Keeping Up With Cade

Chapter Seventeen: Antics in the Pantry

Chapter seventeen.

The two girls watched the smoke billowing from the oven for a few minutes in silence.

'Eh, Hails, did we do that?' Blair turned to her friend awkwardly.

They stared at the oven again and Hailey darted forward turning it off at the knob. Suddenly both girls burst into uncontrollable laughter. It had to be the third thing they'd tried that had failed miserably.

'I don't understand Hails, we're not bad cooks. I cook dinner all the time,' Blair said between gasps of laughter.

'It's like we're cursed or something tonight?' Hailey giggled, fanning the smoke with a tea towel.

'MM, dinner smells good girls,' Cade spoke from the doorway with a slight grin. 'How did you know I felt like chargrilled chicken tonight?'

'Piss off,' the girls chorused rolling their eyes. Only they could make fun of the mess that was their dinner party.

Once Cade had left the kitchen, heading upstairs the girls started laughing again, 'Oh man, tonight is going to be such a disaster.'

'No, maybe not,' Hailey argued still smiling as she fanned the smoke. 'We have the bruschetta ready and we'd hardly stuff that up. All we did was chop tomatoes, spring onions and herbs and have to toast the bread lightly tonight. And you're making desert, which I know will be amazing.'

Blair smiled, 'That's true, actually I'd better start that now. It takes forever to make.'

It was a well-known fact among the household members that Blair was an excellent pastry chef. She made the most amazing deserts and treats when she had the time to and continued to wow and surprise Jane each time. What she hadn't told anyone was her father had taught her the tricks. Even though he was a business executive in a top end firm, when she was younger he'd take hours out of his weekend to cook to relax. He'd always let Blair tag along and be his helper in the kitchen, and Blair being who she was picked up the art very quickly.

Tonight she was making crème brulee, and decided to leave the disastrous main course for Hailey to worry about.

It was three hours later when Hailey decided they'd done all they could do in the time and needed to get ready. 'Come on B, please let me dress you?' She wheedled with her best friend as they headed upstairs to Hailey's room.  'You let me for that party the other week and you looked fantastic, everyone said so!'

Blair paused and pretended to think about it, because that's what a normal Blair would do. Instead in her mind she'd already agreed to it. Why pass up the opportunity to look that great again? But she knew if she agreed too easily Hailey would be suspicious.

'Well ok, one last time,' Blair said grudgingly as Hailey squealed in delight. 'Not too skanky though,' she warned seriously. It was only a dinner between friends.

'Of course, it's not like you're trying to impress anyone,' Hailey said nonchalantly. 'I just think we have so much fun getting ready together, I miss doing this.'

Blair felt that familiar tug of guilt again and smiled at her friend, 'You're right this is fun. Now lets put on some music and tear apart your wardrobe, ok?'

The girls did just that.

While dancing around the room to a Britney mix, Hailey managed to choose the perfect dress for her friend. It was a pale pink, silky shift dress that hung down her form in a flattering way. The colour was so light and shimmery it made her skin practically glow. Yet the dress was sitting just above her knees making her look more sophisticated than the tight number she'd wore to the party.