While we worked, Derrick and I kept a playful banter back and forth between us. Nadine joined in, her voice ringing with laughter as she told story after story about Derrick’s childhood. I’d never had so much fun baking before. Of course, that might have a little something to do with the yummy-looking guy scraping the royal icing from the edges of the mixing bowl.
Nadine separated the white mounds of sweet, fluffy icing into several smaller bowls and began to add coloring gel. I watched as she worked to get the consistencies just right—thicker for the piping icing and thinner for the flooding icing. She passed off the bottles of icing to me just as the first two trays of cookies came out of the oven. They looked and smelled amazing. And they were shaped like perfect little teacups. The ones I’d made at home had looked more like little round blobs.
Derrick tried to snag one of the hot cookies from the tray, but his mother slapped his hand with an oven mitt. “Not on your life,” she said. “These are for the bridal shower.”
“But I’m the best man.”
“If you want to live to be the best man, you’d better keep your fingers to yourself.”
He grunted and waited until she’d turned toward me, then nabbed a cookie. I didn’t let on that I had seen him do it, but from the pained expression on his face, I knew it must’ve been too hot to eat. Still, he didn’t make a sound. Obviously, the boy didn’t want to tip off his mama.
“Speaking of bridesmaids, I hear you’re the maid of honor in this wedding.” Nadine gave me an admiring nod. “Never got to play that role myself.”
“Oh, no, ma’am.” I put another tray of cookies into the oven. “I’m just a bridesmaid.”
“No you’re not.” Derrick brushed the cookie crumbs from his hands and stared at me so intently I almost felt as if he could see my thoughts. “You’re not just a bridesmaid. You’re the one holding things together.”
“I . . . I am?”
“Sure. And I know why. The person who cares the most does the most. You clearly care the most, and Crystal is lucky to have you, not just as a sister, but as her go-to person. She really needs that right now.”
Well, now. If that didn’t make a girl feel better about things, nothing would. I stood in complete silence for a moment, unable to think clearly, what with his flattery going straight to my head and all.
“Speaking of holding it all together, let’s see if these cookies hold their shape once we get them onto the cooling racks, shall we?” Nadine dove right back into the baking project, never realizing that my heart was thump-thump-thumping after hearing her son’s sweet words.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Derrick take another cookie and pop it into his mouth.
“I have eyes in the back of my head, son.” Nadine turned to face him, hands on hips. “And laser-sharp hearing. Now, quit eating the merchandise or this poor girl won’t have a thing to take to that party tomorrow.”
We didn’t really have to worry about that. By the time the sun went down, we’d baked and decorated five dozen gorgeous teacup cookies. Nadine even took the time to help me with the cupcakes I’d left to the last minute. After feeding me dinner.
Derrick stayed put, all smiles and fuzzy conversation, as if working in the kitchen making teacup cookies with a discombobulated bridesmaid was something he did every day.
Maybe he did, in between innings. Or maybe, just maybe, this handsome best man was up to something else altogether. Yep. The cute little signature wink he gave me over the cupcake tray was a dead giveaway. Looked like Derrick Richardson was stirring up something a little sweeter than cookies and cupcakes. Maybe he was tossing me a pass. Hopefully my catching skills were a little better than my baking skills.
I could barely sleep that night. My thoughts ping-ponged between the upcoming shower and the amazing time I’d had with Derrick and his mom during our bake-a-thon. Still, I needed my beauty sleep. I finally dozed off around one in the morning, but the oddest dream kept my imagination going.
In the dream, Crystal and Phillip got married on home plate on a baseball field. Derrick stood on the pitcher’s mound, tossing teacup-shaped cookies at them. Nadine served as umpire, critiquing my swing when I came up to bat. And Sienna—ditzy, curvaceous Sienna—coached the whole thing from the sidelines while having her nails done. No wonder the game was so wonky.
I awoke around seven, my head pounding. Still, I had to get busy. All the bridesmaids would be at the church early enough to set up for the noontime tea party. I could hardly wait to get started. With my sister’s happiness at the forefront of my mind, I pressed any daydreams about Derrick aside and got out of bed.
By ten, the bridesmaids, Sienna included, were gathered in the fellowship hall of our church, Grace Chapel. I couldn’t quite believe the maid of honor had actually shown up—and on time, no less—until I learned Derrick planned to swing by the church at eleven to drop off tickets for an upcoming game. Ugh. No wonder Sienna had made the extra effort.
My sweetheart of a baking partner came into the fellowship hall, walked right past the maid of honor, and headed straight for me.