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“Yes. Okay, I’ll do it if you come with me.”
I pressed a kiss to the back of her hand, relieved she was on board. “Perfect. How does tomorrow sound?”
“Soon. Acceptable, but soon.”
“Excellent,” Sam’s voice boomed in the small exam room. “I’ll see you again at the end of the week.”
Megan
What in the hell was I thinking, agreeing to spend time in the bakery kitchen when I had no idea what I was doing? From the look of the grin on Casey’s face and the pride shining in his eyes, he just knew that I could do it when I wasn’t so sure.
“What’s wrong?” Casey’s brows dipped into a concerned vee, hands on his hips with the Sweet Treats apron draped around his neck but not yet tied.
“I don’t know what to make.” I didn’t even know where anything was—then again, I hadn’t really looked. I hadn’t bothered to get myself reacquainted with the bakery kitchen because I was terrified I wouldn’t remember a damn thing.
“Is that all?” Casey shrugged and put his hands on my shoulders so he could turn me away from him. He spoke as he tied my apron, his deep voice reverberating down my spine. “My personal favorite is the lemon and white chocolate chip cupcakes. You make really great cheesecake and even your banana muffins are a best seller.”
I glanced at him over my shoulder. “What do you mean, even my banana muffins?”
A loud laugh exploded from Casey and he tucked me into his side and dropped a kiss on my forehead. “I mean that most people prefer your less healthy treats, but those with special diets can’t get enough of those muffins. Apparently, you use beet or coconut sugar for the old timers and they love it.”
He dropped another kiss on my head and took a step back, arms crossed as he waited for instructions. “What?”
“What’ll it be, Chef?”
Oh, right. That was me. My eyes bounced around the kitchen, only stopping when they landed on the bowl of bright lemons on a shelf. Instantly my feet began to move as if they knew where they were going. I didn’t question it, just let my brain take over until there was butter, sugar, flour, lemons and white chocolate chips lined up neatly on the stainless steel worktable.
“Baking soda and powder,” I mumbled to myself. “And vanilla extract.”
Casey was silent, his expression inscrutable as he looked at the ingredients on the table.
“What?”
He shrugged. “All that without so much as a recipe. I think it’s safe to say that you remember how to bake, and how to do it in this kitchen.”
I froze at his words and let my attention fall back to the table. He was right. Everything I needed was lined up in order, which I also knew. My eyes went wide as excitement filled every inch of my body and I jumped up and down.
“I remembered! Holy shit, I remembered!”
Before I knew it, I’d flung myself in Casey’s arms and he picked me up, spinning us both in a happy circle.
“I’m glad you remember, Megs. This is wonderful.”
It felt wonderful. Hell, it felt like a miracle. “This is... Wow, let’s get started.”
“Just tell me what you need.”
I nodded, gathered my thoughts, and then spouted off a bunch of instructions that I somehow just knew. “Cream the butter and sugar and bring it to me when you’re done.”
“Aye, Captain.”
Casey was the perfect sous chef, the perfect cheerleader, pushing me when I felt uncertain and advising me when I stalled a little too long.
“Am I allowed to taste the cupcakes now?”
I nodded. “I made them for you. Taste.”
I held a cupcake out to Casey and his fingers wrapped around my wrist, eating it straight from my hand. I tried to suppress a shiver, but it didn’t work.
My husband was too sexy and too damn charming to resist. “Mmm, delicious, Megs. As always.”
His words sent a thrill through me, a confidence that I could do any damn thing I put my mind to. “Thank you, Casey. Now, let’s get back to work.”
We spent the next four hours in the kitchen, as the doctor ordered, and I baked my ass off. Watermelon cupcakes. Brownies for Titus. Dozens of cookies and muffins. “Wow.”
“Indeed,” Casey agreed with a warm, affectionate smile. “Good thing it’s all done, because your half-shift is over, babe.”
“All right.” I heard the reluctance in my voice and sighed, satisfied with all I’d accomplished today. “This was good. Really good.” I nodded as the enormity of what had happened just now washed over me.
“It’s okay to be proud of yourself, Megs. You thought it was all lost, but it was there, within reach. Awesome work.”
I couldn’t help it, I went to my husband and wrapped my arms around him, squeezing tight. “Thanks, Casey. I am proud of myself. Really proud, actually.”
