Free Takes the Cake by Lynn Chantale Page A

glare over her shoulder but followed his directions. He closed the door behind them. “Do you have a bathroom so I can at least wash my hands?”
    He pointed to a door on the far side of the room. Back straight and head held high, she crossed the room. A moment later, the door slammed shut. When she returned, she’d removed her chef’s coat to reveal another midriff-baring tank top.
    “So now what?”
    Keegan handed her a white tee. “You can have the bed. There’s a sofa in the other room. I’ll sleep there.”
    She nodded.
    “I’ll bring you something for your headache.” The door clicked.
    When he returned a few moments later with a glass of water and two pain relievers, Liz was sprawled in the center of the bed. The thick fringe of her lashes rested on her cheeks. Lines of weariness etched deep in her face and, at the slow rise and fall of her chest, seemed to smooth. He placed the items on the bedside table and continued to watch her.
    After a long while, he turned and went to bed down on the sofa. He could at least keep his promise about that.
    * * * *
    Dusty had woken Keegan with a cold bucket of water. Keegan had plans of retribution for his cousin. He could still hear the kid’s laugher fading thorough the halls as he sat up cleaning water from his eyes. When he looked around, the pain reliever, glass, and Liz were gone. Part of him had hoped that she’d have awakened him before she left, but no such luck.
    Now Keegan was trying to steal a few minutes away from the prewedding festivities to check on Liz. Every time he tried to leave, someone would pull him back. Finally, he gave up. There would have to be a moment before the reception when he could find a minute or two to see her. He had to ask her how she was feeling.
    No such luck, now that he was standing in the receiving line greeting a bunch of people he wouldn’t see until the next family function. All he wanted to do was rush to the kitchen and see Liz. His sister touched his sleeve. He looked down into her beaming face. Truly, he’d never seen her so happy.
    “Have you seen the cake?” she asked.
    “Not yet,”
    “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful. Liz truly outdid herself with that creation.”
    “As soon as I get a chance, I’ll take a look.”
    “You should slip away and check it out before we have to take pictures again.”
    He nodded. Caroline was actually giving him permission to play hooky for a bit. “I’ll do that.”
    “Ten minutes, Keegan. Don’t make me have to look for you.”
    He laughed and threaded his way through the throng of guests. After dodging several small children and shaking hands with several adults, he burst through the double doors of the kitchen and stopped. The room was vacant. He continued through the room and out the back door. Two workers were carefully pushing a wheeled cart over the paved walkway. The cake seemed to fare well. He followed, admiring the way the two people maneuvered over the stones and managed to get the cake to the tent in one piece.
    They stopped in front of a table, and he realized they still needed to transfer the cake from the cart to the purple linen-clad surface. He held his breath as the man and woman each grabbed a side and carefully moved the cake.
    Keegan exhaled as the cake settled in place without a hitch. The man returned the cart while the woman stayed behind to adjust the cake just right on the table. She touched a couple of the flowers before glancing his way.
    “She does beautiful work, doesn’t she?”
    He nodded. “It’s breathtaking.”
    “I can’t believe she created this in so little time, but when she gets an idea in her head, she just has to complete it.”
    “This was what I expected to see on my sister’s wedding day,” he admitted.
    She chuckled. “You must think those rumors are true.”
    “Rumors?”
    “Don’t play coy. You know exactly which rumors. You were arguing about it the other day.”
    A slow smile creased his