Breathless

Chapter 23: Mistaken Identity? - April 3

"Ruby?"

"Yes," she breathed into her phone. She didn't recognize the number. She wasn't even sure why she'd answered it.

"Hi! This is Stephanie. I was wondering if you could help me plan another party."

"What?"

"My usual party planner is still sick. And I really loved your ideas the other day. You saved my anniversary party!"

"I did?"

"Yes! Absolutely! Your decorating ideas were priceless. Especially since I didn't have the additional things my planner was supposed to bring with her. And your food suggestions were spot-on. I don't know how you made such amazing hors d'oeuvres with just the stuff in my pantry and fridge. You're very talented! Your food was simply delicious, my dear!"

Ruby didn't know how to handle such praise, so she simply ignored it. "What do you need help with?"

"My daughter's graduation party. For the middle of May. The fourteenth, to be exact."

"Um..." She didn't even need to check her calendar. She never had any plans. "I'm free."

"Great. Do you have some time to meet with me today? To discuss ideas?"

"Sure."

"Oh! And I'm going to ask that café owner if he'll contribute the desserts."

"What café owner?"

"Blaze, I think, was his name... Wait a minute. Isn't that the name of the guy you like?"

"Um, yes, but my Blaze is a waiter. Not a café owner."

"Huh. Are you sure? I could have sworn you'd met the café owner before." Stephanie hadn't missed the way Blaze and Ruby had been glancing at each other that night.

Now Ruby just felt pained. She didn't want to embarrass Mr. Taylor. But she didn't want to lie to her friend.

"Yes, that man is my Blaze." She smiled at that characterization. "But your husband was mistaken, I think. Blaze was my waiter at The Picnic Basket."

"But, darling, he made the chocolate soufflé for our party."

"Didn't he just deliver it?"

"Did he? I don't think so. I was under the impression that he baked them in our kitchen."

"You were?" Puzzled, Ruby frowned.

Had Blaze lied to her?

She wracked her brain as she tried to remember what Blaze had said that first night. He'd referred to a chef who was making them dessert. As though he'd given that chef an order. He hadn't said that he was the chef.

Ruby puckered her forehead as she thought furiously. Something else was niggling at the back of her mind. Suddenly, another conversation floated through her head.

"You should try my son's chocolate soufflé. It's to live for!"

"Is he a chef?"

"Actually, he is. He runs my late husband's café."

"The Picnic Basket?"

"That's the one! Do you know it?"

"Do I know it? It's my favorite place to eat."

Then a while later...

How did your boss's wife like the flowers?"

"About as much as she loved the chocolate soufflé your son made."

"My son? My son was at your boss's house?"

"Well, not your son. Blaze brought the chocolate soufflés to the party. My boss threw his wife a fortieth anniversary party. The chef from The Picnic Basket sent a bunch of miniature chocolate soufflés with Blaze. He presented them to Stephanie. She delighted in them."

But Anne had never revealed the name of her beloved son, for when Ruby had asked for it, she'd been interrupted. They had never finished that conversation. So Ruby still didn't know the name of the chef from the café.

Surely, this was all just a misunderstanding. Stephanie and her husband had confused the matter. Now her voice sounded on the line again.

"I thought so, dear, but that night was so busy. I might have misunderstood. I could have sworn he had just removed them from the oven, though. They were so good!"

Ruby had to agree. But she turned her attention to the task at hand. "I can meet with you any time this afternoon."

"Excellent. Can you come for lunch? We could eat and discuss our plans."

"That sounds delightful. What time?"

"Noon?"

"Perfect. I'll see you then."

—

But as Ruby hung up the phone, she couldn't shake her conviction that Blaze might not be who she thought he was. If he was the chef – No, wait! Not just the chef but also the owner of the diner! – then he had misled her. But why? Why would he deceive her about such an inconsequential thing?

If he had lied to her, then that also meant that Anne was his mother. Was that possible?

Ruby felt so uneasy. If Blaze would lie about something that didn't matter, how could she trust him to speak the truth about more important concerns?

Such thoughts really hurt her heart. She had already trusted one dishonest guy. She couldn't go through that again. Her heart sank. How was she going to confront Blaze and discover the truth?