Both the menu and the prep had been relatively easy. Dani had created veggie dip appetizers in small plastic glasses printed with trucks. She had also had skewers of fruit cut out to spell the child’s name, as well as his favorite vehicle brands.

  The main course was pizza wheels and mac-and-cheese bites. They were both ready to pop in the oven once Dani arrived at the boy’s house. She’d found serving platters printed with construction equipment on which she’d place the finished entrées before putting them on the table.

  And the dump truck birthday cake and frosting were both made and waiting to be assembled when Dani got home from church. She had Ho Hos and mini chocolate doughnuts standing by for the tires and axels, as well as the white gumdrops for the headlights, red M&Ms for the taillights, and Twix bars for the bumpers.

  Just as Dani rose from her seat at the table to pour herself another cup of coffee, Tippi stumbled into the kitchen and muttered, “Morning.”

  The young woman’s eyes were red rimmed, her face was puffy, and her usually squared shoulders were drooping. Had she been crying all night?

  “Good morning,” Dani answered as she walked behind the counter. “I was thinking of making waffles. Can I interest you in a couple?”

  Waffles were Tippi’s favorite breakfast food. And like Ivy, for someone so petite, she ate like a farmhand. While Dani waited for her boarder to process her question through her not-quite-awake brain, she examined the girl.

  There was no mistaking it. Tippi looked miserable. Evidently, she had feelings for Caleb that she’d never revealed. Dani would have sworn the two were only friends, but this degree of desolation over him inviting another girl to the dance implied that Tippi s
aw the pre-law student from Texas as something other than a pal.

  Had Caleb been under the same impression as Dani? Or was he just not interested in Tippi as anything more than a study buddy?

  Although Tippi still hadn’t responded, Dani took the waffle maker out of the cupboard and plugged it in to preheat. While she mixed up the batter, her boarder trudged over to the Ninja Coffee Bar.

  The machine had been a housewarming, or maybe a thank-you gift from the girls’ parents. And although Dani hadn’t had time to explore all its capabilities yet, Tippi, Ivy, and Starr had quickly mastered it.

  Tippi’s favorite was espresso con panna, a shot of espresso with a layer of whipped cream on top. She went to work brewing it and soon carried her steaming cup to the counter, where she took a seat on the middle stool.

  Finally, Tippi looked up, seemed to notice Dani cooking, and said, “I’m not really hungry. I might have a stomach bug or something.”

  “That’s fine.” Dani poured the batter onto the hot waffle iron. “I’ll put whatever is left in the fridge. They reheat pretty well.”

  After she had made four waffles, she put them, an empty plate, a bottle of maple syrup, and the butter in front of Tippi. Then grabbing her own dish, Dani helped herself to a waffle.

  She hid her smile when, even before she’d finished slathering her waffle with butter, Tippi was pouring syrup on her own golden square of deliciousness.

  Determined to cheer up the girl and knowing her weakness for fashion, Dani said, “So, I’m wondering if you can help me pick out an outfit for tonight.”

  Around a mouthful of the fluffy goodness, Tippi mumbled, “Where are you going?”

  “Reapers Supper Club. And I hear it’s pretty dressy.” Dani took a bite.

  “Mmm.” Tippi half closed her eyes. “You don’t have anything for that place.”

  “So?” Dani didn’t have to ask how Tippi knew the contents of her wardrobe. At one point or another, all the girls had explored her closet.

  “You’re going with Spence, right?” Tippi tilted her head. “Cuz I’m not helping you if it’s that detective.”

  “Of course it’s Spencer.” Dani rolled her eyes. The girls had taken sides even though there were no sides to take. “I’m not dating Gray. We’re just friends.”

  “Right.” The sarcasm dripped from Tippi’s voice as thickly as the maple syrup did from the bite of waffle halfway to her lips.

  “Believe me, I do not get any kind of I’m-interested-in-you-as-a-woman vibe from him,” Dani stated firmly. “I really think he likes my kitchen and cooking equipment more than he likes me.”

  “Good.” Tippi chewed thoughtfully. “In that case, we need to go shopping.”

  “Oh?” Dani wasn’t crazy about the idea, but she did need a new outfit, and as an added bonus, Tippi was looking perkier by the minute. “Where would you suggest?”

  “Von Maur.” Tippi had already finished the waffle on her plate and speared a second one with her fork. “They’ll have the perfect dress.”

  An hour later, Dani unlocked the driver’s side door of the Chef-to-Go van and watched as Tippi zipped out of mansion. Instead of the bedraggled girl who had appeared in the kitchen earlier that morning, her hair and makeup were perfect. She wore slim-fitting dark jeans, a white silk T-shirt, and a long navy vest. Her designer purse matched her navy loafers.

  She hopped into the passenger seat and said, “I hope you have your credit card.”

  Dani mentally checked her wallet. “Yep.” She didn’t usually carry her personal Visa. She didn’t want to be tempted to buy something she didn’t need. “I grabbed it when I went upstairs to change into my sneakers.”

  “Great.” Tippi nodded, then in an imperial tone ordered, “Onward.”

  Dani was busy backing the huge vehicle out of the long driveway but spared a quick glance to make sure Tippi had fastened her seat belt.

  “We’re only going to Van Maur’s, right, not the mall?” Dani asked once she’d assured herself that her passenger was safe and she was headed in the store’s direction.

  She hated the mall.

  “Probably.” Tippi chewed the inside of her cheek. “But we might have to go to another place for shoes if they don’t have what you need.”

  “I own plenty of dress shoes.” Dani mentally crossed her fingers. From her previous life working in human resources, she had sensible pumps in brown, black, and bone, as well as a couple pairs of dressy sandals, which should match anything she bought. Although none with heels high enough to earn Tippi’s approval.

  During the short drive, Dani and the girl chatted about Tippi’s current issue with Caleb. Nothing had been resolved by the time they turned into the entrance of the parking lot that was shared by the row of upscale stores known as The Shoppes of University Knolls. It was crowded and Dani took the first space she spotted. The van was too large and unwieldy to be picky.

  Before Dani even turned off the motor, Tippi was out of her seat and heading toward Von Maur’s entrance at a determined jog.

  Dani had almost caught up to Tippi when she spotted Yvette Joubert pushing through the same door. Unwilling to be drawn into a long conversation about the woman’s upcoming event, Dani slowed down until her client was out of sight.

  Once Dani got inside the store, she found Tippi impatiently tapping her toe and asked, “Where shall we start?”

  “Um.” Tippi studied her feet, suddenly unable to meet Dani’s eye.

  “Yes?” Dani encouraged. What in the heck had gotten into the girl?

  “The thing is,” Tippi cleared her throat. “I’d suggest going into the contemporary department, which is my favorite, but most of the clothes there only go up to a size twelve and…”

  “I wear sixteen, sometimes an eighteen,” Dani said matter-of-factly, adjusting her cross-body purse and making sure she tucked her keys in one of the zippered compartments.

  She might not be totally comfortable with her body, but the only way to lose weight would be to stop sampling her own cooking so much. And that would never happen. After all, she had to test her recipes to make sure they tasted right. At least, that was what she told herself.

  “Then we should go into dresses,” Tippi said leading Dani to her left.

  “Nothing too fussy.” Dani frowned at a rack of clothes that nearly blinded her with the amount of sequins and sparkly lace on display.

  “Definitely.” Tippi tapped her chin and scanned the aisle. “You need something sexy and cute.” She pointed. “Let’s look at those.”

  Dani followed as Tippi quickly darted over to the next aisle, held up a red high-low halter dress, and said, “What do you think of this one? I know you like red.”

  “Nope.” Dani shook her head. “Nothing that I’d have to go braless.”

  “You know they do have strapless bras, not to mention this adhesive stuff.”

  “Sorry.” Dani felt her eye start to twitch. She wanted the girls firmly ensconced in a sturdy bra, not a wisp of lace or some duct tape. “Not happening.”

  “Okay.” Tippi blew out a frustrated sigh, then flipped through hangers for a few seconds.

  Finally, she held up another dress, this one had a knee-length flowy tiered skirt of black-and-white polka-dot chiffon below a solid black sleeveless bodice with a sash at the waist that seemed to tie it all together.

  “I like it.” Dani fingered the material, which felt nice and light.

  After rejecting several more dresses that were too short, too fitted, or too revealing, Dani ended up with three to try on.

  When she and Tippi approached the dressing room, a sales associate offered to help. The woman said she could bring different sizes or colors, but Tippi insisted she’d fetch anything that they needed.

  Once Dani had stripped down to her underwear, she tried on her original choice first, but the length of the sk
irt was wrong. She really liked it, but there wasn’t time to have it hemmed.

  Next, she zipped up an off-white sheath. The color washed her out and she didn’t want to look as if she were recovering from an illness, so she took it off and laid it aside.

  She hadn’t bothered showing either one of them to Tippi. She didn’t need a second opinion to know that they weren’t flattering.

  As she pulled the final dress over her head, the white louvered doors burst open and Tippi strode inside the spacious fitting room. She looked at the two discarded options and let out a disappointed sigh.

  Dani ignored her and finished putting on the remaining dress. The fit-and-flare skirt smoothly skimmed her hips and the bodice cupped her breasts. Dani twisted left and right admiring the black-and- ivory geometric print. The pattern gave the dress a nice polished look. She also liked the three sheer mesh bands above the hem. She thought that they added a modern element.

  Noticing that Tippi was silently staring at her, Dani asked, “What do you think?”

  “You look fabulous.” Tippi beamed, then tilted her head. “You know, I’ve never seen you spiffed up before. You’re really pretty.”

  “Thanks.” Dani wasn’t sure if she should be flattered or offended. Clearly, the girl previously hadn’t thought she was attractive. “Check the tag for the price. I can’t spend too much.”

  Tippi’s expression was stubborn. “You are getting that dress no matter what the cost. It’s a classic that you can wear again and again.”

  “Mmm.” Dani glanced back at her image in the mirror. “It is perfect.”

  Tippi’s nose twitched slightly, evidently scenting victory. “You haven’t bought anything new for yourself since I’ve known you.”

  “True.” Dani twirled, admiring how the skirt moved around her legs. “And I do have a pair of black shoes that I could wear with it.”