Evy was seething. She entered the garage the next morning, kicking around the first thing she found. Luckily it was an empty jerry can.
“Whoa, slowly, sold… Tank’s in the back.”
It was Jazz, and he looked the way Evy felt.
She found Tank in some storage room, his head between some shelves.
“I fucking talked to you because I knew you wouldn’t blab. Big surprise, the awesome Tank is not trustworthy.”
He turned around lazily. “You’re welcome,” he told her.
“Welcome?” she almost screamed.
“You got the event, didn’t you?”
She threw up her hands. “Yes, because Tessa insisted on using me, and that I could arrange the whole thing.”
He shrugged, still searching through the shelves for whatever it was he needed. It pissed her off all the more.
“You said you could do it, so go and do it.”
She laughed a high-pitched laugh. Of course she’d said that! Because she’d needed to convince everyone it was possible. And it was, but the work it would take, the time…
She suddenly wanted to throw up. “I wanted to blow them away with a concept, with something that would convince them I could do it. I wanted to have already talked to bakers when I present them something, but now—”
He suddenly spun, nose-to-nose with her. “You wanted to waste more time. What exactly do you think would’ve happen as the time draws closer? I jump-started your task, so go ahead, Evy, hate me for helping you, but go and do your fucking job. You want to stay, and Tessa wants you to stay, so try to not ruin her career and just blow everyone away.”
He was breathing hard and so was she. “You had no right, Tank,” she whispered and his expression softened.
“I had every right. I’m your friend, whether you like it or not, and I want only the best for you. Sometimes that means we need to force people to do something they don’t like, so go and be angry, but do your job, Ev.” He surprised her by framing her face. “Make sure you can stay here and hate my ass for the rest of your life.”
She gaped at him, her lips getting dry because when he was this close, she wanted to draw him in all the way and kiss him, no matter how spitting mad she was.
“Well, soldier, you’re out of luck, because your boss decided that this was your special task until we’re finished. So you get to cruise bakers with me, not to mention scouting an event location, markets and whatnot. You get to pick invitations and all the things you’re so damn fond of.”
His jaw dropped and she grinned maliciously. “Yes, you won the lottery and I can make your life hell every single second for having told Tessa about this.”
Evy exhaled. After letting her anger out—as well as the panic—she felt almost giddy. She knew she was probably giving Tank whiplash, but she fell around his neck, giggling.
He caught her, making sure they didn’t stumble.
“I might be able to stay! God, Tank, that would be incredible. I could be here, and Lei could grow up here and all would be just right again!”
She suddenly stepped back, having realized he’d not hugged her back.
“Me? With you? I have to work.”
There was a knock on the door frame and Evy spun, finding Jazz and some other soldier.
“Private Michaels? Private Logan is here to relieve you of your duties until the Army Charity Gala is over,” Jazz reported and Tank dropped whatever he’d been holding. It was a screw, Evy realized as it clattered away, rolling under one of the shelves.
“Come on,” Tank pleaded, but Jazz just turned away, making Evy think that this was worse than she’d thought when arriving.
“Wait outside, okay?” she said toward Tank, who just nodded, then she followed Jazz. He was outside, inhaling deeply.
“I didn’t do anything, right?”
He surprised her by stepping in and kissing her forehead. “You didn’t, girl, and we want you here, Tessa and I, but… all the things coming with this…”
“I won’t disappoint her, Jazz,” she promised, needing him to understand. He laughed, hugging her.
“I know that. You couldn’t ever, even if you don’t succeed, because Tessa knows you’ll do whatever it takes and work hard. However, things work for her right now, and she’s excited for that charity ball. You should hear the little stories she already collected, the small speeches she prepared for herself and me. I don’t mean to put any more pressure on you, but—”
“You love her. You want her happy.”
He gave her a tender smile. “You’re like my sister-in-law, Evy, meaning I want you happy, too, but she’s my world, my life, my everything.”
And she believed every word.
“Tank meant well.”
“Tank always means well, but that doesn’t mean he bothers thinking about it. This is not about you. This is about him not trying to see other sides and always just going to do what comes to his mind just that second. Consequences be damned and all.”
She placed a hand on Jazz’s chest. “I’m going to make this hard on him.” She winked. “He’ll do all the girly things, I promise. You don’t need to be mad at him any longer, okay?”
“Evy.” Jazz groaned.
“Please?”
He sighed. “Fine. But he better be regretting pissing me off every damn second.”
She winked. “He will.” Not that she really believed that. However, as she walked away from the garage toward the waiting soldier, she couldn’t help but think it would be difficult to keep her distance while being with him all day long.
* * *
When he’d considered helping out whenever he could, he didn’t think it meant doing it all day long, day in and day out.
“We’re taking my car,” he announced and Evy eyed him.
“First, how about changing? Second, my car just stays here and I’m dependent on you twenty-four-seven, huh?”
He sighed. No, that wasn’t what this was about. “Practicality, woman. Two cars are stupid, and unless we return yours to Hilary’s place, I don’t see how this makes any sense. I promise we’ll get it later. I sleep here, remember?”
She nodded. “Fine then,” she all but snapped and he wasn’t the least bit surprised because God forbid someone helped her and drove her around instead of letting her do that herself. “Go and change, I’m waiting.”
“I’m not. Get into the car. You’re arranging an Army event and nobody knows you. You don’t honestly think you’ll have much success? If you bring around a soldier, it’ll be much easier. Plus, let’s face it, uniforms work. If you cannot get something you need, I’m ready to flirt until we get exactly what you want. It’s a smart decision, Ev.”
And he didn’t feel like changing because there was something in the way she looked at him when he wore army green that was utterly different from the other times she’d seen him. His guess? She liked uniforms just as much as the next girl, and he wanted to impress her.
She watched him exactly like that now, giving him a once-over before smiling. “You’re pretty smart if you want to be,” she teased and he lowered his eyes.
People were surprised each time anew. Maybe he should’ve just gone and changed, because hearing her say those words hurt.
“Okay, let’s go,” he stated instead of reacting and skipped opening the door for her. She stopped him with her hand on his arm.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“Which time exactly?” he asked back and her eyes widened. Sighing, he brushed his fingertips across her cheek. “I’m sorry, okay? Let’s just get started. I had a short night and I get grumpy when I’m sleepy,” he tried to justify his behavior, but when he turned away yet again, she still held him back.
“No, I’m sorry. You had a short night because of me. You’re pissed at me, and I deserve it. Every little bit of anger. I should’ve told Tessa the moment I was here because yes, time’s running out. I’m sorry I fussed at you,” she said quietly and he surprised himself by leaning in to kiss her cheek.
“No worries. I know being mad at me is easy. And it’s better than being mad at anyone else, especially your boss, who you can’t reach, or your best friend for not being a good enough friend that you trust her with it—”
Evy’s soft expression turned thunderous again within seconds. “She’s an amazing best friend. This is on me, not her, and I sure hope that wasn’t what you said to her last night.”
He winked. “I didn’t. I was just baiting you to see if you realized where you’d gone wrong. Now, what’s first on your list?”
She had a list, right? It had to be a mile-long one after all.
“Elaborate Events.”
He arched a brow, waiting for more information since she seemed to be bummed about it.
“They are the ones who arranged it before. They threw a fit this morning before I came, saying something about breaching contracts and all, then Tessa pointed out it was part of the contract to have her involved, and that never happened, and now they are even more pissed, but I need to pick up the contract for the location. It was made in the name of the army, and therefore they can’t cancel it. Also, the bakery and food arrangements and everything? Seems they haven’t been done yet.”
Tank did a double take. “I thought that was done and settled?”
She nodded. “Seems the reason Tessa wasn’t involved more was because there wasn’t much to involve her in to begin with. Switching was a good idea to save the event, although they worry now about it more than ever.”
This time he opened the door for her, and she slipped into the passenger seat. “Because you’re even smaller? And need to do a lot of things now? I’m surprised they are so worried. Elaborate Events came as a recommendation…”
Evy smiled. “Exactly, and so did I. Plus, Tessa had a hard time looking happy when they told us what we all have to take care of. I mean, I think they doubted she is convinced about hiring me.”
He shrugged. “Are you convinced?”
She placed her hands in her lap, staring down at them. “Honestly? I never thought I’d get the gig. There was no reason to worry, to panic, because it was impossible in itself. Now I wanna throw up. However, they upped the budget. Whatever I need, I get, because they cannot risk an éclat.”
“I believe that. But, the way you look at me right now I’m sure you’re still going to try and make the best of everything.”
She grinned, and damn, it was beautiful. “You can count on it. They get huge publicity if they do business with us for an event like this, no matter who it is. A small local bakery? A big one, a little way out of town? We need to sit down with Jazz and Tessa to see what they think would be best, and then I can decide if we need bigger or… actually, I think we should try to stay local.”
And he wanted to kiss her for that. “It’s a good idea, keeping business in town, because people will see you as someone who’s good for the city. Possibilities are endless anyway, so you’ll do fine. Better hit Elaborate Events then, huh?”
He walked around the hood of the car and then got behind the wheel.
“It’s on—”
“Ev, I’ve lived in this town all my life. I know where things are.” He winked, ignoring the way her brows suddenly furrowed.
Yeah, he’d just told her something he didn’t exactly want many people to know. Hell, half of the time he liked to pretend and told people he was from out of state.
Luckily she didn’t comment, and he appreciated it more than she could ever know.
* * *
Up until Evy left the truck, she was a nervous wreck about walking into Elaborate Event’s headquarters. Tank had been close to offering to go and deal with it alone, but the moment she stepped out of his car, she straightened her shoulders and one would’ve never guessed how worried she was.
Marching to the front door, he had a hard time keeping up with her.
“We need to see the bosses.”
The guy behind the counter gave her an arrogant smile. “Don’t even know their names?”
She laughed, but it was a cold sound, so unlike what Tank knew from her. She leaned in, her pretty ass on display, and he was almost distracted. Until she spoke, her voice low and husky.
“Listen, sweetie, I don’t need to know their names, because no one else in this town will anymore after I’m done. I’m taking over the event planning for the United States Army, and unless you really, really want to get in trouble, you’ll call one of your bosses now, tell them to move their expensive loafers down here and bring me the contract for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I know they booked the Ocean’s Edge Wing.”
“I…” The guy licked his lips and Tank couldn’t help but grin.
“You are going to pick up the phone and make the call? Smart decision,” she replied and the guy finally reached for the phone.
She straightened and Tank waited, wondering how things would play out. He figured there was no need to talk unless someone started to put Evy down.
The receptionist hung up, glancing at her with a snarky expression.
“Someone will be down in a minute.”
Evy turned to him. “It better be only a minute or we’ll have to call your boss’s boss, Tank.” It was an empty threat, and clearly Evy had counted on the guy behind the counter to not know anything about Army ranks
Tank shrugged. “Currently at the White House. The interruption won’t go well at his morning golf round.”
Clearly they were in luck about his cluelessness.
Tank noticed from the corner of his eye how the guy paled and typed something hastily on his computer.
Not two minutes later the elevator doors announced someone’s arrival, and three people got out.
The two men wore business suits and the woman a tight black skirt and white blouse. Evy wore the same attire, but she’d actually managed to button the blouse all the way up.
Yes, his girl was much classier.
Then again, he’d known that before; and she wasn’t his girl.
Evy held out her hand. “I’m Evangeline Jackson. I’m going to take over the planning, as you are very well aware of.”
Her tone was pleasant, but straightforward, and yet no one shook hands with her.
“Fine, I can tell you want to act like five-year-olds who dropped their lollipops. Here’s a suggestion when it comes to business. Do your fucking job and you won’t have to hand over contracts to people who will pick up the damn lollipop and lick it until it’s clean again. So, if you would be so kind?”
Again she held out her hand, this time clearly for the papers the guy in the front was carrying.
“Don’t be so smug. You will not manage to organize that event,” he snickered and Tank wished he could see Evangeline’s face, but he stood behind her. The guy forced the papers at her, and she just calmly collected those falling to the floor.
“I will, because even if I just get someone to cook for a quarter of the guests I already reached more than you did the entire time you tried. So, if you’ll excuse me? Some people have to organize the event of the decade, while other people here have to turn around and return to their elevator.”
She nodded once, then facing Tank while the other three stared daggers at her.
Suddenly she spun. “And if you ever need someone planning an event for you, you know, like a Christmas party or whatever, call Lanestrong Events. The number is on the website. I’ll make it good for you.”
With that she walked right past Tank and out the door. Tank touched his hand to his hat, and then he followed her.
She put the papers into her bag in his car before getting into the passenger side yet again. The three inside and the receptionist were still staring through the glass front, and Evy winked.
Tank couldn’t help but chuckle as he drove away.
“Holy shit, that was fun to watch.”
She stayed silent, and only when he glanced to the side did he realize that she’d gone pale and was shaking.
“It wasn’t fun to be in. I think I might throw up. Tank, stop the truck,” she demanded, her breath coming short.
He reached out, taking her hand and squeezing it while laughing even more. “You did great. Calm down. You have Army millions at your disposal. Whatever they have planned, you can do better.” And after having her seen just now, he was surer of that than ever.
He decided to stop at a small coffee shop, not certain if the caffeine would be the right thing for her, but when she hopped out before he had finished parking, he knew he’d done the right thing.
He followed her inside much slower while she perused the menu. The girl behind the counter waited patiently.
“Triple choc mocha, venti, with skim milk, no whipped cream, and one dash of cinnamon on the top. Two extra shots.”
He took her side, nudging her with his shoulder. “Are you sure you need the sugar and the—”
“I’ll happily order you tea, but I need what I ordered. This is going to be a long day, and let’s face it, this was the easy part.”
He arched a brow when Evy received her drink and he was supposed to pick one.
“Coffee, black, one cube of sugar.”
“A simple man,” the girl behind the counter stated, and then winked at him. “I like it.”
He was about to drop one of his usual lines about only being simple when it came to coffee, but never anywhere else, before he’d wriggle his brows, but then he realized she was neither pretty nor was he interested in the flirt. It was his M.O., and nothing more. He responded to flirting because he’d never done anything else. Instead he glanced at Evy, knowing he’d rather flirt with her.
“Of course you do. He wears a uniform. Show me one woman who doesn’t. And also, you might reconsider flirting with guys who come in with girls. It’s just not nice. What if I’d have been his date?”
The girl eyed Evy up and down. “You? Miss Stuck-up? I don’t think so. Or you aren’t interesting enough because handsome here just gave me the eye.”
He had? Tank couldn’t remember, and he certainly hadn’t wanted to because there was nothing he considered worth checking out.
To avoid a catfight—and because it was the perfect opportunity—he grabbed Ev and pressed a kiss to her mouth, tasting the chocolate from her first sip on her lips. He’d meant for it to be a brief peck, but when her tongue brushed against his lips, he parted them and deepened the kiss.
Only when someone cleared their throat did he remember that they were in the middle of a coffee shop. Evy’s cheeks were aflame, but he didn’t mind. In fact, he loved the look on her, and also loved that he’d put it there. He could get used to it.
“Your coffee.”
The flirty girl behind the counter suddenly was much less friendly, and Tank took his drink before taking Evy’s hand to lead her over to a table furthest from the counter.
They needed a game plan, and, if he was honest, he liked pretending they were on a date. He sat, and so did Evy, then he put his cup down.
“And now that we got the contract… what’s next?”
* * *
Staring at Tank across the table at the coffee shop, she couldn’t help but wish this were a different world.
One where she wasn’t a single mother and he wasn’t a guy who didn’t believe in love and families. In another world, another time and place, maybe this could’ve been the perfect first date. The way he’d kissed her to prove something he didn’t have to prove, the way he’d looked at her instead of the girl when she’d tried to flirt… Damn, Evy had nearly grinned smugly.
“I guess we need to go and find a bakery ready to prepare cakes for so many people. I don’t even know how that will be possible.”
Tank leaned back, his long legs stretching under the table, and it felt almost familiar, comfortable when they brushed hers, one foot coming to rest under her chair. “How many people are we talking?”
“Approximately a thousand,” she replied. It was the only number she’d gotten, since so far she hadn’t gotten a chance to look through the responses to all the invitations that had been sent out. They were at Tessa’s studio and she’d waited for the guys from Elaborate Events to call her about them.
“Okay, not everyone eats fancy cake, so you might want to have some pies, too,” he suggested.
She nodded. “I was thinking yeast cakes with different fruits. I’ve seen that when I was on holiday in Germany once. You know, with apples, and some with plums, with cherries and pears. It would be something different, something special.” At his questioning expression, she grinned. “Like a sheet cake with a fruity topping and maybe some crumbles.”
His expression lit up. “Now, that sounds like I definitely want to try it. So plan on only a few fancy, creamy cakes and more with that the fruit. Some brownies maybe, too. That’s what we need.”
She nodded, reaching for her handbag until remembering that she’d left it in the car, having paid for her coffee with her last change. “Shit. You better remember all that,” she ordered and Tank leaned forward again until they were nearly breathing the same air at the tiny table.
“Will do, boss.”
There was something about the way he said it that sounded naughty and innocent at the same time and she found herself blushing.
He cocked his head. “You like me calling you that,” he decided and she shrugged, wanting to make him feel embarrassed, too.
“I liked you kissing me, too, and it made me think of dark corners and stolen moments.” The problem with her teasing was that she got turned on just from thinking about it, heat pooling in her stomach.
“I tell you what, boss. If we find a bakery to solve the issue with the cakes and all, I’m taking you back and giving you a stolen moment on your desk at the office. You know, where someone could walk in at any given time.”
Evy couldn’t help herself. Her breath caught and she swallowed. “It’s not a question of if,” she replied. “It’s a question of when.”
He stood, surprising her and almost making his now empty cup topple over. “Let’s go right now. The sooner we’re done, the sooner…” He cleared his throat while licking his lips seductively. “We can report to Tessa that we have solved one huge issue.”
“I assume you know all the bakeries in town?” she asked, also standing, even if it was much slower.
“Of course. I know every place where you can get pastries. Let’s try the biggest I can think of,” he suggested and she happily accepted the offer, following him outside to start a mission she couldn’t help but hope wouldn’t take very long.
* * *
Turned out that even the big bakeries weren’t fit to prepare for an event with that size. They knew the location, were ready to bring it there, but there was no way they could produce the amount Evy was thinking of.
Most would even be ready to try the sheet cakes the way she envisioned them, but again, that didn’t help her in the least.
“Fucking shit,” she cursed, hitting her head back against the head rest of Tank’s passenger seat.
“So, eight told us they could do about twenty percent of what we wanted, and some said if it would be just the yeast cake thingies you want, they could do more. Do you want to consider looking for—”
“No,” Evy interrupted as an idea hit her. She should’ve thought about that right away.
Taking out the list of bakeries she’d made, she looked at them, glad she’d put down what he’d just mentioned. “Let’s get back to the office. Now.” She grabbed the seatbelt absent-mindedly, then shook her head. “No, let’s go to Sweetie’s Bake first.”
It was the one they’d been at beginning, and while it was rather small, they specialized in fancy cakes.
“Can we not start with this one here?” Tank pointed at Easy as Pie’s store front, but Evy shook her head.
“I didn’t like their display or the way it smelled in there. Seriously, a bakery needs to smell like one, maybe like a coffee shop instead, but certainly not like a burger joint. I doubt their cakes will be good. If we take them, we might end up with fried stuff.” She shivered, glad when Tank started up the car and brought it out onto the main road, away from the alley they’d parked in.
“I do agree, it smelled weird. Share your plan with me?”
“Sweetie’s Bake said they could make ten cakes which would feed about five-hundred people, right?” She knew she was right because she’d always been meticulous about jotting things down.
“They could feed a lot. I don’t remember the exact number,” he agreed.
Evy tapped her chin. “I’m thinking those ten cakes, and four from For Heaven’s Bake. They have smaller ones, but that doesn’t matter. We have cake pieces for seven-hundred-fifty people. It’s all I would plan for. It’s probably way too much, but I’d rather have most people have a chance at a piece instead of just assuming half or less eat it. The sheet cakes we just distribute among the others. I’ll get them to price match each other, that way no one complains about someone else getting more money. Most of the bakeries get a chance at being better known in the end, and we could still always do a tasting.”
She finally looked up at the end of her explanation because Tank had not once interrupted her, but he was focused on the road.
“Not good?” she eventually asked and he glanced at her briefly.
“Very smart actually. And you’re using the strength of every shop. And… tasting?”
She sighed. “To be honest, those yeast cakes need to taste good, so I need the bakeries to find a recipe they want to work with, and I want to try them before we order. They need to be fluffy and good. You’ll see once you tried them.”
She had a very precise idea how the cakes had to be and he’d see the light the moment he tried a good one, that much she was sure of.
“Okay. Hate to be a Debbie Downer here, but what if the bakers won’t agree?”
Evy winked. “They will. The food at a thing like that is the most important thing, so it’s the one thing I’m not going to try and be tight with money about. I’ll offer them an amount that will ensure they do their job because they can close the shop for a couple of days to focus on us only. They’ll love it. I’ll also promise to put their name on each card explaining what kind of cake it is.”
“Did you think about allergies?” he asked and she huffed. No, she hadn’t.
“Not yet, but thank you, that definitely needs to go on my list. Let’s have two or three of allergy friendly ones, I’d have said, because I don’t think we’ll have too many of the people really allergic. I just want to offer them an alternative.” She made a note next to one of the bakeries when Tank stopped the truck.
“First stop? We’re here. Good luck, boss.”
He grinned at her and for a brief second he looked as if he wanted to lean in and give her a peck on the lips, but then he lowered his eyes.
“I don’t need luck. I know what I’m doing,” she announced, slipping out of the car. The bravado would only fall once she was back at home, probably in her bed that night, going over that day again in her mind.
Up until then, and each time anew when she got up in the morning, she’d believe she could do it, and that she was the person with the biggest balls out there. She simply had to believe that everyone would be ready to work with her because she was impressive.
There was no room for doubts, and if someone knew that, it was Evy.