Show Me

3.

"Okay," Bradley walked through the living room where Lea and her babysitter, Emily, were situated on the rug, doing a large Frozen puzzle. "I'm headed out now. My cell will be on the entire time if there's an emergency and if you can't reach me, you know you can call Gloria."

Emily smiled. "Got it, Mr. Cooper." She paused to glance up at him, puzzle piece in hand. "Are you wearing cologne?"

He dipped his nose toward his chest self-consciously. "Too much? Do I smell like one of those car air fresheners?"

She laughed and Lea joined in, even though she didn't understand the joke. "No, it's fine. You just never wear it to go to work. And you usually have me come by earlier on Saturdays."

Emily was Kari's youngest sister, a grad student at UCLA and he'd known her for years. She was a good kid and he trusted her implicitly with his daughter but she wasn't immune to gossip and he knew if he was completely forthcoming about his whereabouts, Dave and Kari both would be aware of the fact he was catering Stefani's dinner and neglected to say anything.

"I'm cooking for a private event," he replied, choosing his words carefully. "It's through work, though. Just wanted to look decent because I won't be hiding in a kitchen all night, you know?"

Almost foolishly, he had to acknowledge that he'd spent extra time on his appearance. He'd put a little gel in to tame his hair, applied some aftershave, and then the cologne, which he only ever wore on dates and judging by how full the bottle was, he
realized it had been awhile.

Emily looked as though he was full of it but she nodded politely. "We'll be fine. Right, Lea?"

The little girl was focused on a particularly challenging corner of the puzzle, her tounge poking out in concentration, making the two of them laugh.

"I'll see you in a few hours, love. Please be good for Emily." He bent to kiss the top of her head. "Oh, Em, I left pizza money for dinner in the envelope on the counter. Have fun, ladies."

"Thanks, Mr. Cooper. We will."

"Bradley," he reminded her, shaking his head. "Mr. Cooper makes me feel old."

"Sure. Enjoy your event."

With a final good-bye, he bounded out to the parking lot and began the short drive to Hollywood Hills, punching the address Ashley had given him into his phone.

You're working, he reminded himself the second his heart began hammering wildly. Just another job.

Apparently, his anxiety hadn't gotten the memo and getting stuck in traffic on the 101 did nothing to alleviate it.

"C'mon," Bradley muttered impatiently, raising his hands in exasperated defeat when he came to a halt behind a semi. He was still on pace to make it on time but he wanted to be a few minutes early to get a scope on the kitchen.

He'd sent over both a menu and the ingredient list to Ashley earlier that week, after being informed that the sole dietary restriction was a nut allergy. It gave him free rein to work with and he only hoped that what he'd selected met with approval. Stefani was putting complete faith in him and it was unfathomable to consider disappointing her.

Thankfully, the patch of congestion on the freeway didn't last and in the span of minutes, he was pulling up to the house, being permitted through the gate and parking his car in the gravel driveway.

Ashley answered the door. "Hey! Come on in," she gestured for him to follow. "I'll give you a super quick breakdown of the kitchen. And you've brought some stuff of your own, I see." She cast a glance at the small black bag he carried.