Butterflies hammered at her stomach, desperate for escape, as she stepped out of the lift on Monday morning. She was going to be cool and calm with him. Skirting the first desk, crossing the office, she looked over to the window. They were both reasonable people. They’d been friends first. It would be fine … eventually. Oh shit. He was there. Sitting at his desk. Looking … tired. Looking like the Todd he’d always been. Pain pinched at her heart, almost stopping her in her tracks. Damn, it wasn’t supposed to feel this bad.
She’d been kept super-occupied over the weekend. Maisie had had an alleged babysitting emergency on Saturday night. Double trouble didn’t begin to describe the twins and looking after them was the gold standard in distraction. Wes had asked for help potting up a delivery of herb seedlings and Edie had insisted Sophie should visit them at their workshop to see how bagels were made. Despite all that, it had been impossible to keep thoughts of Todd at bay but seeing him in the flesh, it was so much worse. Her stomach turned a dozen flips with each step she took.
Forcing herself to keep walking, she approached their desks, and he looked up.
‘Sophie,’ his smile was strained and it struck her that for once he looked uncertain.
‘Todd.’ See, she ignored the frantic pulse threading her veins, she could do this. Act normal. Even smile, although it felt plastic and didn’t go anywhere near reaching her eyes. ‘How’s Marty? Did you see him?’
Relief flooded Todd’s face. ‘He was good. Really good,’ he nodded his head with sudden enthusiasm, his eyes meeting hers in a genuine smile. ‘He’s happy. He likes it there. Wants to stay.’ He laughed. ‘He likes the discipline. Knowing where he is, what he’s got to do. Who’d have thought?’
‘Well that’s … good.’ Lame, Sophie, lame but it was hard to think straight with that sudden direct smile. This was why she loved the idiot so much. Because he loved his brother. And suddenly from nowhere, she was absolutely furious with him. Rage buzzed like angry bees in her head. ‘You could have let me know, I was worried about him too, you know.’
‘I brought you coffee.’
The complete change in tack took the wind out of her sails momentarily, as Sophie looked down at the insulated cup on her desk, managing to mutter a tight, ‘Thank you.’
‘I … I missed you this weekend.’
She froze. Anger fizzing even more furiously. The breath caught in her throat at his hesitant smile and a heavy weight settled on her chest.
‘I … do you want to go out to dinner tonight?’
‘Dinner?’ Her voice sounded rusty and distant, even though she felt as if at any second the top of her head was going to explode with a flood of lava-like fury.
‘Yes,’ his voice had confidence now, as if he’d got over the first hurdle and the rest was plain sailing. There it was, that easy Todd charm. The man for whom everything came effortlessly. No one ever said no to him. ‘There’s a new Brazilian steak house opened on Fulton Street.’
‘And then what?’ Her oh-so-quiet deadly voice made his eyes cloud with the sudden attention of a man with a hand grenade in his palm, unsure whether the pin had been pulled or not.
‘Er … what do you mean?’
Her dark smile held the self-satisfaction of a praying mantis about to pick off her victim. She might love him but …
‘After dinner? Back to mine? A fantastic shag? Pick up where we left off?’
Todd flinched at the acidic bite of her staccato questions and his mouth moved as if he wanted to say something but knew better.
‘You don’t get to say you missed me,’ Sophie said, deadly calm. ‘You made a choice.’
‘What if I made a mistake?’ Todd sounded sincere.
‘It’s not enough. I’ve realised, I’m an all-or-nothing girl.’
Todd took a step back. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I want a proper relationship. One that has the potential to go somewhere. I want permanency. Promises. Exclusivity forever.’
Panic flared in his eyes. ‘You know I can’t do that.’
‘I think you can.’
Todd shook his head. ‘I can’t.’
Sophie picked up the coffee cup. ‘Thanks for the coffee. You know where I am,’ she said over her shoulder as she sauntered off towards the test kitchens, where she spent the rest of the day.
‘Sophie?’ Bella’s worried face greeted her as she rushed into the hotel foyer.
‘Sorry I’m late. I got tied up and then there was a problem on the subway. Is she here yet?’
‘No, thank goodness. I definitely couldn’t handle this one on my own.’
‘Of course you could.’ Poor Bella’s hands were shaking. ‘It’s another wedding cake.’
‘Not this one. I thought Eleanor was big but this is massive. It’s Alessandra Di Fagolini.’ The cartoon saucer-wide eyes told Sophie she was missing something here.
‘OK, I don’t know who she is.’
‘You’ve never seen America’s Next Supermodel, have you? She’s the top judge even though she’s only twenty-six. She and her boyfriend are like royalty over here. She’s interviewing us, with a view to deciding whether to even give us a shot at the design.’
It sounded a gig fraught with problems but this was Bella’s business. ‘And you really want the job?’
‘You’re kidding me, this would be a serious publicity boost. They’ve already sold the pictures to some magazine for a six-figure sum. I’m probably not a big enough name for them. I’m surprised I made it on the list. They—’ she stopped with a sudden squeak.
A tall glamorous coffee-skinned woman prowled towards them, endless legs revealed by the split in a skirt that stopped inches from her crotch. Cat-like eyes made up with gold and green eye-shadow glittered at them in lazy assessment but she didn’t say a word.
‘Hi Alessandra. I’m Bella and this is my associate, S—’
‘Lady Sophie Bennings-Beauchamp,’ interrupted Sophie, holding out a hand, conscious of Bella’s startled gasp.
‘You’re English,’ Alessandra’s drawl added an extra syllable to her words although her indifferent gaze sharpened a little. ‘You know Harry and Meghan? William and Kate?’
Sophie gave a discreet shrug as if, of course she did, but she couldn’t possibly say.
‘Cool.’ With a nod, Alessandra sank into one of the velvet tub chairs and crossed her legs with the sort of slow deliberation which left you in no doubt that she was aware that every masculine gaze had swivelled in her direction.
Like a pair of obedient lapdogs, Bella and Sophie sat down opposite her. There was a hush in the room as if everyone was straining to listen in.
‘Lovely to meet you, Alessandra.’ Bella’s voice sounded horribly loud and she looked around. ‘Perhaps you can tell us what you’re looking for.’
‘A cake.’ She lifted one shoulder. ‘A fabuloso, zinger of a cake.’ With that she leaned back, the sleepy smile was back in place. It was a wonder she didn’t just curl up and go to sleep, she was so relaxed.
‘Right.’ Bella tapped her notepad with her pencil. ‘Any ideas on what sort of cake? Traditional fruit? Chocolate?’
‘Uh.’ Alessandra wilted as if even considering that information was too much, her eyes had wandered over to the reception desk where there were a number of people trying to manage the complicated feat of straining to get a look at her while pretending not to. ‘Really? Aren’t you the go-to guys? You tell me. Toddy said you were the best.’ She sighed and stretched her mouth, turning it down in a disconsolate pout as if this was all too much effort.
‘Toddy?’ Bella’s lips mashed together in a curious half-grimace that looked as if she was biting back a snort.
‘Yeah, Toddy McLennan. You do know him, right? I mean, everyone knows Toddy.’
‘Of course we know Todd,’ interjected Sophie smoothly, sensing Alessandra’s growing irritation. She was like a toddler, her attention span was of the short variety.
‘How do you know him?’ she asked with a sudden petulant frown.
Except when it came to Todd, apparently.
‘He’s …’ A sudden memory of him laughing across at her as he did the washing-up, insisting he deserved a reward, almost floored her. The words stalled in her throat and for a second she couldn’t breathe, the pain felt so real.
‘He’s my cousin,’ said Bella, interrupting, sending Sophie a quick concerned glance.
‘Cool.’ Alessandra flopped back in her chair. ‘Does this place have any water? I’m exhausted already.’
‘Do you want me to get you some?’
Alessandra lifted a slim wrist and squinted at her watch. ‘Is this gonna take much longer?’
Seeing the tightness around Bella’s mouth, Sophie laid a quick hand on her arm.
‘No, I think I know what you’re looking for. You want a showstopper. The best cake in town. Something everyone will be talking about weeks later.’
‘You got it.’ She flicked her hair over her shoulder in the first show of animation since she’d arrived.
‘Have you decided on your dress yet?’
Alessandra uncrossed her legs and crossed them again, enthusiasm suddenly appearing on her face. ‘Oh yes,’ she purred with feline sultriness.
‘How do you do it?’ asked Bella as she put a glass of prosecco with a thump in front of Sophie, who’d already started a preliminary sketch for Alessandra. Sophie snorted, amused by the combination of irritation and admiration in her voice.
‘It’s a talent,’ Sophie teased as Bella juggled her full glass and laptop while trying to sit down on the sofa opposite. ‘You’re going to spill that.’ She rescued the glass and put it on the table as Bella flipped open the laptop.
‘Hmph,’ grunted Bella, tapping with one finger at the keyboard balanced precariously on her lap, while grabbing her glass again. ‘What a diva, although the idea of modelling the cake on her dress is nothing short of brilliant. You’re a genius.’
‘Not really, it didn’t take much to work out she wasn’t the least bit interested in the cake per se. It’s another tick on the list. An accessory. The minute she lit up about the dress, I knew. That’s the main event for her, all she’s interested in. She never even mentioned her fiancé.’
‘You sound positively cynical. I thought you were the romantic. Men aren’t that interested anyway.’
‘They might not be, but the cake should be a reflection of the bride and groom’s partnership. It should mean something. A unique reflection of your love. I know. I know.’ She stopped to lean over the coffee table and poke Bella in the ribs, when the other girl pulled a bleurgh face. ‘You think I’m being cheesy. But weren’t you the one who said to me, There’s just something about a cake. It says love. It’s like a tiny handheld hug?’
Bell held her hands up in surrender, the laptop listing dangerously to one side. ‘Yes, you’re right. Do you think she’s even factored a bridegroom into the whole thing? She didn’t talk about him once.’
‘Which is why the dress was the thing to focus on. Obvious, really.’
‘Still think you’re brilliant.’
‘You’re the one that will be doing all the fancy icing.’ Sophie shuddered. ‘Belgian lace sounds horrendously fiddly to me.’
‘Yeah, but it will look stunning. You’re a star. Especially for the name drop. She was dead impressed, Lady Sophie. I think that’s what made her listen to start with.’
Sophie shrugged it off. ‘You need to thank your cousin for the recommendation.’ Her mouth twisted and the familiar sick feeling taunted her stomach.
Bella leaned over and patted her hand. ‘He owes me. You don’t. And I know you avoid using your title, so I really appreciate it.’
Sophie blinked hard. ‘Don’t. It’s me that should be thanking you.’
‘For what?’
‘Looking after me this weekend and this week.’
‘I need you. Just looking at my inbox is making my head hurt. There are quite a few enquiries, although some of them are, frankly, nuts.’
‘Really?’
‘Listen to this one: I’m looking for a cake the weekend after next.’
‘Two weeks’ time?’
‘Yup, because I really am Wonder Woman.’
‘You did have the sparkly boots,’ Sophie pointed out with a mischievous grin.
Bella threw the prosecco cork at her.
‘OK, how about this one: We require a four-tier chocolate-sponge wedding cake to feed two hundred and fifty guests. Our budget is a hundred dollars.’
‘Teaspoon-sized portions?’ suggested Sophie with another grin, getting up and moving to sit next to her to peer over her shoulder at the emails. ‘That one’s not so bad.’
‘A cake that is dog friendly?’
‘I didn’t read that far down. How about that one? My daughter’s theme is rose-pink and cream and she’d like a traditional sponge cake with flowers.’
‘Ah, a sensible woman. I like her. She’s a yes.’
‘And what about that one?’ Sophie pointed to an email entitled Star Wars themed cake.
‘Dear Sir or Madam, we’re interested in having a Star Wars themed cake at our wedding. Would you be able to create a Death Star cake? The bride will be d-dressing …’ Bella stifled a giggle, ‘as Princess Leia and the g-gr-oom as …’ she lost it, snorting prosecco out of her nose all over the screen, ‘Chewbacca.’
It took a while for the two of them to regain their equilibrium.
‘Oh sweet Mary, this one takes the cake.’ Bella flapped her hand. ‘This cake has to be special … that’s good, because I regularly make non-special cakes.’
‘Don’t be mean.’ Sophie leaned over to read the rest of the email.
‘On our wedding day … Aw, it’s a he,’ Bella paused, ‘OK, we’ll forgive him. I want to give my bride the sun, the moon and the stars,’ she slowed her words, ‘show her that she makes my world a brighter place to be in and my life infinitely better for her being in it.’
Bella sat back and both of them were momentarily silenced.
‘Wow, that’s rather lovely,’ said Sophie.
‘Lovely,’ echoed Bella faintly. ‘But as much use as a chocolate teapot if you’re designing a wedding cake.’
‘It’s a challenge, for sure. And very romantic.’
‘And flaky. This one sounds more promising: Eleanor’s cake was wonderful and as I’m a hat designer, I’d really love a hat-themed cake. When would be convenient to meet up for us to discuss ideas?’
Sophie sat up, wriggling to gain purchase on the soft cushions of the sofa. ‘Now that’s a gift. I remember seeing a gorgeous cake made of a stack of vintage hat boxes in pastels.’
‘Ooh yes, hat boxes. Perfect. Let me Google.’
Before long they had finished the bottle of prosecco and Sophie’s notebook was full of scribbled notes, website addresses and rough sketches.
‘What would I do without you?’ asked Bella as they began to tidy up.
‘You’d be fine.’ Sophie rubbed at her eyes. Helping Bella was about the only thing that had got her through this week. ‘What would I do without you? I … I really appreciate you …’ her voice shook. ‘Especially when he’s your cousin. Don’t feel you can’t see him, because of me.’
‘I don’t want to see the useless oaf. In fact, maybe I should give him a piece of my mind, which is probably why he’s avoiding me too. He hasn’t called in for coffee all week.’
‘Don’t be mad at him. It’s me that broke the rules. Promise me you’ll call him, make sure you see him. He needs people around him who love him.’
‘Sophie, you are far too nice.’
‘Not really.’
‘Yes, you are. He’s been so much happier since you’ve been around. I wish he could see that he needs you. You’re so good for him.’
‘I think so too, but he’s not listening. All I can do is be myself. I love him. He needs people even if he doesn’t think he does.’
‘Again, you are too nice. He doesn’t deserve it.’
‘Oh, I’m not being nice to him.’ Sophie gave an evil grin, or as evil as was possible for her. ‘He thinks he can charm me back into being friends. Don’t you worry, I’m not going to make it easy for him.’