CHAPTER FIVE

Sweet Talk

- not yet edited -

The lights were on inside Miss Lynn's Sweets and Treats. Tori stood on the paved sidewalk of the busy street, cars' horns blaring and pedestrians shouting into their cell phones as they passed. She tried the door. It was locked.

She didn't remember leaving the lights turned on. She left in a hurry last night after making the phone call to Caiden, but she was positive that she remembered the lights. In fact, she was quite anal about leaving the lights turned on for longer than they needed to be. It was electricity that she didn't want to pay for at the end of the month.

Tori searched for the keys in her purse. Finding the lanyard at the bottom, she used the largest key to unlock the door. She pushed it open and walked into the shop, the smell of sugar and chocolate filling her senses. Did she light a candle last night? Did Chantal leave ingredients on the counter? She couldn't figure out what was happening. Maybe she was imagining things. 

She locked the door behind herself and dropped the key back into her purse. Tori made her way to the kitchen, her shoes moving quietly over the floor. The small window in the kitchen door told her that the lights were on. Now Tori was confident that she wasn't crazy. She had definitely turned the kitchen lights off.

The door gave way with a push of Tori's hand. It opened to reveal Chantal in her pink apron, standing at the counter over a two-layered cake.

"What are you doing here so early?" Tori's voice echoed through the room.

Chantal flinched, as if her friend had frightened her. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm decorating a cake." She said, without looking up.

Tori moved to stand beside Chantal. The cake smelled like chocolate and was topped with Tiffany-blue fondant. The fondant work was smooth and conceise, its edges blended nicely at the bottom of the cake. A row of white and pink flowers topped a sheet of wax paper at the other end of the counter, along with a bowl of edible silver pearls.

"And why are you decorating a cake so early?"

"I'm practicing. How can I be your partner if I haven't done any actual work in months? I'm a little rusty, but I think it's coming together." Chantal grabbed a flower from the wax paper and placed it at the bottom of the cake. She continued grabbing each one and placing them around the bottom. 

"Did you make those flowers with fondant?" Tori said, eyeing the details of the flowers. The petals were thin, and looked like they had been painted. The ombre effect went from white around the edges, to a pastel pink at the middle, and then a darker fushia around the center. "I didn't think you could get it that thin without breaking it. That's amazing, Chantal."

Chantal smiled. "Yeah. I was watching some videos on Youtube last night and thought that I would try it. It works pretty well, don't you think?" She grabbed a bag of white icing, squeezing the plastic. "It's been so long since I've decorated a cake. I think it was last year when you needed help with that wedding order."

Chantal dropped her eyes to match the height of the cake. She inspected it, and then started to squeeze dollops of icing onto the top. The icing came out in a beautiful swirl, the top drooping like ice cream on a cone.

Tori had forgotten that her friend knew how to decorate a cake. It wasn't often that Tori asked her for help, but Chantal always delivered. She had an eye for color combinations and decor. It was easy for Tori to forget since Chantal preferred to be the face of the team. She liked to talk to customers and manage the front of the house, and she was excellent at keeping everyone happy. Tori, on the other hand, worked better in the kitchen. That's how the team worked best, and that's how it's always been.

Things have definitely not changed much since their days at East Orlando High School. Tori remembered meeting Chantal in home economics class, her auburn hair permed like Julia roberts' in Pretty Woman. The girls were partnered at the beginning of Spring semester, and their assignment was to bake a bundt cake. The first thing Tori learned about her to-be best friend was that she was a natural leader. Chantal read the recipe off a paper, ordering Tori to gather the ingredients and supplies. Tori did all the baking as Chantal overlooked the directions.

"What else can you learn in four days?" Tori laughed, nudging her friend with a shoulder. "With your fondant work, we could actually win BakeOff."

"That's the plan." Chantal picked some pearls from the bowl and started placing them onto the sides of the cake. Her movements appeared to be random, but Tori knew that she had a plan for each one. Her design was asymmetrical, flowers taking up clumps of spaces around the bottom while other spaces were left empty. The swirls of icing on the top had the same effect. It reminded Tori of those trendy cakes she saw on Instagram.

"What are we doing with the cake when you're finished?" Tori hoped that she could eat it for breakfast. Her stomach growled on the way over here, and she needed something to calm its screams before it scared the customers.

She considered grabbing a breakfast sandwich from Jolt, but the temptation of coffee was too much for her this morning. The caffeine left her jittery, and she needed to be at the top of her game today. Tori and coffee did not have a good relationship. It was sad, because she really loves a hot caramel mocha. 

"I figured that we could have it for lunch. Valerie is going to love the chocolate."

Another thing that Tori had forgotten this morning. Chantal's sister would be coming to the shop. There was a piece of notebook paper in Tori's purse with a list of topics to go over, ranging from Lucas' cell phone number, the locations of fire extinguishers and other safety equipment, what to tell customers if there is a problem, and much more. Tori wrote down everything she could think of last night. Tori's empty stomach and Chantal's cake decorating were distractions that she needed to get over fast. She felt like she was on autopiolet this morning.

Taking a breath and regaining her thoughts, Tori moved over to the pantry and threw on her apron. She tied the back with quick fingers. "We're going to need an extra apron." she remembered, and pulled a plastic-wrapped baking dish from the fridge. She got to work on some brownies, cutting them into squares and stacking them on a plate to be put into the display case. When the brownies were done, she placed a batch of muffins in the oven from a mixture she made the day before.

A ting sounded from somewhere in the room. Chantal looked at the screen of her phone and smiled. "It's Valerie. She's here. Put this cake in the fridge for me? I'm going to get the door." she said, wiping her hands on the front of her apron as she left the room.

Tori did as she was asked, grabbing the plate with two hands and carrying it over to the fridge. The cake was heavier than it looked. Tori huffed as she tried to grab the handle of the door with a pinky finger. The steel was cold against her skin, sending a shutter up her arm.

A hand that wasn't Tori's grabbed the handle and opened the fridge door. "Hello, Tori." a voice said from behind her.

Tori placed the plate onto a shelf and slid it to the back of the fridge. She turned and saw Valerie, her dark hair curled around her round, freckled face. "It's good to see you again, Valerie."

Chantal's little sister was almost Tori's height, a contrast to the last time she saw her. She remembered Valerie as a Girl Scout, selling cookies for a Polly Pocket Dream House. Valerie had ditched the green skirt and sash, now dressed in a t-shirt and distressed jeans.

"Thank you for giving me an internship. I'm excited to see how a business works." she said with a wide smile. Her teeth were perfectly straight and white. "I'm a business management and administrations major. This is going to look great on my grad school applications." She emphasized with her hands, holding up her fingers in what looked like jazz-hands.

That made more sense to Tori. At first, she questioned why a college student would be so eager to work for free in a start-up bakery. Now, it all came together. "That's great. Should we get started with training?"

The door to the kitchen opened again. Lucas walked in with a shadow of hair over his face that wasn't there the last time Tori saw him. "Wow," he said, looking at everyone in the room. "I guess we are all ready to work this morning." He cocked his head to the side and pointed a finger at Valerie. "Who is this?"

"This is my little sister. Valerie." Chantal crossed her arms over her lavender-colored blouse, the color bringing out her coppery hair. "She's taking over my spot at the register for a few weeks while we are in Napa Valley."

Lucas' face distorted into an expression of confusion and wonderment. "Who is going to Napa Valley?"

Tori stepped between them, giving her friend a savage glare as she passed. She turned to face her brother, a look of utter disbelief harsh on his soft features. "I was going to tell you tonight." she told her brother. "But I called Caiden and he asked us to come onto the show. Me and Chantal are leaving to Napa Valley in four days."

Tori bit her bottom lip, hoping that he wouldn't scold her for keeping this a secret. She was going to tell him, but she was waiting for the right moment. Maybe she would take him to lunch or invite him to the apartment. It didn't matter now. Chantal had to open her mouth and the moment was ruined.

"So this is happening?" he laughed, his hand grabbing at the back of his neck, his fingers massaging the muscle. "It's all happening so fast. We are still on week one of the shop's grand opening and you're leaving already?" He sounded amused, but also a little worried. Like herself, Tori imagined that Lucas was stunned at the news.

It took Tori all of last night to finally convince herself that she wasn't dreaming. This week had been reality, despite the fact that it felt like a fairytale with a peculiar destiny. It was like her life was a quest - the past twenty-six years of trials leading up to this final moment. She would defeat the dragon in the castle to triumph.

Instead of fantasy creatures, the dragon in her situation would be the well-skilled bakers competing on the show, and the castle was the kitchen. For Tori, triumph would be recognition of her bakery and her name. It made sense in her head, but she wouldn't dare say it aloud. 

"It's a good thing that I've already talked with Sheri." Lucas continued. "She agreed to do some prepping at night, and I'll put everything in the oven before the shop opens. Valerie can help me put everything into the case." His gaze lowered to the floor. He knew that Tori didn't approve of getting Sheri involved, but it needed to happen for the sake of the shop.

Tori sighed. She knew that her brother was only trying to do what was best for the business, and she admired him for it. Her stubbornness was vanquished once again. "Can she come tomorrow morning for a run-down?"

With the extra help, Tori was able to sit down and enjoy the prosperity of the shop. She sat at the table closest to the dessert case, watching Valerie at the register and sipping on a cup of coffee. She gave in to the craving for caffeine, relishing in the warmth of the cup.

The first hour of opening was spent teaching Valerie all about the menu prices. Tori gave her a cheat-sheet to keep beside the register, and Chantal drilled her on customer service. Valerie's enthusiasm about learning the basics made Tori feel at ease. She showed the same eagerness to the customers and they liked her in return. She could be a contender for part-time work, Tori thought. If the competition goes well and she comes home with the prize money, hiring part-time work was a top priority.

Lucas was behind the dessert case again, filling orders and handing customers their items with a smile. He was getting faster and more delicate with the wax paper. Tori would also use the money to pay him for all the time and resources he's put into the business. They had never discussed it, but Tori knew that her brother sacrificed parts of his life to help her. He took an alternate position at a company just so that he could work from home and spend the rest of his waking hours helping Tori fulfill orders from his garage. He held off starting a family with his wife to put money into Tori's shop. Again, Tori didn't know the whole story, but she knew enough to make her feel guilty. A chunk of the winning money would go straight to Lucas. He deserved it.

Tori hadn't lifted a finger in an hour. The shop was moderately busy, the door not having the chance to shut because someone was always coming or leaving. Valerie called out orders and Lucas filled them. Chantal moved around the shop, thanking customers for their time and giving away coupons. She left a table of customers and came to sit next to Tori.

"Day three is looking pretty good, huh?"

"This might sound crazy, but I'm actually okay with this." Tori looked around the shop again, taking in the chitter-chatter of customers and their smiling faces. "I think things will actually be okay when we leave next week." Saying it aloud made it feel final. Tori would be on television in four days, baking cakes to repay those that have helped her get to this opportunity.

"I told you." Chantal said, a smug grin on her face. Her eyes moved to the door, and her expression changed. Her lips went straight and her eyes widened. Tori followed her friend's gaze.

Caiden stood at the door, tucking his sunglasses into the pocket of a brown leather jacket. Instead of a suit, he wore a pair of light-washed jeans. Despite the casual look, the clothes looked expensive and made of high-quality material. His leather loafers had a buckle and a watch shined on his wrist.

He caught Tori's eye and started toward the table. She noticed that he was carrying a backpack over his shoulder. As he approached, he set the bag down on the table with a thump and unzipped the pocket. It sounded heavy, and Tori wondered what was inside.

"How's class today, teach?" His voice was deep, and his eyes caught Tori's attention.

She saw that captivating glimmer in his jade-colored eyes. Looking into Caiden's eyes was like looking through a crystal. The light hit them just right, and Tori got lost in the kaleidoscope of shimmer.

Chantal put her chin into the palm of her hand, resting her arm on the linen over the table. She seemed oblivious to the fact that Caiden hadn't taken his eyes off her friend. "It's going great. I got Tori to sit for an hour, so that's a start."

Caiden pulled a plastic folder from the bag and placed it in front of Tori, ignoring Chantal's attempt at small-talk. "There's a stack of papers here that need signing that include waivers, contracts, and personal information." He took the chair opposite of Tori, not taking his eyes away from her face.

Tori felt her cheeks burn as his stare held strong. She brought the paper cup to her lips and sipped at the hot drink, hoping to cover the evidence of her bashfulness.

"If at any time you want to call your attorney and get some input, just let me know. I can email the documents from my phone." He continued.

Tori hadn't thought about an attorney.

She looked down at the folder, its blue plastic shiny and menacing. A pang of worry brewed in the pit of her stomach. She felt as if she was about to sign her soul away to the devil.

"Where do we sign?" Chantal said, pulling a pen from the pocket of her apron and clicking the tip. She reached for the folder next, but Caiden was faster.

His hand came down on the folder, making a smack against the plastic. "It's mostly for Tori. I can give you the emergency and personal waivers." He opened the folder and shuffled through the contents. The inside of the folder was well organized; complete with clear sheet covers, laminated dividers and tabs, and sticky notes. Caiden flipped through the pages to the pink tab and pulled out a stapled packet. "This is for you." He slid the papers across the table to Chantal with business-like professionalism.

Chantal's expression fell. Tori was sure that her friend was expecting something more compelling. This was a monumental moment in their lives, and the exchange of papers and a blue folder was not what Tori had imagined.

"And everything else is for you." He held the folder over the table. "It's everything your friend has and some information about your business."

"Why do you need to know about my business?" Tori eyed the folder, keeping her hands on the cup of coffee in front of her.

"Trust me, it's going to be okay." he said with a pleasant smile on his face.  "There are some questionnaires in here too. Tell me about yourself, your business, and your family. It's stuff that will be used when we introduce you on the show." He held the folder out further, waiting for Tori to take it.

Tori reached for the folder, her fingertip brushing against the skin of his hand. She felt the warmth of his body against her skin. The contact sent a wave of heat through her arm and threatened to make her blush again. She averted his gaze as she took the folder and flipped to the first page.

In large print, it said BAKEOFF SEASON 4 CONTESTANT FORMS.

She swallowed a breath.

There is no turning back now. This is it.