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“Four isn’t a lot. I’ve got the wedding and then some children’s birthday cakes in the next few weeks. Oh, I do have someone for a baby shower, but they are going to let me know for sure.”
“You’ll get it,” he said. “And you need to tell me if you need to cut back on hours to make it happen.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you,” she said.
“Hadley. You are working a lot. You are doing a ton of stuff for me even outside of Southside. If you go in and make the desserts in the morning some days and not be a server or bartender, someone else will be scheduled and it still helps me with the desserts. I know this isn’t what you signed on for.”
“It’s not, but I like it. I guess sometimes in life things happen when you didn’t expect or plan on it.”
She was telling him.
The last thing he thought was that he’d be losing a part of himself to a woman. One with a little bit of drama and needing some nudges too.
Yes, his mother always told him he tried to bring the best out of people, but he never thought he did that with women he was dating.
It was more he was overly protective of them and maybe hovered more than he should. He was trying not to do that with Hadley.
He figured he had enough marks against him in his dating life with his limited time that having faults to turn people away had to be reined in.
But this was different. Hadley was his employee first so of course he cared and wanted to see the best in her.
He also wanted to see her grow on a personal level and that was why he had to watch which line he was crossing and when.
“It seems to be that way,” he said, knowing they had to change the subject.
They got through the ferry ride and left. He realized now her car was at his house. Crap, he forgot that. Good thing they had a lot of time.
“I should have remembered my car was there and we could have met at the docks instead when you suggested this date.”
“It’s my fault. I was thinking of staying and should have clued you in. I guess it was a good thing you threw your stuff in my car.”
“I only did it because you said to,” she said, laughing at him.
He had told her to. Oh well. “Don’t worry about rushing in at nine. Take your time.”
“I’ve got plenty of time. No worries.”
They arrived at his house and she got out, walked around and gave him a kiss when he was getting out in his garage.
“I had a good time,” he said.
“Me too,” she said. “The best I’ve had in a long time. And I promise not to stare at your ass when you get to Southside.”
Her hand went around and cupped him there and he leaned into her for a hug and a kiss.
There were times she needed a nudge, and the other times, she shone through and he wondered if there were two people in there clamoring to come out. It’d be interesting to see who won.
23
Never Saw Coming
Almost two weeks later Hadley had finished up the desserts for Southside on Monday and then had the rest of the day off.
She’d done the wedding cake a few days after her little day trip with Duke. The bride and groom loved the look and the taste of it.
She had it on her website along with the pirate birthday cake she’d made and delivered for a birthday party yesterday. She’d delivered the cake to the house at nine and got to Southside by nine thirty to start on desserts. She’d cleared it with Duke to show up a little late, but he’d laughed and said she was efficient enough that thirty minutes wouldn’t mean anything.
It hadn’t. She’d planned on desserts that were fast and easy. Duke was pretty much letting her make the dessert menu on her own. She only told him what she was doing for the ingredients to order rather than the approval.
