Worth the Risk (5 page)

“So you're a runner.” Brad flashed his engaging smile. “So am I, when I have the time.”

“Same here,” Lexi responded. “I was on the track team in high school, but now I'm lucky if I can find the time to run a couple of days a week.” An unexpected glow warmed her. They had a lot more in common than she'd thought.

They were sitting at a small corner table at Brew Ha-Ha, having iced caramel-flavored coffee drinks and sharing a blueberry scone.

“What about movies?” Brad asked.

So many questions, she thought. Most men liked to talk about themselves or their work, but not Brad. He wanted to know all about her.

“I don't have much time for movies lately,” she said. “When I do go, I look for foreign films.”

“Hey, so do I.”

“I don't mind the subtitles. I like to see how people in other countries view life.

“Exactly!” He leaned forward and lowered his voice in a way that added to the intimacy she already felt. “I'm not interested in films that are nothing but car chases and shoot-outs.”

Lexi nodded. Most of her dates had taken her to “guy” movies because they liked them or silly “chick flicks” to please her. She'd rarely been asked what she wanted to see. “I like to talk about films after I see them. That means there has to be something to discuss.”

His look was galvanizing. What was he thinking? Did she sound pretentious?

“I like to talk about films, too,” he told her. “I find I dissect a lot of things to see what makes them work. This place, for instance.” He examined the last bit of the scone they'd been sharing. “The coffee is great, but there are other places with coffee that's just as good. What makes Brew Ha-Ha special is their pastries.”

“Right,” she agreed. “Their scones are tastier than others even though they're low fat. At least that's what the sign says.”

“They are. I've spoken at length with the owner.” He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment. “You analyze the world around you, too.”

It was a compliment, but Lexi wasn't sure how to respond. Finally, she said, “I guess that's why I'm a numbers person. I like to come up with definite answers.”

“That's where we're different. I don't mind not coming up with an exact answer. I like to consider the opportunities for creativity in each situation.” He gestured to the room around them. “Pastries set this place apart, but there's more—”

“Great ambience,” Lexi cut in, “and really friendly service. They always remember your name.”

“Right! The world is so impersonal these days that folks appreciate a friendly attitude. I tell my servers that all the time.” He checked his watch. “Speaking of servers, I've gotta run.”

Lexi stood up. “I have rows of veggies screaming for water.”

She thanked him for the coffee, feeling way more relaxed than she had when they'd come here.

“Let's get together again—soon. I'd like your opinion on a pizza place people have been telling me about.”

“Sure. I'd like that.” She said this in an offhand tone, but as they walked out she admitted to herself just how much she wanted to see Brad again.

 

They'd enjoyed a “working” dinner because Brad was considering adding pizza to his menu. Lexi had liked the deep-dish house special and had several ideas that he seemed to take seriously. They'd met at a park twice to run. And each time Lexi found herself relaxing more.

Since she'd started her new job at the accounting firm she wasn't around the house as much as she should be to help Amber with her schoolwork. From what Lexi could tell, her sister spent most of her time working on her new recipe, which she was positive would win her the final round in the competition.

Joey Tran was helping in the garden. Lexi had spent all day each weekend there, as well, but getting Amber to help remained a struggle. Lexi didn't nag her about it. That only made Amber more stubborn. Besides, Lexi had to prepare herself for the possibility Amber would win and not be able to help over the summer. Anticipating this, Lexi gave Joey more responsibility.

“I'm home,” yelled Lexi after she closed the front door.

Silence answered her, but the scent of chocolate swirled around her like a heavenly mist. What did she expect? Amber had prepared another Diva's Red Velvet Torte. No doubt she'd taken it to the center for the seniors to sample.

Lexi put down her purse on the sideboard and flopped onto the sofa. She was too tired to pick up the remote control and switch on the television. She would just rest a minute before changing shoes to go out and check on the garden.

 

“Lexi, Lexi. Wake up.”

Lexi heard her sister speaking, but it took a few seconds for the words to register. She gazed around and realized she'd fallen asleep on the sofa. “What time is it?” she asked.

“Almost seven,” Amber replied.

Lexi walked toward the kitchen. “Did you eat?”

“No.” Amber waved a sheet of paper in front of her. “I have my grades,” she said, joy bubbling in her voice.

“Already?” Lexi knew the school year was drawing to a close, but didn't expect a report card for a week or so.

“They came out today. I got mine in homeroom,” Amber informed her with a smile.

Good news, Lexi thought. Amber wouldn't be this happy if she was failing a class. Her sister handed her the computer printout that served as a report card. Lexi scanned it, then reread it slowly.

“Not bad, huh?”

“Excellent. Really great, Amber. You pulled up your grades.”

“Except for math. I'm going to get a head start on algebra by studying at home this summer.”

Problem was—Amber didn't have Lexi's self-discipline. She had good intentions but no follow-through. She had to attend summer school.

As if guessing her thoughts, Amber said, “I worked really hard this term to bring up my grades. I worked even harder after I found out about the contest. I'll study at night after I work with Charmayne.”

Lexi didn't want an argument right now. After all, the report was good. Now was not the time to harp on Amber's shortcomings. Or to suggest she might not win the contest.

“There is bad news. I saved it for last.”

Uh-oh, Lexi thought. “What's wrong?”

“Rick Fullerton is going to be one of the judges in the final round.”

“That's not so bad. I think he'll be fair.”

“Ha!” Amber grunted. “He isn't buying as much from us, is he?”

“No,” Lexi agreed. Rick had been giving her the cold shoulder since their meeting at Black Jack's, but at least he was still buying some of her baby vegetables.

“If I don't win, will I
have
to go to summer school?”

Lexi wanted to say losing might be a blessing in disguise, but she didn't. No sense in burdening Amber with another worry. They could deal with this when the contest was over. “We'll see. I'm not making any promises.”

 

The next morning was Saturday, the busiest day for City Seeds. Chefs or their helpers appeared before she opened the gates. They were anxious to select produce for weekend specials. As usual Rick Fullerton was at the head of the line. He personally selected produce. Brad had been coming, too, but he wasn't here yet.

“Hi. Looking for anything special?” she asked Rick with her warmest smile.

“Just looking,” he replied. After poking around for about half an hour, Rick left with two boxes of her best baby vegetables.

There was still no sign of Brad, and she was a little concerned—not about him buying produce elsewhere. She was unnerved by how much she wanted to see him.

The group had thinned as most chefs raced back to their kitchens. Her cell phone vibrated, and she pulled it out of her pocket. The caller-ID screen read, Black Jack. Brad was calling!

“Hello.”

“Hey,” he said in his husky voice. “How's it going?”

She mustered a level yet friendly tone. “Fine. Most of my regulars have already been here. I'm down to half a box of Asian red wave lettuce. You can have it if you want it.” She'd warned him that the heat was ending the season, so he wouldn't be able to prepare his highly successful salad much longer.

“I'll take it. Got any of that baby squash left?”

“Yes. Probably enough for the available lettuce.”

“I'll send someone by to pick up the produce.”

“Okay,” she replied in a voice that seemed to come from some distance away. All she could think was that she wouldn't get to see him for another week. How had she allowed this man to mean so much to her?

“I'm giving the new sous-chef special training this morning. I should be through by three or so. Could I come by and take you with me to sample some gelato that I'm thinking of using?”

A sigh of happiness nearly broke from her lips. “Sounds like fun.”

 

“What do you think?” Brad asked as they sampled strawberry gelato at Gelato Paradiso. The Italian shop had been open for more than a year, but Lexi had never tried it.

“Great.” She licked the ice cream in the waffle cone. “Sensational, actually.”

“I'm thinking of cutting a deal with the owner to exclusively supply Black Jack's with several flavors of gelato.”

“How would you serve it? Alone? With fresh fruit?”

“I'd take vanilla to put with our flourless chocolate cake or whatever else Charmayne thinks will work. I'll also use it with seasonal fruit. Baci could stand alone.”

“Perfect.” Lexi had already sampled the chocolate and hazelnut gelato called baci and knew it was unique enough to stand alone. She smiled at Brad and allowed herself to bask in the shared moment. He was asking her opinion; she had to mean more to him than just a quick date.

They were sitting at a table for two hardly bigger than a briefcase, eating the gelato. An undeniable magnetism had built between them. What would she do if he kissed her? Kiss him back came the immediate answer.

“How's the summer job?” he asked.

Lexi had conditioned herself to give a reply like “good.” But that wasn't the truth, and considering how Brad treated her, she needed to share her feelings with him. “I'm a little bored. No, actually, I'm really bored. I'm working on taxes. It's the same stuff over and over every day.”

“Aren't we beyond tax season?”

“Yes, of course, but you'd be surprised how many people missed the deadline and had to ask for an extension. We're working on those now.”

“You must have known what it would be like to work for an accounting firm,” he said, leaning closer.

“I did, but I guess being at a small private company for so long made me think I'd be doing lots of things, not just taxes. I find I'm in a rut. Taxes are the bread and butter of the firm.”

“You could go elsewhere and do something more challenging with your degree.”

“True,” she agreed. “But first I have to pass the exam. So I'm stuck here until the fall at least.”

He took her hand and rose. Her skin prickled at his touch. As they walked toward the door, he put his arm around Lexi and she couldn't resist leaning against his powerful chest. “Life's too short to get stuck in a job you hate. It's worth the risk to follow your dream.”

“True,” she agreed, but she also had a sister to put through school.

He stopped outside the shop, his arm still around her. “Speaking of dreams. I have an idea.”

Something in his tone alerted her. “Oh? What's your idea?”

“Amber is determined to win, isn't she?”

“Yes. Obsessed is a better description,” she reluctantly admitted.

“What if she doesn't? Your sister will be upset, won't she?”

“Amber will go to summer school as planned. It's important for her to pull up her math marks by taking a prep course in algebra this summer.”

Brad studied her for a moment. “Amber will be fifteen in a few weeks and old enough to work. What if I give her a job that will allow her to attend summer school and work part-time at Black Jack's?”

“No! Don't do that!” Lexi responded more sharply than she'd intended.

Brad dropped his arm and took a step back.

“I—I'm sorry,” she stammered. “I didn't intend to sound so angry. It's just that Amber has no discipline and she's developing an attitude. If she wins the contest and earns the internship, I'll make it work somehow. But I really want her to study this summer and help me with City Seeds. Why should I pay someone to work in our business while Amber earns minimum wage working in a restaurant?”

“Because the experience would do her good,” Brad replied in a strained tone that indicated he didn't agree with her. “She might discover that she doesn't care for the restaurant business.”

“That's what you thought when we came to lunch.” The second the words left her lips, Lexi cursed herself for saying them. “What I mean is…Amber is stubborn. She won't admit she doesn't like working at Black Jack's even if she does.”

“I understand,” Brad said, but it was clear that he didn't. They walked to his car in silence and he made no attempt to put his arm around her again.

Unlike the preliminary round, the finals of the bake-off were held in the evening. Lexi was grateful, and she was sure the other working parents were as well.

Amber had come to Samuel Houston High School's cafeteria midafternoon to bake and decorate her torte. At this point, the chefs had sampled the desserts and decided the winner. Lexi expected Brad to make the announcement after the head of the foundation called the group in the auditorium to order.

Once again, she glanced around to see if Brad had arrived. This would be the first time she'd seen him since their disagreement last week. He might have come in through a back entrance, she decided.

A cold knot had formed in Lexi's stomach the minute she'd walked up the steps of the auditorium. She was concerned that she'd ruined her chances with Brad. No matter how many times she thought about it, Lexi felt she was right. Her sister did not need a job handed to her. If she won, that was one thing, but if she didn't, then summer school was the best place for her.

The curtains parted to reveal a spacious stage with a podium in the center. On a table stood a large silver trophy and an easel with a huge mock-up of the thousand-dollar check the winner would receive. The other side of the stage had a table with the desserts on it. Seated in the rear were the judges and several other people, including Brad and Charmayne.

Lexi tried to relax, but it was impossible. The air in the huge room seemed to be electrified as Brad was introduced and stepped up to the microphone.

Looking very handsome, he smiled at the audience. Lexi warned herself that Amber might not be the only Morrison to be disappointed today. What if Brad left without talking to her?

“I want to thank our judges for their hard work in both rounds of this Light-and-Healthy Bake-Off,” Brad told the audience.

Lexi barely listened as he introduced the chefs who'd judged the contest. Get a grip, she told herself. Win or lose—her sister would need her. The contestants were seated in the first row with their backs to the group. Lexi could see Amber's glossy-brown hair but not her face.

“I'd like you all to meet Charmayne Collins,” Brad said, “pastry chef at Black Jack's. The winner will be interning with her this summer, in addition to winning the prize money.

“My goal in sponsoring this contest is to help combat childhood obesity. I was an overweight kid myself. I know how being overweight can make you miserable, wreck your health. People need to think about what they eat.”

Charmayne added, “That's where I come in as a pastry chef. Everyone loves dessert, but it isn't always good for us. That's why we've asked contestants to create healthier desserts with reduced sugar and fat.”

“We have some really outstanding desserts here tonight,” Brad said. “The judges told me it was difficult to pick a winner. In fact just one vote separated the first runner-up and the winner.”

“Maybe we should announce the second runner-up,” Charmayne cut in.

“Right,” Brad conceded with a smile. “I almost got ahead of myself.”

The audience laughed politely, but Lexi mentally crossed her fingers. Please, please. Let Amber win. Despite the havoc it would cause, Lexi wanted her sister to win. She'd tried so hard, and she was truly an excellent cook.

“Second runner-up goes to Taylor Jamison for her Waldorf Cupcakes.”

It took a few minutes for Taylor to come forward and accept her award, then thank everyone who'd helped her. Lexi stared at the back of Amber's head, willing her to turn around so she could smile her encouragement, but her sister remained facing forward.

“The next award is special,” Brad said when Taylor had left the stage. “This entry came within one vote of giving us a tie. The first runner-up is a fabulous cook with a real future. The prize for first runner-up goes to Amber Morrison for her Diva Torte.”

A wild flash of disappointment ripped through Lexi. Oh, no. Amber had lost by one vote. How terrible to come so close yet not win.

“The recipe makes excellent use of beets—you'd never guess they were beets—to achieve the red color,” continued Brad. “She used grape seed oil instead of less healthy oil and agave nectar for sweetness.”

Amber was approaching the podium now. She must be heartsick, Lexi thought, but she sported a smile as she accepted the small trophy.

“I encourage all of you to think about what you're eating,” she told the audience. “Go for light and healthy!” She started to step away from the microphone. “Oh, and a huge thanks to my teacher, Mrs. Geffen, and my sister, Lexi.”

Lexi watched as Amber left the stage, her runner-up trophy in the crook of her arm. She kept a smile on her face as she returned to her seat. Lexi listened politely while the winner was announced. A burly youth who looked as if he'd be more at home on a football field won with his Cranberry Baklava.

One vote.

How would Amber take such a narrow defeat?

The ceremony finally concluded and Lexi rose to join her sister, but Amber left her seat and headed for the stage where the winner, Toby McCall, was talking with the chefs. Amber went right up to Toby and high-fived him. Apparently they'd become friendly during the contest.

Lexi smiled to herself. Maybe this contest was a learning experience on more levels than one.

“Sorry Amber didn't win.” Brad's voice came from beside her. He'd walked up unexpectedly while she'd been watching her sister. “It was really close.”

Lexi drew a deep breath and refused to reveal how thrilled she was that he'd sought her out. Maybe she hadn't lost her chance with him after all. She told herself to say something that would smooth things between them.

“Amber can be proud. She created two innovative desserts. Just because she didn't get first prize doesn't mean she isn't a winner. Still, she's going to be disappointed not to be working with Charmayne.”

Amber was talking with the chefs now and they were all smiling at her and chatting as if they were old friends. Pretty amazing, Lexi decided. She would have thought Amber would have left after congratulating the winner.

“Your sister has talent,” Brad said, his voice low. “Are you sure you don't want me to offer her a summer job?”

Lexi was tempted to say yes and change the dynamics of the situation. Brad could be a hero and Lexi would no longer be the spoilsport sister. She and Brad could take up where they'd left off. But she knew what was best for Amber. She boldly met his eyes. “Thanks, but Amber needs to attend summer school and help with City Seeds.”

“Not even a part-time job? A couple of hours a day?” he asked, a trace of reproach in his voice.

Again, she had to resist the urge to say yes. Experience with her sister told her that Amber would find any excuse to hang around Black Jack's when she should be home in the garden or studying.

“Thanks for the offer, Brad. Maybe next summer.”

“Okay,” he said slowly, as if he expected her to change her mind. “Did you tell Amber that I wanted her to work for me this summer?”

“No, I didn't. I wanted her to concentrate on winning.”

“But you didn't want her to win. Did you?”

“Of course I did!” Indignation rippled through her body. “I was prepared to give Joey Tran a full-time job with City Seeds so Amber could complete the internship.”

Amber spotted them and dashed over, smiling. “I almost won.”

“You did great,” Brad said with real enthusiasm.

“I gave it my best.”

“It was really close,” Brad told her. “Just one vote and we would have had a tie.”

“It's okay,” Amber said with sincerity. “I had fun just trying.”

Brad nodded his approval, but Lexi could hardly speak. Was her sister really this calm about not winning?

“I've got to run,” Brad said—more to Amber than Lexi. “Saturday night is our busiest time.” He turned and left without saying a word about seeing Lexi again.

“What happened?” Amber asked. “I thought you two were…you know—”

“Brad's busy. I'm swamped between work and studying for the exam. That's all.” Lexi told herself this was the truth, but it wasn't the whole truth.

“Then why did Brad come over to talk to you after the contest?”

Clearly Amber was more perceptive than Lexi realized. Her sister's voice, her expression said she knew Lexi wasn't being entirely honest.

“Brad came over to talk to me about giving you a part-time job this summer at Black Jack's.”

“You're kidding! That's awesome!” Amber was practically bouncing up and down. “I can hardly wait.”

“Don't get excited! You're going to summer school and work in the garden. Next summer, if your grades are still good, you can work for Brad. I'm sure he'll give you a job.”

“That's not fair!” Amber practically shouted and the group nearby stopped talking to look at them. “Next summer is, like, aeons away. Brad could sell the business or something.”

Just what Lexi didn't want—a scene—in front of all these parents. Over Amber's shoulder she saw Rick Fullerton and his pastry chef coming in their direction.

“Don't turn around,” whispered Lexi, thankful for the diversion. “Here comes Rick Fullerton and Monsieur Broussard. I'll bet he didn't vote for you.”

Tears welled in Amber's eyes. “You're right. Monsieur Broussard hasn't liked me since the first round.”

Lexi shook her head. “Don't blame him. Rick Fullerton is angry that Brad now gets his produce from us.” She slipped her arm around her sister. “Let's get out of here.”