Page 23 of Win a Date with a Baker

Frank’s shoulders slump.

“But I’m not set up for wedding cakes. I’m not even sure I could get all of the supplies on a week’s notice. But...”

Frank looks up.

“What if we don’t do a cake?” Tyler is already thinking out loud. “What if we build a dessert wall instead?”

Frank blinks. “A what?”

“We do mini pastries. Individual desserts.”

Tyler grabs a marker and starts sketching on the back of a bakery box.

“Brown butter tarts.” He writes. “Mini cheesecakes. Lemon bars. Chocolate pots de crème. Cannoli.”

My eyes widen.

He’s barely pausing to breathe. “Hell, even some donuts and hand pies.”

Tyler points to the sketch. “We’ll stack them at different heights.”

He keeps drawing. “It’ll look intentional. Elegant.”

Another.

“And your guests get options instead of waiting for cake to be cut.”

Frank stares at the drawing. Then at Tyler. “You’d do that?”

“For you?” Tyler shrugs like it isn’t a big deal. “Sure.”

“Can you take all that on?”

“I’ll make it work.”

“You already have that huge concert order.”

“I’ll sleep next week.”

Frank’s eyes glisten. “You’d really save me?”

Tyler gives him a lopsided smile. “I’d rather save your daughter from murdering you.”

Frank laughs. “She probably still will.”

“But at least she’ll have donuts and pie.”

Frank pulls Tyler into a quick hug before Tyler can object. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“You’ve always been a good kid.”

“I’ve been thirty-seven for a while now.”

“You’ll always be a kid.”

Frank pats his shoulder once more.