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“Let’s talk to the florist then.”
We walked over to the florist, and Sophie finalized the order. With that done, we left the store.
“You need coffee, or do we move on to the cake tasting?” Sophie asked shading her face from the afternoon sun as we walked to the back lot where her car was parked.
“Let’s do the cake tasting first, and then we can be done for the day,” I answered.
Sophie had been driving all day. She'd picked me up, since we'd planned to spend the whole day together.
We drove the two blocks to the cake shop through heavy traffic. Sophie parked across from the shop, and threw open her door.
I pulled the strap of my bag across my body, opened my door and, and stepped out into the midday sun. We walked across to the store. Sophie pulled the door open, gesturing for me to enter.
“Look who’s being a gentleman today,” I teased, stepping into the shop.
“Best enjoy it while you can,” she laughed.
The aroma of freshly baked pastries filled the air. The baker, a friendly older woman, greeted us and presented a tray of exquisite-looking cake samples for us to try.
"Thank you so much for accommodating our requests," Sophie said with a smile. "We really want everything to be perfect for our big day," she added.
The baker nodded. "Of course. It's your special day, and we’re here to make sure everything is just the way you want it." She turned and removed another tray of chilled pastries from a nearby case and placed it on the table.
"Here are a few more options for you to taste. “This one,” she said, pointing at a frosted chunk of lusciousness, “is a vanilla cake with a strawberry filling. And this one,” she said, pointing at the other cake “is cinnamon apple."
Sophie and I began the sampling, tasting the newest additions to the spread first.
"Mmm, the cinnamon apple cake is amazing," I exclaimed.
Sophie nodded in agreement, "Yes, and I think the vanilla with the strawberry filling will be perfect for our guests who don't like their sweets too sweet."
The baker smiled, "I'm glad you like them. We can definitely make adjustments to the sweetness levels and fillings to make sure they fit perfectly with your wedding vision."
As we finished up the tasting, the baker pulled out a sketchpad and pen. "If you'd like, we can sketch out some ideas for your cake design to make sure it fits your wedding theme."
Sophie and I nodded eagerly, excited to see what the baker would come up with. As Sophie and the baker chatted and worked on the sketches, I breathed in the increasingly nuanced aroma of freshly baked pastries that continued to fill the air, basking in the warm and inviting atmosphere it created.
I sat back while Sophie worked with the baker. Maybe it was silly, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Christian was up to something. He'd looked so angry at Nathan’s place earlier. Like he couldn’t stand the sight of me. I didn’t like him either, but I didn’t wear my hate on my sleeve like a badge of honor. I was subtle, but I got things done.
Sophie noticed my friend's unease. "Is everything okay, Alex?"
I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. It was disgusting to think that Christian could affect my mood when he wasn't even in the same room with me.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just can't stop thinking about Christian. I feel like he's plotting something."
Sophie furrowed her brow. "Christian? What could he possibly be plotting?"
“I don't know," I admitted. "But he's always been a troublemaker. I just have this gut feeling that he's up to no good."
Sophie put a reassuring hand on my arm.
"Well, don't worry about it now. We're here to find the perfect cake for my wedding, remember?"
I nodded and let it go. Whatever he was up to, I was certain I could beat him at his own game. I could deliver the pain, and pay him back for taunting me for the last three years.
“Fine,” I said, sighing.
Sophie settled the final cake details for the wedding, and she also ordered an incredible floral cake for her engagement party, and then we bid the baker goodbye. We stepped out of the cakey oasis and back into the sultry Miami heat. The sun seemed even hotter now.
