Chapter Text
Baker’s Dozen
Tom rubbed his eyes as he walked down the stairs. God he hated bloody mornings. Truth be told ever since he and Charlotte broke up he hated them even more. He entered the small kitchen in the apartment he had been staying in since the breakup. He made a cup of coffee and sipped the hot brew as he walked to his stoop to get the morning paper. He took the paper back to his desk and threw it on the kitchen counter, it fell open to the celebrity pages and he felt his breath leave his body as he saw a picture of Charlotte on the arm of some footballer.
“TOM HARDY”S FIANCEE MOVES ON!!!” the headline screamed at him. Even though he knew he shouldn’t he skimmed the article. Nothing new really stood out. It just detailed their messy breakup four months before and stated how he had basically become a recluse refusing to work. Well that was actually kind of true. He had really believed this relationship would go the distance. Charlotte had know him so well and put up with his erratic moods without complaint. Then one day it was just over. Tom slumped into a chair and sighed. This needed to stop, the moping wasn’t doing him any good and obviously Charlotte had moved on. He wished that his son was here to offer some distraction but he was on a vacation with his mother and wouldn’t be back for a while. Just then his cell phone vibrated.
“Tom got an invite to a James McGruer event, got a +1 with your name on it. Won’t take no for an answer.
Ben”
Benedict had been trying to get him to come out since the breakup with no success. Well Tom was ready to hit the road again. And billionaire James McGruer threw the best parties with the fittest girls. Maybe flirting with some random hot girl would get his mind right. Tom picked up his phone and texted.
“I’ll be there, just come meet me.”
Tom threw the phone aside and hoped that this was a good idea. His phone vibrated.
“ :) “
********
Marie’s foot tapped nervously. She couldn’t believe it. Two days ago she was running a fledgling pastry business in Trinidad and now here she was on a first class trip to London to cater the desserts for a billionaire’s daughter’s birthday party. James McGruer had happened to taste her cakes when she catered a business conference he attended and next thing she knew he was singing her praises and sticking first class tickets to London in her face. She ran her hands through her curly hair and her foot tapping sped up.
Dale, her best friend looked over sympathetically.
“Girl don’t be nervous. You deserve this. The reason you’re here is because your cakes are the shit. They’re the bomb dot com and yes I just broke out a busted ass cliche to describe your cakes.”
Marie smiled and looked at her best friend. Dale with her cocoa skin, bright eyes and full lips was gorgeous but didn’t seem to realise it, she was also the loudest, funniest person Marie knew. A perfect compliment to Marie’s more introverted nature. Almost all the trouble they ever got into was because Dale had a bright spontaneous idea that just had to be executed. But Marie was glad she was here, because without Dale here the whole adventure would be a bit dull, and that was a testament to Dale being a force of nature because this was the most exciting thing that ever happened to her.
Dale’s eyes twinkled.
“You know what’ll make you feel better? Alcohol. Two Jack and cokes and you’ll be feeling as right as rain. There I go with the cliches again! Anywhoo as your baker’s assistant I insist that you have at least one drink.” Dale’s smile grew mischievous
“Oh you mean add alcohol on top of my crazy nerves? That seems like a horrible idea Dale. Oh and by the way I’ll actually need you to assist me with this order, Though I know you don’t actually bake.” Marie’s foot resumed it’s tapping
“Don’t worry Mar, I did extensive research on the flight here. Well that and how to snag a rich billionaire husband. McGruer’s single you know!! Stewardess, can I have a Jack and coke for me and my nervous friend please.”
Marie sighed. This could be the best time of her life once she made it out alive.
******
Today was the day. Marie and Dale had arrived a week before the party which was barely enough time for them to prepare everything but they worked day and night sourcing ingredients, and confirming exactly what the client wanted. Marie didn’t even have time to appreciate the amazing digs that they were in. Mr. McGruer had insisted that the two stay at his place. Marie’s sleeping quarters was larger than her place back home. McGruer had been nothing but helpful, giving Marie access to his black card and insisting that they had an unlimited budget. Dale also had come through big time for Marie. Though she couldn’t do the more technical decorating aspects, she washed dishes and measured ingredients and generally worked just as hard as Marie did and more importantly, when Marie felt like crying and running away to Mexico Dale kept her spirits high with rude jokes and hugs.
So now here they were and Marie felt slightly sick to her stomach. Everything had been prepared and stored the day before. the only major thing they had to do was to put the five layer birthday cake for McGruer’s 15 year old daughter together. And carry it out. When he saw the array of cupcakes and pastries and the birthday cake he insisted that the two girls bring it out so everyone would see who the chef was. This was the part that had Marie feeling slightly queasy. Mingle? Talk to a bunch of filthy rich strangers? What if they hated the cake? Marie put her head in her hands and whimpered slightly. She heard footsteps and looked up to see Dale looking down at her.
“Don’t worry you’ll be awesome. You’ll become a rich famous pastry chef and buy your best friend a Mercedes Benz. “
Marie sighed.
“God we’ll look so unglamourous next to all those famous people.”
Dale shook her head,
“ Girl we’ll be fine. wearing the white uniforms were a good idea. We look professional and smart.”
“At least I wish that I was as tall as you were,” Marie looked at herself in the mirror, “Why am I so short? Especially since you look like a damn model.”
“With these hips? Anyway you’re 5’4” not 4’5” plus you have the petite thing going for you.”
Just then Mr. Mc Gruer’s assistant poked her head in the room.
“Ladies, it’s time for you to bring out the cake. The cupcakes have been a hit so far. Can’t wait to see the cake.”
The assistant’s praise made the butterflies doing pirouettes in Marie’s stomach ease up a bit.
She looked at Dale and gave what she hoped was a confident smile
“Let’s go.
*****
Tom sipped at a glass champagne. He and his therapist had decided that he could start back drinking if he wanted to because that side of personality, the one that became addicted to drink was good and gone. And he definitely needed a drink after an hour in this particular party.
“Sorry mate, you said no to all the good parties, and I was pretty desperate for you to see the light of day. “ Benedict’s voice held a hint of laughter. Tom glanced at the taller man on his right and snorted. A waitress passed with some of those cupcakes on a sliver platter. Tom snagged one and took a rather large bite.
“At least it’s not all a waste,” he said with his mouth full.
“ These cupcakes are amazing. Who the hell did Jack get to do the catering?”
Benedict shrugged.
“I heard it’s somebody that Jack met when he went on a business trip to the Caribbean. I do believe that you’ll get a chance to meet them. Because here comes the main attraction.”
Tom looked to where Benedict pointed and saw two women coming toward the party with a large pink and purple cake between them. Both girls were gorgeous and they seemed fresh and young compared to some of the over botoxed mothers that Tom and Ben had to fend off. One of the girls in particular caught his eye. She was short with cafe au lait skin and curly hair that she had attempted to put in a severe bun, but some of the tight curls escaped and Tom could just imagine her letting her hair go and the curls falling on his chest.
Tom cleared his throat. Wow that had come out of nowhere fast. His eyes however were drawn back to the girl. She was slim though not skinny and he could tell by the way her rather boring clothes strained and stretched that she was curved in all the right places. She had put the cake down and faced the crowd who were atwitter at the sight of the beautiful cake. Tom wondered who she was and how he could get to know her. Most likely she was the assistant to the chef.
Just then Jack stepped forward and said in a loud voice,
“Ladies and Gentlemen I would like to introduce our pastry chef for the evening, Maire Vincent.”
He placed his hand on her waist and Tom felt a little flush of jealousy at the fact that Jack was touching her. What was going on with him? Wait she was the chef? Tom felt a surge of admiration. He glanced at Ben, who was starting forward intently. Once again Tom felt worried, was Ben interested too? He couldn’t let that happen. Clearly he had a very visceral reaction to her and she might be good to help him forget some of his troubles. He began to maneuver through the crowd toward her. Just then her eyes caught his and he saw some recognition in them. Good. That would make it a bit easier he supposed. Because he had to have this girl.
*****
Marie was smiling and shaking hands when she felt someone staring at her. She looked around and saw a devastatingly handsome man burning holes through her coveralls with his eyes. Wait a minute, was that Tom Hardy?