Winning the Baker's Heart

Chapter 3

To say the cake was a hit would be an understatement. When Kyle delivered it the next evening, Katherine Hightower started crying. She had loved it so much he sent pictures of it to everyone she knew.

When Kyle relayed the message to Rey, the younger man had only smiled and continued pouring batter into cupcake tins. Kyle had never met someone so humble about his talent so he'd been caught a little off guard to the reaction. He had always taken great pride in the compliments. Rey just smiled at them and went about his work. It was baffling.

The morning rush had been its normal chaotic three hours. Luckily, Rey had the orders pulled and to the front before Kyle even asked. He was very efficient and a quick learner. He'd picked up on Kyle's tagging system in a matter of minutes. Even Katie had said how quick he was.

Kyle ordered lunch from Mama's Diner then went to help Thomas clean up. Rey was on the phone taking an order for the end of the month. He talked and wrote at the same time, pausing every so often to spin his pen around his fingers. He ended the conversation with a smile.

"Kyle?" Rey said. He crossed the room scratching his head. "Do you know how to make Swiss meringue buttercream? Every time I try, somehow I mess it up."

"Not really, but give me some time to make either some inquiries or look it up. I've never used it before, but if a customer wants it we will figure it out," Kyle replied.

Rey nodded. "Okay, and do we make pies?" Kyle frowned as Thomas laughed. "The same customer wants pies as well as the Swiss meringue buttercream."

"Well," the owner dumped a batch of donuts on the table, "I'm not opposed to it. If you can make them, we can sell them."

The younger man nodded then went to call the customer back. When he was done, he went back to the oven to pull out the cupcakes. Katie came back to get him because another customer wanted to talk to the guy who made Katherine Hightower's cake.

Thomas watched Kyle who watched the younger man. He continuously dipped his batch of donuts into the white glaze then set them aside to take them up front. He grabbed another and dipped them in the caramel.

Several minutes passed before Kyle put his mind back on his task. Thomas started laughing. Kyle looked at him before he put the second batch to the side.

"I have been here since I was twenty-two, and I have never been given the green light to add things to the menu," he said.

"Can you make pies?" Kyle asked.

"Hell, no. This is my level of expertise, and I will admit I'm not as creative as he is."

"I've never seen someone as excited as he is to create these types of masterpieces. He is very, very creative."

Thomas wiped his hands then crossed his arms. "So are you going to expand?"

Kyle looked at him. "Do you think we can? Better yet, should we?"

"We should wait to see how they're perceived. Then we can discuss it with Rey."

Thomas wasn't Kyle's business partner, but Kyle respected the younger man's opinions. He had some business sense, and his ability to know what would sell and what wouldn't. Whereas Kyle ran the business and knew the flavors better, Thomas knew their customers and their preferences. Maybe Rey was a good and happy medium to the two of them.

With the donuts and other pastries up front in the cases, they were free to work on their cake orders. Rey returned and looked over the cake Thomas was working on for the quinceanera. He took notes then went to make the frosting for the cupcakes.

Kyle lost himself as he finished the cakes for the other two weddings. Besides the whir of the mixer and the chatter of the front end, the men in the back were quiet. Each worked on their projects, only asking questions when it pertained to what they were working on.