“It turned out to be the best advice I’ve ever received. The lady in charge was the female version of Gordon Ramsay. You either did what she said, or you were shown the door. Oddly enough, that didn’t bother me. Mrs. Eller was the first person I’d ever met who was really passionate about something. She loved baking, and she got me to love it, too.”
Maxine nodded. “There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to make a living doing what you love. Work doesn’t seem so much like work then.”
“You’re right. I enjoy being part of the most memorable events in people’s lives, the ones that bring families and friends together. Of course, that doesn’t mean everything is always smooth sailing. Sometimes no matter how well I plan and prepare, things happen I could never have foreseen. As an example, a few weeks ago I was setting up a wedding cake for a couple at The River Club. The mother of the bride approached me about replacing the cake topper her daughter picked out with a much larger, heavier one. I explained that a cake is designed and built according to the size and weight of the decorations. She insisted I make the substitution and became angry when I refused.
“Twenty minutes after I left, I got a frantic call from the woman. She’d ignored my warnings and replaced the cake topper herself. As I predicted, the topper had sunk into the cake and was leaning sideways. Luckily, it was my only wedding that day otherwise I wouldn’t have had time to fix the cake.”
“She almost singlehandedly ruined her daughter’s wedding.”
“I know. All I could think about was how that poor bride would feel when she walked into the reception and saw her mess of a wedding cake.”
“I wonder if the woman ever told her daughter about it.”
Robin laughed. “Let’s hope not.”
The rest of the evening passed in a similar fashion. By the time she and Wade were ascending the stairs to the second floor, Robin had almost forgotten those few moments when she’d come so perilously close to disaster.
Outside the door of the guestroom, Wade’s arms slid around her waist. “In case you didn’t realize, you were a big hit with Mom. Not that I had any doubts about it.”
He couldn’t know how much she needed to hear that. She’d struggled with acceptance most of her life. “I’m so glad.”
“I think you even managed to impress Reece, and we all know he’s hard to please.”
“So I’ve heard.”
Wade picked up on the irony in her voice. “You sound like you disapprove of my stepbrother. That doesn’t happen very often.”
“Do you mind?”
His arms tightened around her. “Not at all. It’s in my best interests that you only have eyes for me.”
She pressed closer to him. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
“That’s all I needed to hear,” he said, taking her lips in a lingering kiss.
Chapter Five
The sun was just starting to rise when Robin woke the next morning. Her gaze focused momentarily on the lace canopy above her head before roving over the rest of the room. Talk about feeling like a princess. These exquisite furnishings hadn’t come from any department store. This was the work of a talented interior decorator who knew how to tastefully blend sophistication with comfort and had the added luxury of no budget restrictions.
Robin pushed back the silvery-green satin comforter and walked over to a pair of French doors leading to a private balcony. The view of the river was lovely, but it was also a reminder of something unpleasant. Kait maintained that Wade would understand. His remarks last night raised some doubts about that. Would he want to continue spending time with someone who couldn’t share in something so important to him?
Her apprehension eased a little when she stepped into the bathroom. The freestanding tub surrounded by greenery and candles offered an experience she didn’t have at home. Only after the water cooled did she reluctantly get out. Once she was dressed, she reached for her phone to text Wade.
‘Awake yet?’
Twenty seconds passed before he responded.
‘Barely. I assume you were up with the roosters. You don’t have to wait for me. I’ll meet you downstairs. Jeanette will have the coffee on.’
When Robin stepped into the spacious kitchen, the only occupant was Reece. He was seated at the opposite end of a long island. Before she could beat a hasty retreat, he looked up and saw her. An appealing half smile formed on his lips as he rose politely to his feet. His manners certainly couldn’t be faulted.
“Another early bird,” he said, pulling out the barstool next to him. “There’s coffee if you want it. If you don’t care for that, there’s orange juice in the fridge. Freshly squeezed, of course. Jeanette wouldn’t have any other kind.”
As Robin crossed the black and white tile floor, she hoped Wade wouldn’t take forever to get ready. The last thing she wanted was one-on-one time with Reece. “Until they find a way to put caffeine in oranges, I’ll stick with coffee.”
“I’m with you. I’m not human until I’ve had at least two cups.” He slid the carafe and one of the bright yellow mugs in her direction before resuming his seat. “Is this your first trip to Savannah?”
Robin took a moment to pour her coffee before answering. “It is. I can see why so many people visit here in the spring. Everywhere you look something is blooming.”
“If you like gardens, old buildings, and cobblestone streets, you should have Wade take you to the historic district.”
“I’m not sure we’ll have time. We’re supposed to meet up with one of Wade’s college friends this afternoon.”
Reece refilled his cup. “Another time, then. I’m sure this won’t be your last visit. Is your cake shop the one in The Landings? The name escapes me at the moment. My personal assistant is always bringing in cupcakes from there.”
“It’s called Truly Scrumptious, and yes, we’re located in The Landings.”
He tilted his head to the side. “I should’ve remembered that. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is one of my aunt’s favorite movies. I must have seen it ten or twenty times growing up.”
If she hadn’t known about his womanizing tendencies, Robin might have found herself liking Reece. He was easy to talk to, and he didn’t come off as your typical arrogant rich guy. “You’re one of the few people I’ve run across who knows the connection to the movie.”
“It’s the name of the main female character, isn’t it?”
“What is?” Wade asked, coming through the door.
She smiled in his direction. “The name of my shop.”
He chuckled as he came up beside her. “Truly Scrumptious is the perfect description for you as well.” Uncaring of their audience, he proceeded to give her a leisurely kiss. “Breakfast won’t be for a while. Mom’s got this thing about everyone eating together. Let’s go for a walk. I wouldn’t mind checking out Carlson’s new toy. Maybe if I’m really nice to him, he’ll let me borrow it. That’s about the closest I’ll get to owning a yacht.”
To Robin’s horror, the room began to spin. She instinctively shut her eyes. When she reopened them, she found Reece’s thoughtful gaze on her. Feeling exposed and oddly defenseless, she quickly shifted her glance to Wade. He was grabbing a handful of pistachios from a glass bowl. He hadn’t seen anything. Not yet, anyway. That wouldn’t be the case if they got anywhere close to his stepfather’s boat. A lifelong fear doesn’t suddenly disappear.