“We come by it honestly,” said Sam. “What good is a culinary degree if you can’t make fun of how bland or pretentious the food is at restaurants run by celebrity chefs?”
Brad hardly tasted his food anyway. His brain was whirling now. What could he do to impress Lindsay? What was he good at? Baking, obviously. What did she care about? Food. Her job. His head spun as he speared a potato with his fork.
If Lindsay were here, she’d comment on how dull the menu was, too, because she was just as insufferable as the rest of them.
But maybe he could bake her something that would impress her socks off.
Chapter 16
Brad carried a huge bakery box into theForum’s office building. He had called Lindsay ahead to make sure she would be there and to explain his actions. Would her office like some cupcakes? She said sure. Brad managed to get as far as the reception desk before Lindsay had to come fetch him. As far as stealthy grand gestures went, it was not a complete success, but hopefully the cupcakes themselves would win her over.
“Why are you really here?” she asked as she led him into the main office area.
“I wanted to do something nice,” he said, laying the box on the table Lindsay indicated.
A tall woman with dark hair wandered over. Lindsay said, “Brad, this is my boss, Erica Sanchez. Erica, this is Brad Marks.”
“Of the cat café!” Erica extended her hand, so Brad shook it.
“I brought some cupcakes. For the office, not just for Lindsay. As a thank-you for everything.” He took the lid off the box.
Erica gazed at them, looking delighted. “What have we got here?”
There were a dozen cupcakes, two of each kind. The cakes themselves were leftovers from that morning’s cat café display, but he’d gotten a little creative with frosting because it was easier to make a small batch of frosting than a small batch of cake batter. So there were six kinds of cupcakes. Brad pointed to each and said, “Vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream, red velvet, cinnamon apple, and maple bacon.”
“Oooh.” Erica wiggled her fingers as she tried to choose.
Lindsay grabbed one of the maple bacon cupcakes and led him back to her desk, which wasn’t so much a desk as a station in the middle of a large table. As she ate it, other workers in the office drifted over and helped themselves.
“I’m wrapping up here in a few,” Lindsay said. “I guess we could go get a cup of coffee or something.”
The lukewarm reaction was a little less than he’d been hoping for, but Brad would take it.
There was an indie coffee shop near theForum’s offices, which is where Lindsay led Brad. It was full of college students studying, but there were a few empty tables, so Brad snagged one while Lindsay ordered their drinks.
She joined him a few minutes later and handed him a latte, exactly the thing he would have ordered. He hadn’t even told her what he wanted.
“So,” she said.
“So.”
Lindsay frowned. “I heard through the grapevine that you bungled an interview with theTimesbecause the reporter wanted you to introduce her to Aaron and you refused.”
Brad could only wonder at how small the food world was. “That’s true. I didn’t think Aaron would do another favor for me.”
“So in a roundabout way, you sabotaged a good opportunity for my sake.”
“If you want to look at it that way.”
“Is that not what happened?”
Brad shrugged. “I mean, yes, I wanted that opportunity for you and not for this reporter, but I wasn’t going to make a big deal about it.” Which was true. He hadn’t planned to say anything, but maybe it was best that it worked out this way. Maybe this would show her he cared, that he was looking out for her.
Lindsay nodded. “The maple bacon cupcake was good.”
It still wasn’t much, but Brad felt like he was chipping away at her armor. “Thanks. I know you like a good sweet and salty combo.”
“I was in San Francisco for a food festival last year, and the hotel had a café that served maple bacon doughnuts that were to die for.”
