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“Ready? Everyone smile!”
The photographers pointed their cameras, and a score of blinding flashes went off, all within seconds. Posed in front of the cake table, Carlotta and Teddy stood on one side while Sarah, Paisley, and Emile lined up on the other. With their tall white chef’s hats and crisp white aprons over brown shirts and pants, Sarah’s cousin and grandfather looked sensational. The cake stood five tiers tall. It was enrobed in glossy dark-brown ganache and garlanded with white chocolate roses. The bride and groom were splendid as well in their color-coordinated wedding attire. The guests clapped and cheered, taking pictures with their cell phones. The photographer from the newspaper asked for one more shot. When the flashes went off again, Sarah saw blue lights dance before her eyes. She had to blink several times before she dared move.
Everything had gone without a serious hitch. A good thing, seeing as Sarah’s voice was completely unavailable and nothing came out when she tried to speak except a breathy croak.
“I’ll cut the cake now.” Paisley sidled up to her and said discreetly, “Will you take Grandpa into the kitchen and make him go home? A driver is waiting outside.”
They glanced over to where Emile chatted with Carlotta and Teddy, holding one of the bride’s hands between both of his and bowing. He was obviously exercising the famous Dumas charm. Sarah nodded. She hooked her arm through his with a smile, slowly steering him out of the way while Paisley moved the couple into position for the ceremonial cutting of the first slice. When all eyes were on them, Sarah gently pulled Emile through the service doors.
He beamed, giving her a loving hug. “Don’t try to speak, cheri. I know it hurts. Thank you so much for allowing me to take credit for the magnificent job you girls have done today. I’m proud of you.”
“Me too,” she mimed. One of the waiters from the restaurant lingered in the doorway to the parking area, and she pointed him out to Emile. “Go,” she urged, shooing him with a flap of her hands and a smile.
“All right, all right. Bon soir, ma petite. I love you, sweetheart.”
He followed the young man outside, and they disappeared. Sarah waited a moment to make sure he didn’t wander back then straightened her shoulders and went into the ballroom to make herself useful.
Paisley had removed the top tier and boxed it for the bride and groom to take home. According to tradition, they would save it in the freezer to enjoy on their first anniversary. She was busily slicing the next layers. Sarah handed plates of cake to Blake, who garnished them with scoops of ice cream and drizzles of fudge sauce, then placed them on trays for the waiters to distribute. They worked together quickly, an efficient assembly line.
She avoided meeting his eyes or touching his hands when she passed him the plates. Her head was pounding, and her throat ached. The event was a huge success and would be all she had hoped for in terms of publicity for the restaurant. But a dark cloud of gloom hovered over Sarah. She longed to be home in bed. All day, while she’d been working, Blake’s confession had rotated in and out of her thoughts. She was furious at him, yes, but on the other hand, she didn’t know what to make of it. He hadn’t been two-timing her after all. He’d lied about who he was, but everything else was the truth. He’d told her real secrets about himself, just as she had told him hers. Did that mean her feelings for the man she’d known online were genuine or fake? It was hard to merge the two Blakes in her mind. She still thought of them as two separate people.
After the cake had been cut and served, Paisley stepped away to work the crowd. She accepted congratulations and passed out business cards. Blake rolled his freezer into the hallway to plug it in there and get things ready for the guests’ departure. He gave her a long, searching look as he left, but she turned her head away.
Sarah stood behind the cake table, most of which was covered with adorable little shiny brown boxes bearing the restaurant’s logo in gold foil and containing slices of cake for guests to take home. Those who were single and superstitious would sleep with these under their pillows tonight, to dream of the man or woman they would marry. Or so the ritual went. Sarah wasn’t planning to follow it. She had survived the excruciating day by using a lot of hand gestures and trying not to think about her disastrous life. Now she couldn’t wait to get into a hot tub.
Carlotta danced in her direction, dazzling in a column of cream silk. She threw her arms around Sarah’s neck and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you so much! What a perfect day! I adored everything. Are you pleased?” White and chocolate diamonds twinkled on her left hand.
Sarah smiled and nodded for the umpteenth time that day.
Carlotta leaned closer and said into her ear, “Teddy said to tell you to meet him in the cloakroom. He has something for you!”
Sarah raised her eyebrows and smiled, giving the thumbs-up sign. “Thank you!” she mouthed.
The Chocolate Bride scooped a finger of filling from the cake carcass on the table then popped it into her mouth with a naughty grin as she slipped back into the crowd and danced away. Never one to keep a client standing with his wallet open, Sarah hurried into the hallway and entered the cloakroom through the open door.
He was waiting, bent over the service desk and writing with a slim golden pen. He smiled, stood up, and handed the check to her then shook her hand.
“I hope this is correct? My... wife is very pleased, so I am too.” Teddy tucked his pen away, reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out a fat banded stack of bills. “Twenty percent? I’ve never paid for a wedding before. Is that sufficient for your gratuity?” He handed her the money.
Sarah nodded, thanking him in her scratchy voice. “Very sufficient! And cash is appreciated too. Easier to divide up among the staff.” She slipped the money into the front pocket of her apron, where her order tablet usually rested when she was at work. “Thanks again for the business. We’re very grateful!” They shook hands. Teddy said goodbye, accidentally dislodging the stopper holding the cloakroom door open as he was on his way out. It slowly swung shut while Sarah checked her hair in the mirror on the wall. A moment later, the door opened again.
Blake stood in the doorway. “Everything okay in here?”
Sarah nodded, unable to struggle anymore. “I’m fine,” she whispered. “Really can’t talk.”
He reached for one of her hands. “I hope you didn’t mean what you said. Don’t blame you for being mad, but—”
“I know,” she whispered. “Don’t know how I feel.” She counted out some bills from the cash Teddy had given her. “Here, this is what you quoted, plus twenty percent for your service today. Thank you.”
He folded the money into his pocket without looking at it, watching her with an anxious crease between his eyebrows. “Okay. Be careful driving tonight. I’ll call you soon.”
She nodded, too tired to object.
One way or the other, things were approaching a conclusion. Should she say goodbye forever or forgive him? Sarah had no idea which way to turn.