Page 55 of High Water

“She is literally magic. It’s unfair. I wish I could bake half as well as her.” I grin at her as she makes her way over to us.

“Here’s a cake menu. Types of cake. Icings. Fillings. Then we can talk about what you want it to look like. I won’t be able to do anything too fancy since I don’t have much time for a trial run, but if you have something you really want, you let me know, okay?” Marlowe hands me the cake menu.

“Oh no. Nothing fancy. It’s only a small wedding. I just want to pick something out I think he’d like is all.” I shake my head.

“All right, well, here is an order form and a pen.” Marlowe slides them across the table to me.

“He would like anything you got him.” Dakota leans back.

“He would,” Hazel agrees. “You’re all he talks about when I see him around the barns. You and Fallon.”

“Well, it’s new, you know. To be in love like this again.” I force a small smile, feeling guilty for telling little white lies to women who have been so kind to me since I moved back home to Purgatory Falls.

“I know how that is.” Hazel grins at me.

It’s not entirely a lie. I do feel things for him again. My heart races. My stomach flips. There’s plenty of whole-body flutters. I just don’t trust them or him quite yet. I need time we don’t have. So I’m jumping into this wedding, but my heart is going to be a little slower to catch up.

That doesn’t mean I don’t want to take on his little challenge and impress him with a cake though. I’ve got to be able to come up with something.

“Are we struggling to pick one?” I look up to see Dakota watching me browse the menu. “That’s an intense look.”

“He challenged me to pick one I thought he might like. I always thought he liked vanilla, but he said he only liked it because that’s what I made for him. Which I only made because he liked it.” I purse my lips in irritation as I take another pass over the menu.

“Bishop definitely doesn’t strike me as the vanilla type,” Dakota muses.

“Dakota!” Hazel flashes her a look of admonishment.

“No, that’s a good point. And maybe the angle I can take on this.” I tap my finger to my lips. He doesn’t like vanilla, but he likes me. “What am I if I’m cake?”

Dakota and Hazel both burst into laughter, and Marlowe wanders back over to us with iced lattes and pastries.

“What’s so funny?” Marlowe asks, taking a seat with us.

“Aspen wants to know what kind of cake she would be.” Dakota tries to take a sip of her latte but fails in the process.

“Hey! I’m just trying to outsmart this man on his little challenge,” I say defensively.

“Chocolate. With a layer of fresh raspberry mousse filling and chocolate buttercream. We could top it with some fresh raspberries too.” Marlowe taps her finger on the menu.

“Well, that sounds amazing, but how is that me exactly?”

“Rich. Decadent. And a little tart.” Marlowe smirks.

“Um, okay. As long as you’re letting me steal that.” I grin in return.

“Absolutely. That’s what I’m here for,” Marlowe states matter-of-factly. “But do you think he’ll like it?”

“That man would like anything she does.” Hazel looks me over like I’m too anxious about this.

“I think he would. I’ve seen him eat all of those things, and it sounds good. Plus, groom’s cakes are usually something more chocolate flavored, right?”

“Yes, or just something less vanilla.”

“Just like he requested,” Dakota pipes in.

“All right. Let’s do it.”

“Do you want something more traditional as well? I could make a second cake if you want. As long as they’re both smaller.”