✿ Aileen's POV
“What do you mean you gave away the birthday cake?” I keep my voice low and calm even though I'm roaring and stomping like a T-Rex in my head.
Angelo had locked himself in the locker room. There was no point freaking him out any further.
“I went to the bathroom and asked him to man the front... for two seconds, Miss Lee, and he... sold it to someone,” Lyra whispers with a tremor in her voice. “It’s gone.”
I breathe through my nose, ten seconds in and fifteen seconds out. Veronica and I had been in the kitchen checking on a batch of gelato when Angelo sold the wrong cake. If not for the worst timing in the world, we could’ve stopped the switcheroo.
The birthday girl’s chocolate Bundt cake looked exactly like the bakery’s special of the week. On the outside. The surprise lay inside—gummy worms, cream cheese, and peanut butter.
I know.
The six-year-old’s logic was if you mix something tasty with something else tasty, it would be twice as tasty. In this case, thrice as tasty.
She and Camari would be great friends.
My pint-size customer wails with renewed grief beyond the kitchen doors.
“Oh God” Lyra exhales.
With a sinking sigh, I leave Lyra behind the locker room door and Angelo in the safety of his hiding place and push through the swinging doors to the shop front.
“Please don’t cry, Abby” I hear Jaime consoling the child.
“Man I wish I could conjure up a rainbow, a unicorn, or a rainbow unicorn that trails cotton candy from its mane. Anything to cheer her up” Silas sighs.
“We’re so sorry, Abby” Veronica says softly.
“B-b-but... that was my... cake.”
Oh God is right.
“I’ll have a new cake delivered to your house in three hours, tops. Will that work?” I ask Abigail’s mom.
“Oh, totally,” she says with an easy smile. “Her birthday party won’t start for another hour, and we’re not serving the cake till the end. Take your time, Lee. I trust you.”
“Thank you,” I mouth to her, then kneel beside Abigail. “I pinkie promise that your cake will be perfect and right on time. I won’t take my eyes off it until it’s safely in your hands.”
“O...o...kay” Her voice wobbles, but she pinches her lips tightly until her tears recede. “Pinkie promise.”
“Good girl” I ruffled the kid’s hair and waves good-bye. “See you soon, Abby.”
Once the door swings closed behind the mother and her hiccupping child, I usher everyone back to work and face my waiting customers.
“Sorry for the wait, guys. Crisis averted. Everything's fine now. We’ll throw in some cupcakes with your orders. Thanks for being so patient.”
I hurry into the kitchen and wrap my apron around my waist, cinching it with a quick flat knot.
“Miss Lee? He's refusing to come out of there” Lyra sighs as she walks through the door.
I groan silently and follow her to go get him.
“Gelo, stop hiding in there. I need you to go help the others take the orders.”
“Is it safe?” he peeked out from the locker room. “I’m so sorry, Miss Lee. I don’t even remember who I gave the cake to.”
“Don’t worry about it, kid,” I say, pushing aside my frustration.
YOU ARE READING
To Capture A Bride
Romance|Updates every Tuesdays| "Come with me." I laugh and wipe the beads of sweat off my forehead. "And why would you think I'd go anywhere with you?" I ask. He fills his cheeks with air and glances at the time on his watch, before slipping his hands s...
