Page 25 of Craving
“It was my grandmama’s,” Fred said, carefully lifting the cake topper out of its box. He stared at it for a moment, then exchanged a soft look with Nadia. “My grandparents had it on their wedding cake, and my parents did the same. I know it’s not as fancy as a modern wedding cake topper, but I’d like to use it on ours. It would mean a lot to me.”
It surprised Camilla to hear that from Fred. He was a big, solidly built man who ran an extremely successful business. This kind of sentimentality wasn’t something she would have expected from him. Maybe that’s why she felt her eyes begin to water. “Of course, Fred,” she answered past the lump in her throat. “We can work anything into your cake design. A beautiful topper like that will be no problem at all.”
“The piece is quite precious to me, even without the gold and diamond elements,” Fred told her.
Camilla nearly choked. That was real gold? And real diamonds? On a cake topper?
“So,” Fred continued, “I’ll provide detailed pictures and measurements, but I’ll keep the cake topper in my possession until the day of the wedding. Does that work for you?”
Camilla gulped. “Sure thing.” The last thing she wanted was a priceless family heirloom in her possession for even a minute longer than necessary.
Fred smiled and set the figurine back in its box, closing it up with reverent hands. Then he turned to his fiancée and kissed her forehead. “Love you, baby.”
Nadia smiled. “Love you too, Fred.” She turned to Camilla. “Fred’s grandmother had a tiara that matched her cake topper. We designed my veil and dress so they would work with it.”
“That’s beautiful,” Camilla said, and she meant it. Fred’s heirlooms were probably worth more than Camilla’s entire business, but they were obviously precious to both of them. She would do her best to honor the request and make a cake worthy of a gold-and-diamond cake topper.
By the time Fred and Nadia left the bakery, Camilla was equally exhausted and elated. She’d done it. She’d done it! They’d paid a hefty deposit, which was going straight into Camilla’s loan payment account. If the bakery kept selling at its usual pace, she wouldn’t have any problems freeing herself of the shackles of her debt. She’d get the second half of the payment the day before the wedding, and she’d be able to transfer it straight over to Frankie Smith's bank account.
For the first time since Frankie had shown up at her bakery, Camilla felt real hope. Light shone bright at the end of the long, dark tunnel Camilla had been traversing, and she couldn’t help but smile. It was almost over. Once her debt was cleared, Camilla could start building her cash reserves. She could expand the business. She could start planning her retirement. She might even be able to find a home to call her own.
This last not-so-little ten-thousand-dollar hiccup was just that—a hiccup.
Soon, she’d be able to build a life for herself, and no one—not her parents, her siblings, or Frankie Smith—could take it away from her.
“That went well,” Ben said behind the espresso machine. He grinned at Camilla. “You were great.”
“You think? I was so nervous I couldn’t stop fidgeting.”
“You came across confident and competent. It was awesome.”
Grinning at her employee, Camilla felt the bloom of pride in her chest. Ben had been the first person she’d hired when she opened the bakery, and if anyone had seen her grow into the businesswoman she was, it was him. The praise made her smile.
Things were going to be okay—she hoped.
Either that, or she’d lose everything. Camilla sighed, her smile fading. One way or another, this would all be over soon.
Marlon had just gotten out of the shower when he heard the front door open. He’d spent the week on various sites around Stirling and neighboring towns meeting with potential clients. Between festivals, commercial security system installations, and a couple of requests for personal bodyguards, Elite Security was growing at a rapid pace.
He was glad the week was over. By the time he was dressed and heading downstairs to hunt for dinner, he could hear movement in the kitchen and smelled something delicious cooking.
Camilla stood at the stove caramelizing onions in a big skillet. Ever since their flammable moment in the kitchen a few days ago, both of them had retreated into a more normal roommate relationship, orbiting around each other and only really seeing evidence of the other’s presence.
Still, Marlon couldn’t deny that he loved waking up to the smell of her baking. Even when they didn’t cross each other in the morning, there would be fresh baked goods and a hot pot of coffee waiting for him. In the evenings, they’d alternated cooking duties and leave leftovers for whoever got home later. But they hadn’t eaten together since the apron incident. They hadn’t had the chance.
“That smells good.”
Camilla glanced over at him and smiled, but he saw a shred of darkness in her gaze he didn’t like. “I’m making cheeseburgers with caramelized onions. You want one?”
“Hell yes,” he replied, then moved to lean against the counter. “How was your day?”
She painted a bright smile on her face. “My meeting with Fred and Nadia went well. They booked me and paid the deposit.”
“Congrats. That’s great.” Marlon’s smile faded after a moment. “Why do I feel like there’s something you aren’t telling me?”
Camilla shook her head. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long week.”
Marlon took the wooden spoon from her hands. “I’ll stir these. You sit down. Go shower, freshen up.”