C.A.K.E

“Nadia, could you take these out front for me?”

Arden hands a tray of mini chocolate ganache cakes to her baking assistant, a twenty-three-year-old woman fresh out of culinary school. Naddy is still green around the edges. But she's been a godsend.

“Sure.” Nadia takes the tray of desserts from her, and starts to back out of the double swinging doors of the kitchen. Then she stops and ducks her head around the corner to speak to Arden. “Oh, and there's a gentleman waiting for you at table six.”

“Elliott?” Ardi starts to breathe a little easier. Maybe he was able to move some things around on his schedule and will be joining her and Casper at the museum after all.

“No, ma'am.” Nadia licks her lips. “This tall drink is of the hot chocolate variety, and British.”

“And very married,” Arden adds. She needs to remind herself of that fact.

“What a waste.”

“Tell him I'll be right out, please. And try to control yourself, Naddy.”

“No guarantees.” Nadia winks at her, before backing out of the door.

Arden's stomach goes back to doing backflips. What is he doing here?

They agreed to meet at the museum. That would have given Ardi more time to prepare herself to be alone with him and his disarming charm. Instead, he's caught her off guard at work.

She can't hide in the back all afternoon. There are things she needs to handle before she can leave.

She considers not going, making up an excuse about being too busy. The bakery is always teeming with business. So that wouldn't be too far fetched.

Arden realizes that whatever she decides to do, she will still have to go out there and speak to him. See him. Be close enough to be ensnared in the seductive clutches of his smile.

“Get your shit together, Arden. He's just a man.” She continues arranging macarons for a waiting customer's order and ranting to herself. Soon, her anti-Casper pep talk takes a whole other turn.

"He's just an intelligent ... tall..." She sighs to herself. "Well-spoken, sexy ... man.”

“Well, you know. What can I say?”

Arden jumps, dropping one of the macarons. She turns to find her brother leaning against the wall, stroking his chin. He grins at her with their mother's hundred-watt smile, the same one Arden was blessed to inherit along with her defined, button nose. They have their father to thank for their deep, brown eyes.

“Look what you made me do.” Ardi gestures to the fallen pastry.

He laughs and grabs something to clean up the mess. Then he kisses her cheek.

“I'm sorry. Just wanted to check on my sister.” He steals one of the little meringue cookies from the parchment-lined tray. “And seems like I need to. You're talking to yourself now?”

She pops his hand when he reaches for another macaron. His surprise visits are the reason she makes more than she thinks will sell every day.

“I was thinking out loud.”

“Who were you thinking out loud about?” He leans on the counter and nudges her side. “Eli? ...”

Arden doesn't answer.

“Oh ... someone else.”

“None of your business.” She bumps him with her hip. “What are you doing sneaking up on me anyway?”

“Had a lunch date with Dad. Decided to stop by on my way back to the hospital.”

“And why wasn't I invited?”

“Guess, he just doesn't like you, Elmer.” He chuckles.

Arden frowns. “Stop calling me that, Adam.”

“It's not my fault you talked like Elmer Fudd until you were seven.”

“But you're the reason it stuck. Even Gran calls me that sometimes.”

He grins. “Mission accomplished.”

“Get outta my kitchen.” She aims a bent spatula at his face.

“Come on. Don't be like that ... I was just playing.” He tries the puppy dog eyes.

She ignores him and points to the back exit without looking up from her work. “The door, Adam.”

“Okay, okay. I'm leaving.” He turns and Arden calls him back.

She pulls a cake box from the shelf of completed orders waiting for pickup and places it on the industrial stainless steel counter.

“Don't forget this.”

Adam glances at her lowered head, as he examines the pastel package's contents. A selection of his favorite sweets is tucked inside between sheets of parchment.

“You do love me.”

“Only because I have to.” She smiles.

He taps her foot with his. “Take those off as soon as you get a minute. Give your feet a rest.”

“Yes, doctor.” She sighs.

Adam gives her another peck on the cheek and leaves the same way he came.

She checks the order and carries the stack of boxes to the front of the bakery.

smile, careful not to seem too pleased to see

smash cake. Arden gets several requests for the small cakes a week. Though, she does consider it a waste to spend so much effort on baking and decorating a cake that will end up plastered on a toddler's hands and

more look at her colorful creations, before securing the boxes with the

to love this, thank you.” The woman is so pleased with Arden's work, she even purchases a few

finishes the transaction, Ardi makes her way over to the corner table where Casper is seated, staring out the

eyes travel from her nude heels, over her white pencil skirt, up to her turquoise cardigan and

the mass of curls pinned behind her ear. She wishes she had thought to glance in a mirror, before coming out

falls on her shoes again. “You work in

She glances down at her leather mesh, t-strap heels. “My brother would kill me

“Why is that?”

permanent damage to the feet and leg

shouldn't put too much strain on your legs. Especially, since your ... you

the concern in his voice. Then it dawns on her that maybe he's been doing some

a trembling breath.

feet all day.” He pulls

wooden chair, crossing her ankles. Casper reclaims his seat across from her and sits gawking

. .

was looking for an escape from the boredom at the office.” He looks around the cafe, studying the collection

a light

that's my fault. I decorated

Arden's second home. So, it seemed fitting to her that it should feel that way. Her shop sits at an odd angle, catty-corner to an intersection in the heart

triangular structure emulates the shape of the street, lending itself to the quirky and cutesy branding she

Tables and chairs in various bright colors, that were distressed by Arden's own hands, give the space a casual,

the archives of the past are everywhere. Anything with a hint of old-school, kitsch catches her

grins at her. “I like it.

“Thank you.”

silence, glancing at each other like two kindergartners too shy to exchange their

you like something

her seat. “But he declined. I think he has a taste for something

bottom lip and runs her

“Nadia, one of these days, I

winks at him. “Unless you

just good manners.”

her.”

at Arden, then addresses the young woman. “So, Naddy, is

“Nadia.”

nice

grins, flashing that endearing gap in

warms the two women like the

back to reality first. “Nadia, could you

Casper, sweeping her hand across her

more reason to check on him.” Arden peeks up at Nadia, who

should get back to work before the slave driver here gets upset.” She

hope to

glove covering her ebony skin. “The pleasure was all mine,

a smile

looks at Casper. “I can't have

and grins. “I

went beet red, Arden excuses herself before

has a sizable slit at the back.

display counter and reaches into a case full of enough sugar to rot the teeth of

macarons and a pot of saffron tea. Arden sits the copper

like I should have taken an etiquette lesson before

the gloves?”

and Ardi

demure and glamorous. Classic movies from that time period always fascinated me. And since I

kissed with polka dots, knit cardigans in bright solids, colorful jewelry, and their signature white gloves. Even her two male employees get a makeover in fitted pants, classic button-downs, and colorful bow ties. Though, not everyone is as

her waiters, shows up in jeans and one of the bakery's more masculine branded tees most days. But her host, Joe, loves it. The standard dress is his everyday style. He even sports a long pompadour. Arden misses Joseph's vibrant personality when

very well,” Casper says.

ignore her curves in the snug material. The ensemble shows the slightest wisps of her skin. But it highlights her figure like a number from the pages of Agent Provocateur. Arden pours herself a cup of tea and sits down, putting a temporary

mouth, he closes his eyes. “This is by far the best thing I have

trying to hide the satisfaction on her lips. “Thank you. That's sweet of

smoldering stare on her again. “I

you like to

with a flirtatious sparkle

wild with things she'd love to do with this man.

going." She begins to clear their table.

Casper gets up

a breath from her face and she has to resist

She quickly takes the other items from him. "I'll um... meet

licks his lips. And she takes a visible gulp of

See you

the back. She takes a moment to touch up her hair and apply a little more lipstick. Midway through her primping,

Once she's parked, he makes his bowlegged walk over to her car and open's her driver side door. He extends his

"Ready?"

and

the building and start in no particular direction. Casper sees signs for an African diaspora exhibit and guides them in

years of marriage,

pulled to an intricate African ceramic. She stares at its

more kids.” Her voice is heavy, almost too low

Casper joins her at the display. “Do you

faint smile crosses her lips. “I thought I