Save the Cake - Sample Chapters

Chapter 2

"It's good to see you here, Denise. Where's Eric?"

She bobbed her head in the direction of the tennis courts, where her husband was chatting up a minor tycoon in a baseball cap. "He's networking. You know how he is."

"Please don't tell me he's running for office again."

"His father is pressuring him to give it another go. I told him to stick to real estate, but he wouldn't listen."

I wanted to tell Denise that our family wasn't going to vote for him this time, but I held myself back.

"Anyway," she continued, "are you going to the dinner party at Hazel's house?"

"Of course I am. I even had it marked down on the calendar so Paul could let me go early."

She giggled, again, and I noticed the golden highlights in her hair sparkling under the sun. "You and your over-protective family." 

That last comment didn't come across as nice, but I let it pass. "Are we going to talk about Hazel's wedding?"

"Of course, silly. You're still part of the wedding, right?"

Suddenly, as if on cue, Eric materialized before us. 

"Hello, ladies," he said, flashing his teeth. "What are the two of you up to now?"

"Eloisa and I are talking about Hazel and Vinny's wedding," answered Denise.

"Hazel and Vinny's second wedding," I added.

"Why, Eloisa?" remarked Eric in his clipped Hispanic accent. "What's wrong with having a traditional church wedding?"

I rolled my eyes. "I already told you. There's nothing wrong with a traditional church wedding. I'm just opposed to the part where Hazel and Vinny have to get married again because their parents want a traditional church wedding."

Eric nodded. "But you're still doing the cake, right?"

"Of course she is, baby." Denise leaned on Eric's polo-shirted arm.

I looked at Monica, who was still waiting for me to get moving. "We've got more work to do with the cake."

"Okay," Denise replied. Then: "You know that Hazel's cousin is going to be at the dinner party, right?"

"Which cousin are we talking about?"

"The cute one, from New York."

"Define 'cute,' Denise."

She chuckled. "See you at the dinner party."

Before our crew left the clubhouse, we found Odette Belmonte taking a smoke break behind the van.

"Don't tell my parents," Odette pleaded, peering from behind a lush line of false eyelashes as she tossed the last of her cigarette to the side. Judging from the crystalline sandals on her feet and the ball gown she wore under her hoodie, it seemed as if Odette wanted to savor those last few minutes of being young and stupid before facing polite society.

"Your secret's safe with us," I answered, knowing that I would have done the same thing myself at her age. "Did you see the cake?"

"Yes, I did."

"And what do you think?"

Immediately she took my hand and led me through the main entrance of the ballroom. Monica soon followed suit.

"This cake, everyone!" Odette cried out. "This cake is the best, you guys! This is so awesome!"

"I'm glad you liked it," I answered.