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Accepting the subject change, Aunt Laurie frowned pensively.“Most pressing one is the wedding in seven days’ time.I’m set to do a three-tier cake.The specifications are on my computer at home.”She huffed.“I don’t know how long it’ll take me to bake like this.”
I gaped at her.“You can’t be serious.Youcan’t bake at all.Iwill bake.”
“Andmanage the bakery?You can’t leave the college kids on their own.They’re not ready yet.”
“I’ll figure something out,” I said with a confidence I didn’t feel.My mind was already racing with what I would do and how I’d get help.I wondered if Jenny would be interested.She’d said several times she was keen to get some variety in her days.Would her mum babysit Toby?
Aunt Laurie looked unconvinced.“If you’re sure.We can always drop the hours, so it’s less time to fill.”
I opened my mouth to ask how hard it could be, but I stopped short.Those words had never served anyone well.
Instead I asked, “What other cakes do you need made?Besides the ones the bakery sells.”
She rattled them off, and I typed as quickly as I could.
“Oh, andLord, someone needs to feed the cat!Poor thing, he’ll be rattling around the house by himself.I feel a bit lonely there, even with him,” she mused.“I could text my neighbor, I guess.Then there’s the seventieth birthday cake for Eric at the retirement home.He’s got special dietary needs, so it’s a little complicated.”
I smiled, typing on my phone.“No worries there.I’m from London.I’ve seen every dietary need and preference going, don’t worry about that.Wheat free, dairy free, no soy, no nuts—I’ll cover it.”
“You’re an angel, Maddie.”
I preened, making her laugh.
“Oh, nearly forgot.Pass me my purse.”Once I’d handed it over, she snapped it open and palmed her purse.“Take the bank card forCake Away,so you’re not spending your own money on ingredients for this wedding cake.”
“Thanks.”I carefully slid it into a slot in my own purse.“I’ll keep all the receipts.Are yousureI can’t bring you anything?”
She considered this.“The TV up there’s stuck to CBS.Maybe you could bring me some magazines?Or better, books.”
“No problem.”
We chatted for a little longer, and I stayed while a petite nurse came to take observations.
“Youarean angel,” Aunt Laurie said after I re-read everything she’d told me.“You should go.I think Rick’s waited for you.”
“I doubt it.I asked him not to.It’s been two hours!”
She smiled slightly.“Even so.”
I gave her a hug and told her to behave herself around the attractive doctors.She made no promises, and I left her to relax.She had her eyes closed when I gently shut the door behind me.
I pulled my phone out to contact Rick, but, when I turned the corner, I saw him folded into one of the very unforgiving plastic visitor chairs in the corridor.He was reading an extremely dog-eared copy ofElevator Worldmagazine.
He’d stayed.
For no other reason than to be here when I came out.
If I hadn’t been completely gone for this man before, I was now.There was no use fighting it.
Could you start falling for someone after seven days?
I swallowed back the surge of emotion and managed to collect myself by the time he noticed me.A smile spread slowly over his face, his ridiculous handsomeness amplified by the expression.
“A gripping read?”I asked.
“Huh?Oh.”He looked down at the magazine and chuckled.“I guess it’s an important read if you wanna know how often to update your copy of theVertical Transportation Handbook.They’re on edition four, ya know.”
“Wow.I didnotknow that.”
