Regan’s assistant’s name was Hadley, and she had a great laugh. Loud and contagious, the best kind. An easy laugher was somebody Regan wanted to be around, and she and Hadley had meshed right away.
“What do you think Liza will have us make first?” Hadley asked, rubbing her hands together, clearly ready for their first bake. Then she rested her forearms on the counter.
“No idea,” Regan said honestly, following suit so they were in twin positions. “I can’t decide if she’ll go easy first or dive right into the complicated stuff.”
“I bet she goes in between.”
“You think?”
Hadley lifted one shoulder and spoke very softly. “It would make sense. Can’t go too easy, that’s a waste of time ’cause she already knows you’re good at your job. That’s how you got here. But if she goes too difficult right out of the gate, she could destroy your confidence. Hmm.” She pursed her lips.
The two of them stayed that way for several moments, each lost in her own thoughts. Finally, Hadley pushed herself to standing, and so did Regan. “So, ever heard of anybody here?” She scanned the room.
“Me?” Regan asked. “No. Not really.”
“Not really? What does that mean?”
Regan used her eyes to point in Ava’s direction. “I worked for her years ago. So I know her but don’t reallyknowher. You know?”
Hadley laughed that laugh. “You’re funny.”
“Well, looks aren’t everything,” Regan said, using a line her father used often. “What about you? Know anybody here?”
Hadley shook her head. “Nope. I don’t think any of these people would even know where in Missouri my bakery is.”
“You have your own?”
“Yup. Very small. Just me and three other people, but we do okay.”
“Pretty impressive that you caught Liza’s eye.”
Hadley gave a modest shrug. “Thanks. What about you?”
“I work in a bakery, too. I don’t own it, but I’ve been there for years, and my boss, the owner, is ready to retire. I’d love to buy the place from him, but…” She sighed and shook her head. “I’m not sure I have the financial capability to do that. Not in New York City.” It was her turn to shrug.
Before they could delve more deeply into that—and Regan was thankful for the interruption—Liza was back, and the gentle murmur of conversation faded into silence. This time Liza, too, wore a chef’scoat, and she took her place behind the front counter, her own assistant moving to stand next to her.
“Hello, chefs.” She smiled as her gaze moved from person to person. “You may remember Corinna, my sous chef fromWhisk Me Away.” She gestured to the tall woman next to her. Corinna had piercing blue eyes and short, dark hair, slicked back and tucked behind her ears.
“I loved her on the show,” Regan whispered to Hadley. “I always got the impression she didn’t miss a thing, even though she never said much.”
Next to her, Hadley nodded. “Same.”
“So.” Liza clapped her hands together. “I thought we’d start out with one of my favorite desserts.” Behind her was one of the red refrigerators, and Corinna opened and pulled out a gorgeous cake of three clear layers, its white frosting only between the layers and on the top, leaving the golden brown cake visible. Regan whispered it as Liza said it. “Carrot cake.”
“Oof,” Hadley said next to her in a low voice. “Deceptive cake. Looks easy. Isn’t.”
“No problem,” Regan whispered back. “I got this.”
“Yeah?”
“Absolutely.”
Liza was talking about the cake. “There’s a fine line between carrot cake being perfectly moist and too soggy, so keep that in mind. I expect your cream cheese frosting to be tangy and sweet, just the right thickness. Not too much, but not too little. Corinna will work on mine while I wander and see how you’re all doing. And remember this.” She raised her voice here. “You’re here to learn, so don’t hesitate to ask questions. Now get started.”
Each baker got to work. In front of her, Regan noticed, Vienna had a binder with her that was packed full of stuff. Everybody else used their phones, Regan included. When Vienna glanced over her shoulder and saw Regan looking, she grinned. “What can I say? I’m old school.”
Regan grinned back. “Not a thing wrong with that.”
