Bond (Klein Brothers 1)

Bond shoved the rest of his muffin into his mouth, making appreciative noises as he chewed. “Mommy’s definitely a genius,” he said to Nemi through the mouthful of cake. “I don’t even like lemon cake, but this is outstanding.”

Likely, it was the cardamom and lemon curd that’d done it. I’d never made the stuff until I’d come across a recipe for it online, and looking at it when it was done, I’d had second thoughts about ever using it. It just looked like pale yellow slime.

However, after a taste test, I’d figured out how to mold it to suit the cakes and had made another batch, this time with freshly ground cardamom in it. During the creative process, I’d also discovered I enjoyed making it and decided to start making my own jams as well. Tomorrow I was trying my hand at currant and rosemary jam to test if I could do it, and I couldn’t wait.

“What’s this gross stuff?” Canon pointed at the yellow curd oozing out of the buttercream layer.

“Lemon curd. I’d never heard of it before, but even though it looks disgusting, it tastes delicious, right?”

He rolled his eyes and moaned before agreeing. “Right.”

“There’s a box of white chocolate shards with your logo on them for when you serve. I’ve separated the layers of them with parchment paper, so they don’t get stuck together, and the logos don’t smudge.”

Putting everything else back into the bag, I smiled brightly at them.

“Next week’s the cherry and almond cake. I’m testing out making jams just now, and I’m planning on a cherry and rosemary or basil one for that cake. I’m also alternating dark chocolate shards with the dyed fruit slices in all colors on the outside. That type of cake can be super heavy, so I’ll go light on the chocolate and stick to a white buttercream to brighten it up.”

“I don’t know what you just said,” Bond sighed happily, “but I’m looking forward to it.”

“Yeah, and you get to go home and try it all,” Canon muttered, then leaned in close to me and added, “The fat bastard.”

I burst out laughing and picked up the bag, swinging it on my shoulder.

“Right, Miss Nemi, we need to get home and let Hooch out for a pee. I also need some help making jams. Can you do that?”

“Can’t I stay with Daddy and Uncle Pirate Canon?” she begged.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Bond sighed, squatting down next to her. “I’ve got to go to a meeting with a supplier and then head to another one after that. How about I bring you in with me tomorrow and you spend all day here? You can go into the kitchen and make them do the job properly.”

Every staff member loved my pedantic little girl, even when she pointed out they were doing something wrong. They wouldn’t have a problem with that at all.

“Okay. But for the record, I’m pissed,” Nemi huffed as she dropped her shoulders and turned to face the door.

“Oh, no, ma’am. You crossed a line with that language,” I warned her, doing my best to stifle a smile.

Bond and Canon failed miserably as they burst out laughing and turned away from us. Like that was going to help. She totally knew what they were doing, the jackasses.

“I’ll see you later,” I said to Bond’s back.

Just as I turned to leave, he grabbed my hand, pulled me back, and bent me over his arm while he kissed me, putting on an elaborate and dramatic show for whoever saw it.

“That’s just gross,” Canon said, more than likely to Nemi. “No one needs to see that.”

Pulling away from me when he’d got his fix, Bond winked. “I’ll see you when I get home, baby. Look after yourself and my little girl for me.”

Giving him a quick peck while he righted me, I blushed when I saw that some customers were watching us avidly. Damn it, Bond.

He had the ability to reduce me to a pile of mush with just a kiss, so when Nemi squealed as we were halfway across the parking lot, and said she had to go give him his phone back, I just stopped and stood waiting for her with my head in the clouds.

That’s probably why I didn’t notice the man sneaking up behind me until I heard a strange snick and felt something sharp and hard being pushed into the back of my head.

“I won’t shoot if you don’t scream. The second you open your mouth to do it, though, my finger will press this trigger. We got us an understanding?”

Bond

“Your wife is a culinary master,” Canon said in amazement as we stood back and looked at the cake in its display case. “It’s hard to believe she didn’t go to school to study food or something to do with it.”