The Baker, Part 2: Sous Chef

Chapter 26

Ben couldn't help but laugh at how Cassie was acting like an excited little kid when she saw the Comic-Con building. It was a clear view from their hotel room and he had a feeling she'd want to sleep with the curtains open tonight.

"When can we go!" She excitedly asked. He chuckled, as he told her, "Nothing starts until tomorrow, love. We'll head down early after breakfast and I will happily nerd out with you all day. Until then, you are jet lagged and we need to keep you both up."

He shook Kelly as she almost swayed over from falling asleep. "Come on, we'll go lounge by the pool and order some drinks. That should keep us up." He ordered them both to get dressed after giving Kelly her room key. He got them conjoining rooms because he figured Kelly wouldn't want to bunk with them. 

Cassie came out of the bathroom a few minutes later in her one piece bathing suit just as Ben pulled on his ridiculous looking baby blue swim shorts. He hummed in approval when he saw Cassie. "Sexy mummy," he cheekily commented. 

She waved him off and continued to grab sun lotion when he wrapped his arms around her and started plucking kisses on her neck. "Ben," she giggled. He moved his hand to her stomach and gave it a squeeze. "You're just so damn sexy," he growled. 

"Besides, we haven't had mummy, daddy alone time for a while," he continued. He was now kissing her shoulders and anywhere he could reach. "I love you so much," he said. "Do you know what?" She turned in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

"Of course I know that," she told him. "I love you, too." She leaned up and kissed him, which got him a bit excited. "We are so having sex tonight," he said against her lips. "Lots and lots of sex. Maybe even get another baby in you, yeah?"

He went to kiss her again, but she backed away with an odd look on her face. "Excuse you?" She asked. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Another baby. Give Liam a little brother or sister. Don't you want another?"

She let out a nervous laugh and said, "Yeah, of course...just not now. I was thinking we could wait a few years. Maybe even till he's, I don't know...five?" Ben backed up a bit and scoffed, "Five? You want to wait five years to have another baby? Seriously?"

Sighing, she told him, "I don't know! With that happened last time...maybe it'll be good to wait." Ben rubbed her arms, then pulled her in for a hug. "Darling, you can't be afraid. Your depression won't happen again because your love for Liam will be a constant reminder of how happy you are."

She leaned her head on his chest and hugged him tightly. "I still want to wait," she said. "Liam isn't even a year old yet. Let's give it some time." He rubbed her back, then said, "I have no problem with that. It's your body, you have the say. Just as long as it's not five years." 

"Four," she said. 

He sighed and said, "Two." 

"Three."

"Two and a half."

"Fine. Five."

"Bloody hell, fine. Three."

She smiled, then pulled him down for a kiss. "I love you," she said. He sighed grumbled, "I know."

**

After making Cassie and Kelly stay awake by pushing them both into the pool every chance he got, Ben took them out for dinner. They got dressed up and took an uber to a fancy restaurant. "What even is this?" Kelly asked as she pointed to something on the menu. 

"That's fish," Ben told her. "More specifically, it's Trout." She grimaced, then pointed to another item. "Still fish, only this time it's Salmon." Eventually, she went with spaghetti and meatballs. "Thank you for this, Ben," Cassie said, taking his hand over the table. 

He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. "It's my pleasure," he told her. "You know I love treating my girls." He gave her hand a kiss, then asked Kelly, "So, what are your plans for college?" Kelly hated it when he asked her this because she never knew the answer. 

That's why he always asked. "You've graduated with amazing grades, Kell," he said. "You can get into whatever college you want. What do you want to study?" That's another question she hated. "I don't know," she grumbled. 

"Well, that's fine," he said. "My first year, I didn't know if I wanted to be an actor or a barrister." She rolled her eyes and Cassie had to laugh. It was like watching a father-daughter conversation. It gave her a glimpse of what Ben would be like to their eighteen year old kid.

"Actually," Kelly said, "I was thinking...maybe I could stay in London, help Cass around the restaurant." Ben and Cassie looked to each other. They saw this coming because of how Kelly talked of moving to London in the past. They've discussed it, too, just in case this moment came up.

Cassie cleared her throat and said, "That's fine. Honestly, it is. We would be more than happy to have you stay with us." Kelly's eyes lit up. "Really?" She asked. "Oh my God, this is...oh my God!" She started bouncing in her seat, she was so excited!

"But on one condition," Ben told her. She furiously nodded and said, "Anything!" He gave her a small smile and said, "You have to have a job, which you will at the restaurant, and you can have two choices. Either, you can pay rent or not pay rent, but also go to school."

He and Cassie watched her carefully weigh the options. Cassie added, "If you choose not to go to school, I'll give you a full-time job at the restaurant since you'll have to pay rent. If not, it'll part-time." Kelly looked at them back and forth. 

"But...I don't know what I want to do," she said. Ben shook his head and told her, "And that's fine. You don't have to go to a University, just something small and local for now. We'll pay for your books and whatever the tuition fee is if you decide on a community college. Sound like a deal?"

She sighed and continued to think. "If I don't like it...can I drop out?" She asked. Ben and Cassie both sighed. "As much as I would love for you to try and make it," Cassie said, "yes, you can. We're not going to force you to do something you don't want to do. But keep in mind, if you drop out, you pay rent."

That assurance seemed to have made up Kelly's mind. "Okay," she said, "I'll go to school. I'll also watch after Liam whenever you need me to, obviously." Ben and Cassie looked to each other and smiled. "Alright," Ben said, "looks like you're moving to London."

The smile on Kelly's face was the biggest Cassie has ever seen it. She got up and hugged her sister and brother-in-law as tight as she could. "This is the best weekend ever," she said. Cassie smiled as she said, "I couldn't agree more."