Harvest of Love: Insta-Spark Collection

I finished the cobbler batter and poured the cooked peaches that smelled heavenly with the bourbon-brown sugar mixture, over the top. I added a dusting of cinnamon to finish it off. The large convection oven was hot and ready, and I slid in the heavy pans, shutting the door.

“The apple crisp only needs about twenty more minutes. The cobbler about forty.”

Callie kissed my cheek. “That’s perfect. You’re a lifesaver. Ella says you want to help serve it?”

I nodded. “I like to make it pretty, if that’s okay.”

She clapped her hands. “Perfect. You can set up over there.” She pointed to the only empty spot in the kitchen. A large mixer and other items were waiting for me. “The whipping cream is in the fridge for you, and we got you some more cranberries Noah said you needed.”

“That’s great. I’ll get busy.”

“Awesome.” She squeezed my arm. “We appreciate this more than you know.”

I grabbed the cream and began. The mixer made short work of the whipped cream, and I filled a piping bag and put it in the fridge to stay cold, along with the rest of the cream. The cranberries bubbled and burst in the hot pan, forming a thick syrup. I tasted the sauce, adding a little more butter and ice wine, finally satisfied. The caramel sauce stayed warm over the pot of warm water, and I added a touch of cream to make it smooth and delicious. Every time I glanced up, I met Noah’s hypnotic eyes. His gaze was filled with so much warmth, I felt it across the room. I loved watching him and Callie cook—both of them seamless, working as a team. It was amazing to observe them command the kitchen.

Checking the crisp, I was pleased to see it was ready, and I slid it onto the heavy butcher block to let it cool a little. The cobbler wasn’t too far behind.

Callie came over a short while later. “I need two apple crisps.”

“Okay.”

Carefully, I drizzled the plates with both the caramel and cranberry sauces, crisscrossing them, then cut slices of the crisp, nestling them on the pattern. I added some more caramel on the top and crowned it with the whipped cream. I sprinkled the diced cranberries over the plate and smiled.

“Those look amazing, Dani,” Noah murmured in my ear. “Very artful.”

I turned with a smile and handed him a small plate. “The first piece never comes out right. Want to try?”

He pouted. “Don’t I get sauce?”

I laughed and drizzled some of both sauces on top and added the whipped cream. I waited while Noah lifted the spoon and slid a mouthful between his lips. His eyes closed as he chewed and swallowed, and he let out a long exhale of air. His eyes opened, glittering under the light.

Ignoring the bustle around us, he leaned forward, cupping my face and kissing me. “That was the second most delicious thing I’ve tasted today.”

“What was the first?”

He pressed his lips to my ear. “You.”

Dessert was pronounced a success. Callie was thrilled; Noah kept making comments about how talented his girl was and fist-pumping the air every time one of the servers came back and passed on a customer’s compliments. I rolled my eyes at Callie, although I was secretly pleased by his enthusiasm.

“Does he do this a lot?”

She shook her head and smiled. “He’s never brought anyone here, Dani—and I’ve never seen him act like this with anyone. Ever.”

I had to smile in agreement; I had never acted like this with someone either. But there was something about Noah—I couldn’t stop myself. Tonight was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun, and I was glad I could do something to help him. I enjoyed the bustle of the kitchen and watching the siblings and their partners work together. When Noah told Callie to cut off dessert service so there was enough of the sweet treats left for our dinner, everyone laughed—especially when he pouted and muttered he was serious.

Callie shooed me out to the deck with a glass of wine and told me I’d done enough. There were a couple of people left finishing their meals, but otherwise, the dinner service was over. Ella was setting a table in the corner of the deck, and I wandered over to see if I could help. She told me my contribution was already finished, so I leaned against the rail and took in the peaceful view. I drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It was so different here, so removed from my everyday life. Quiet, peaceful, and calm. The air was rich with the scent of the earth and crops that surrounded us. There was no sound of traffic, car horns, or people talking on their cell phones, hurrying to be somewhere. Always hurrying, always busy, always rushed—just like my own life. With a start, I realized I hadn’t thought of the office or my workload once since I had gotten here earlier. Usually, it was on my mind constantly.