luck wasn’t that good. If Neda couldn’t write her article for the bridal magazine, she would be out some serious money. Which meant the reporter would have to make up the money elsewhere. As tabloids had a reputation of paying big for a scandal, Gracie had a feeling that was where Neda would go.
But how long would it take? Gracie didn’t know anything about the world of weekly publishing. Was it days? Weeks? When would it hit?
Not that it mattered. She still had cakes to bake and decorate. Since the debacle with the cake mixes, she hadn’t been back at Pam’s place. Somehow she couldn’t shake the feeling that the other woman was involved and until Gracie figured out how to prove it, she didn’t want to confront her.
A car pulled up in her driveway. Since reconciling with her mother, Gracie felt less worried about visitors. With luck, she would really like this one.
She hurried to the front door and smiled when she saw a familiar Mercedes next to her car and a handsome man walking toward her.
“Don’t you have a bank to run?” she asked, trying to ignore the fluttering she felt inside. Liking Riley was one thing, but
“I have a staff,” he said as he approached, then bent down to lightly kiss her. “It’s one of the perks of being the boss.”
“A staff, huh? I might have to get me one.” She stepped back to let him in, then led the way to the kitchen. “What’s up?”
He moved close and put his hands on her shoulders. “I have good news about Zeke. He’s not having an affair. Not even close.”
She’d been expecting him to say about a thousand other things. “What? You talked to Zeke?”
“I can’t solve your really big problems, but I knew I could take care of this one.”
Which was really sweet, she thought happily. “Okay, what’s he doing on his nights when he disappears.”
“Brace yourself.”
Riley was touching her. The only thing she really wanted to do was get closer and purr like a well-fed cat.
“I’m braced.”
“He’s doing stand-up.”
Gracie stared at him. “Excuse me?”
“That was my reaction. Apparently Zeke has always dreamed about being a stand-up comedian. Then he met Alexis and fell in love. He put the idea aside, but lately it’s been bugging him. He doesn’t want to live his whole life with regrets, so he’s trying to make it now.”
Stand-up? “I never thought of Zeke as that funny. Why didn’t he tell Alexis?”
“Beats the hell out of me. Part of it is they’re talking about starting a family and he didn’t think quitting his job would make her feel secure. He’s been going to clubs in Santa Barbara and L.A. working on his act. A couple of weeks ago, some guys from Leno saw him, so he’s been waiting for a phone call.”
Gracie couldn’t believe it. Not only that her brother-in-law’s secret life was something she never would have thought of but that he and Alexis were thinking of having a baby. There was a lot of pre-pregnancy going around these days.
“Is he going to tell Alexis?” she asked.
“I convinced him that was the best plan.”
“Do I want to know how this convincing took place?”
Riley looked pleased with himself. “I threatened him.”
“With physical violence?”
“Oh, yeah.”
She chuckled. “Was it good for you?”
“The best. I haven’t been in a fight in years, but I was willing to take him on. Zeke never was a real physical guy. He backed down right away.”
“I’m so proud of both of you.” She stepped closer to Riley and he wrapped his arms around her. “One problem down, fifty million to go.”
“Is that how it feels?” he asked as he stroked her back.
“Every minute of every day.”
“So we’ll tackle the next one. Pam and the cake boxes.”
She didn’t want to think about that. “Why would Pam be involved?”
“Not a clue, but she makes sense as a suspect. We just have to figure out what’s going on with her.”
Gracie winced and thought longingly of an antacid. “Tell me we’re not going to watch her house.”
Riley stepped back and grinned. “I’ll be here at eight. Dress in black. Oh, and bring your camera.”
WHEN RILEY LEFT, Gracie went to work on baking. As she had to turn the pans every ten minutes, the job was far more labor intensive than it should have been. She’d just pulled layer one from the oven when her cell phone rang. She grabbed it and pushed the talk button.
“This is Gracie.”
“How could you?” Fury filled the unfamiliar female voice. “I can’t tell you how horrible I think you are. Bitch doesn’t even come close.”
“What?” Gracie blinked. “Who is this? I think you have the wrong number.”
“Oh, you wish. I hate you. I’ll never forgive you. And dammit, I want my deposit back right now. How dare you pass yourself off as a professional? You’re a hack. You’re a liar. My father’s a lawyer and I’m going to talk to him about suing you for…for I don’t know what, but something. You’re disgusting.”
Gracie’s stomach turned over as the room seemed to get very, very cold.
“Who am I speaking with?” she asked as calmly as she could.
“Sheila Morgan. You’re supposed to be making my wedding cake next month. You lied, Gracie. You
The phone call ended abruptly. Gracie pushed the end button and stared at her phone. Then she turned it off.
Twenty minutes later she stood beside the checkout line of the local grocery store. The weekly tabloids were still stacked together, tied in bundles. She scanned the headlines of the first two before seeing the teaser on the third.
Wedding Cake Planner To The Stars Stirs Things Up With Bad Baking.
Next to the headline was a crumpled box of cake mix.
She pulled the tabloid out and flipped through it until she found the article. It wasn’t very big, maybe half a page, but there was a picture of her car filled with cake mix boxes and another shot of herself looking more than a little upset.
The text damned with innuendo. No one came out and said she used the cake mix, but the way it was written, no one had to.
By six, eighty percent of her cakes had been canceled. She’d been on some of the bridal Internet bulletin boards and had seen the angry posts there. Even the editor of the bridal magazine that had commissioned the story in the first place had called to yell at her.
Gracie lay curled up in bed, staring at her cell phone. Every time she turned it on, there were more messages from brides canceling their orders. They were all furious and she had no idea how to tell them she’d been the one betrayed, not them.
This couldn’t be happening, she told herself. It was a really, really bad dream. She’d worked so hard for so long to build up her reputation and now it was gone. Just like that. No one cared about how many nights she’d stayed up making sure each cake was perfect. No one wanted to hear the truth.
The room got dark and she told herself she had to get up and do something, but she didn’t have the energy. Instead she pulled the pillow over her head and willed the world to go away.
Sometime later she heard pounding on her front door. She ignored it, even as she remembered she and Riley were supposed to go watch Pam’s house. What did it matter if Pam had done this to her? The damage was irreparable. Gracie’s career was ruined.
After a few minutes, the pounding went away. Gracie dropped the pillow onto the other side of the bed and stared at the ceiling. Shadows filled the room. In the distance, she heard a door open, then footsteps.
