WHISKING IT ALL
CHAPTER SEVEN

The next week passed in a blur; between moving into the small house she was renting for the summer and being at the bakery, Kate had barely breathed all week. She and Rick hadn't seen each other since their first official date - and labeling their relationship - and she missed him, but there just hadn't been time.

"Hi Alexis," she greeted the young woman when she entered the bakery, and she glanced at the whiteboard they used to plan out the day's agenda. "Three dozen dick cookies," she read off the board. "When did this come in?"

Alexis glanced over from the cupcakes she was decorating, one of three graduation orders they had for the upcoming weekend. "Oh, that's for a bachelorette party this weekend. We got an email last night from some influencer in Boston, and she even offered to pay extra because it's last minute."

Kate gaped at her. "She's going to drive, what, an hour and a half? For our cookies?"

"Yep." Alexis shrugged and turned her attention back to the cupcakes. "Think of the advertising if she posts about them. She has, like, three million followers. Tory was over the moon when she heard about her."

Kate raised her eyebrows and grabbed her apron. "All right. I'll start on them."

By the time they parted for the night, Kate was cranky, starving, and her feet were killing her. Although the day had started well, after accidentally burning the first batch of cookies and forgetting to put vanilla in the second, they couldn't seem to recover. They had managed to make some headway on the orders, but they had their work cut out for them for the rest of the week.

She was grateful that she'd found a house to rent just off Main Street, so she was kicking off her shoes just a few minutes after locking the bakery. She could smell something cooking, something she couldn't identify, and, God, she was really hungry if she could smell food in her empty house.

A noise from the kitchen shook her out of her fog, and she was instantly alert and reaching for the baseball bat she kept by the couch for emergencies. Southbridge was safe, but Manhattan habits died hard.

Before she could decide whether she should call the police, though, a familiar face poked through the kitchen door, and she sighed in relief and dropped the bat. "You scared the crap out of me," she said, trying to glare at her boyfriend.

Rick grinned and wiped his hands on a dish towel as he approached her. "Alexis texted me earlier," he explained, pulling Kate into his arms. "She said it was a bad day, so I took the liberty of preparing dinner for you." He guided her to the couch. "Here, sit. I'll come join you in a minute."

Kate did as instructed, and when she sank onto the couch, she groaned in relief and curled her legs under her. She made a mental note to thank Alexis; if Rick hadn't been there, she would have probably skipped dinner and gone to bed hungry.

She was so damn lucky.

When the couch shifted she opened her eyes - that she didn't remember closing - and spotted Rick on the other end with a wine glass in each hand. "Is one of those for me?" she asked around a yawn.

Rick smiled and set them both on the coffee table. "Yes, but instead of a drink, you look like you could use a nap." He shifted so he was lying against the arm of the couch, and he beckoned for Kate. "Come here. Tell me about your day."

Kate groaned. "Bad day just about sums it up." As she settled into his warm embrace, though, she went through her day. And, at Rick's urging, found a handful of positive things to focus on.

"You forgot another good thing," he said when she fell silent.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

Rick tightened his arms around her. "Your ruggedly handsome boyfriend made you dinner," he teased, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

Kate chuckled and bumped her temple against his chin. "All of a sudden I'm glad I gave you a key. Even if it was supposed to be for emergencies."

"Hey, this was an emergency." A timer sounded in the kitchen, but before he got up, Rick nudged her around to face him. "All jokes aside, was this okay? To just come in and start dinner? If I crossed a line…"

"You didn't," Kate assured him, cupping his jaw with her hand. "It's really sweet. The only thing is, maybe next time text me so I don't have a heart attack when I come home?"

Rick smiled and leaned forward to give her a gentle kiss. "Will do," he murmured against her mouth. "Now come on, let's eat."

She was used to Rick being gone when she woke up, so when she opened her eyes the next morning, she was more than a little surprised to find him gazing at her.

"Morning," he rumbled, brushing her hair from her face and leaning forward.

Kate turned her face into the pillow so his lips touched her cheek, painfully aware that he rarely encountered her before she brushed her teeth. She squirmed out of his arms with a grunt, but he tugged her back.

"Where are you going?"

"Bathroom," she murmured, sliding out of bed.

When she returned the room was empty, and she followed her ears to the kitchen. "Shouldn't you be at the dairy?" she asked when she saw him at the stove.

Rick glanced at her with a grin. "Nah, my crew can handle things. I," he continued, draping his arm around her shoulders, "wanted to actually greet my girlfriend in the morning." He bent down and brushed a kiss to her forehead. "Coffee's almost done, and I hope you like French toast."

Kate felt her stomach grumble when she heard the coffee pot finish, and she gave Rick a squeeze before stepping out of his embrace to grab mugs. "You won't hear me complaining," she teased. "Not that I'm not happy you're here, but you know you don't always have to cook, right? I am actually capable of feeding myself."

Rick flipped the French toast as she poured the coffee. "I know," he said, turning and leaning his back against the counter. "But I don't mind. I like to cook for the woman I love."

"Alright, well-" Kate froze when she caught up with his words and turned to meet his gaze. "Love?" she echoed.

"Yes." Rick took a step forward and reached for her hands. "I know we haven't been together long, but Kate, I've fallen in love with you." His voice cracked on the last word and his cheeks flushed, but he held her gaze.

Kate's jaw dropped at his words. He liked her, that was obvious, but love?

"You don't have to say it back," he continued when she didn't respond, "but I couldn't go another minute without telling you." He cupped her jaw and brushed his thumb across her cheek before turning back to the stove. "Now, do you like syrup on your French toast, or-"

Kate interrupted him with her mouth on his, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, heard him shut off the stove before his hands were on her hips. He spun them around and pinned her against the counter, and Kate lifted herself to her toes and plastered her front to his.

"I should get to work," she gasped when they broke for air, but it was an empty statement, because she had no intention of leaving Rick's embrace.

Rick trailed his mouth down her neck, nudging aside the collar of her robe to lave at her clavicle. "What's the point of paying employees if we don't play hooky every once in a while?" he muttered against her skin, giving her a nip.

Kate gasped when his hand slid up her bare thigh. "That's-" Her voice cracked when his talented fingers found their destination. "Good point."

"Hey, Rick?"

"Hmm?" He met her eyes in the bathroom mirror when she wrapped her arms around him from behind.

Kate lifted herself to her toes so she could rest her chin on his shoulder, and she couldn't help but smile at the toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. "I love you too."

Rick stared at her for a moment before he spit out the toothpaste and rinsed his mouth in record time. He turned and locked his fingers at the small of her back, tugging her between his legs. "Yeah?"

"You don't sound surprised."

"Well, you did maul me after I told you," he teased, earning a twist of his ear. He chuckled and dropped his forehead to hers. "But seriously. You're terrible at hiding your feelings."

Kate leaned back and looked up at him. "Excuse me? I'm an attorney. I am an expert at hiding my feelings," she retorted.

Rick chuckled. "It's cute you think that. I've caught you gazing at me too many times for it to be something other than love."

"That's lust, not love."

"Not in front of my mother, it's not."

She bit the inside of her cheek to try and stop herself from grinning at the memory of a recent dinner with Martha, when she and Rick couldn't stop staring at each other. One of the many things that had surprised her about Rick - aside from the very pleasant physical surprises - was how in tune he was to her feelings. He could read her like a book.

Well, he was right. She'd loved him for a long time.

"You're right," she finally relented. She kissed him again, moaning when his tongue slid against hers. But as his hands trailed to her ass, she pulled away. "I do need to go, though. We have too many orders for me to stay home all day."

Rick stuck out his bottom lip in a pout, but he followed her out of the bathroom and reached for his clothes. "Yeah, I should probably get back home." He winced. "Even if I do have to deal with invoices and all that crap."

Kate pulled on her shirt and glanced at him, ran her fingers through her hair to tame it before tugging it into a ponytail. "I still can't believe you do all that yourself. Why don't you have an accountant?"

Rick shrugged. "It's actually not that terrible."

She rolled her eyes and they finished getting dressed in silence. When they walked out together and Kate spotted his truck in her driveway, she narrowed her eyes. "Did you move your car?"

"No, why?"

"I didn't see it here last night."

Rick chuckled. "Kate, you were so tired I'm surprised you even found your way home."

Home.

Her heart stuttered at the word.

Yeah, it was starting to feel like home.

Somehow, Kate had no idea how, but somehow she and Alexis finished all the orders on time, and managed to have the display cases and cake stands ready for the grand re-opening the day before Mother's Day.

Kate sighed in relief as she looked outside a few minutes before opening the door, and saw a large crowd waiting, with Rick and Tory at the front. She glanced at Alexis and jerked her head towards the door.

"Ready?" she asked.

Alexis wiped her hands on her apron and nodded from her spot behind the counter. "Let's do it."

Kate unlocked the door and, as they'd previously discussed, Rick acted as somewhat of a doorman to prevent the store from being overwhelmed. Tory jumped behind the counter with Alexis, and within minutes, they were selling cookies by the dozen.

At their brief opening in February, Kate remembered, their supply had only lasted a couple of hours. They made more than twice as much product, with extra in the kitchen, but even so, they sold out in almost the same amount of time.

"Alexis, can you do me a favor?" Kate asked when the last person left.

"Want me to start cleaning the kitchen?"

Kate grinned. "Thank you." She turned to Rick and Tory, who had busied themselves with starting to clean the front. "Okay guys, it's time. You ready?"

Tory shoved her hands in her pockets. "I think so."

"You are," Kate assured her. "You absolutely are." She glanced outside and saw Jenny, Kevin, and a few others from town coming back, and she let them in. "Perfect timing, guys."

She poked her head into the kitchen and spotted Alexis at the sink, washing dishes. "Hey, can I borrow you up front for a sec?"

Alexis grabbed a towel and wiped her hands. "Sure." When she followed Kate through the door she froze and looked around. "Um, hey guys, what's up?"

Tory stepped in front of her and took her hands. "They're here for us." She took a deep breath before letting out a wry chuckle and shaking her head. She bent down on one knee and took a small box from her pocket. When she opened it Alexis gasped, and she held up the ring. "I had a whole speech prepared, but I can't remember a damn word except the end. Alexis, will you marry me?"

Alexis let out a sob, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, dummy," Tory teased, standing and taking Alexis's left hand. "So...yes?"

"Of course!"

Kate whooped along with everyone else, and she met Rick's watery gaze across the room, and wondered if her grin was as wide as his. He was the first to embrace Alexis and Tory, and they all circled the couple, sharing in their excitement.

Rick sidled up to Kate's side and draped his arm around her shoulders. "Will this be your first wedding cake?" he teased.

"Shut up," she said around the lump in her throat, nudging his chest with her shoulders. If Alexis asked she absolutely would do the wedding cake, or whatever dessert they wanted, but it wasn't her decision to make.

After several minutes of hugs and happy tears, Alexis and Tory left - at Kate's insistence - as did everyone else, leaving just Rick to keep her company. Kate gave her boyfriend a wary stare; he'd picked up the broom that Tory had discarded, but he was hardly doing anything. Kate finished wiping out the display cases and, when she noticed Rick just moving the broom over the same patch of floor, she set the rag down and leaned on the counter. "Is something wrong?"

Rick glanced at her and started sweeping with vigor. "No, sorry. I just spaced out."

Kate just raised her eyebrows. "Yeah? What are you thinking about?"

"Not much," he said with a shrug. "They're really happy." He stilled the broom and lifted his gaze to hers. "I want to be happy like that. With you."

Kate's breath caught in her throat and she felt her heart flutter at his words. He didn't mean...he wasn't… "Rick?" she finally managed.

Rick's eyes widened and he shook his head. "Oh, I'm not - oh, God, no. We've only just started officially dating. I'm just saying, in general, I wouldn't mind a future with you. Whatever that looks like."

She stared at him for a long moment, until he looked like he was going to throw up, and she took pity on him. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaned into his solid frame. "Me too," she admitted into his chest.

The final four months of Kate's time in Southbridge passed in a blur. Tourism exploded over the summer, helped in no small part by the Boston influencer's multiple posts about her bachelorette party cookies. As a result, Kate and Alexis were flooded with requests for products with more risque messages, so many that they had to turn some away.

In late June, after she had to disappoint yet another potential client, and after a close examination of her books by Lanie, she hired another employee to join her and Alexis. She took a chance on a stay-at-home mother who, while with a resume that included a degree from the Culinary Institute of America had been out of the industry for ten years. Paige was a superb decorator, though, so when she and Alexis clicked and took in more orders than ever, Kate was confident that she had the right team.

When the walk-in tourists dropped off just after Labor Day, Kate realized that she would soon be returning to Manhattan, and her firm.

As she laid in bed one night in mid-September, Rick behind her and his strong arm around her waist, she was hit with a sudden realization.

She didn't want to leave.

Her relationship with Rick was solid; although they agreed that they wanted to be with each other, they were letting their relationship move at a natural pace, without rushing or pushing for any expectations. But she was a partner in a Manhattan law firm, and he owned a successful dairy farm in western Connecticut. They needed to have that talk, and soon.

Rick stirred behind her, and his arm tightened. "Sleep, love," he murmured into her hair. "You're thinking too loud. Keeping me awake."

Kate patted his hand. "Sorry," she whispered. She felt him shift, and when she turned her head she saw him looking at her, his head propped on his hand. She turned onto her back so she could more easily see him. "I'll stop," she assured him, pressing her palm to his cheek.

He turned his head far enough so he could brush his lips against her palm. "You wanna share?" he husked.

Kate considered for a long moment, then shook her head. "Tomorrow."

Kate wasn't surprised when she woke alone the next morning; more often than not, when she didn't have to go into the bakery right away, Rick tended to a few things on the dairy when she stayed with him, then returned mid-morning for breakfast and coffee with her. She slid out of bed and took a quick shower, intending to be dressed when Rick returned, but when she stepped out of the bathroom she caught the distinct smell of coffee brewing.

Rick appeared as she was putting on her bra, and he paused in the doorway, a mug in each hand and a smirk on his face. "Damn, did I miss the show?" he joked, holding out her mug.

Kate took it from his hand and rolled her eyes, gave the steaming brew a light blow to cool it off enough to take a sip. "Like you didn't see it all just a few hours ago," she teased with her own smirk.

Rick perched on the edge of the bed and sipped his coffee, his eyes following her as she finished getting dressed. "You didn't sleep well," he said after a long minute.

Kate sighed and zipped up her overnight bag before joining him on the bed. "No," she admitted, "I didn't."

"What were you thinking about?"

Kate dropped her cheek to his shoulder for a moment. "Us. The future. Our future."

Rick shifted to face her. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that too. Your leave is almost up."

"End of the month."

"I assume you'll be going back to the city."

Kate turned so she was facing him, and she reached for his hands. "I'll be honest, Rick, I've been really torn. I love it here, I love having the bakery and working at it. I'm not giving that up," she assured him. "No way in hell would that happen. But being a lawyer, I love that too. It's my career, the path to my lifelong dream. I can't give it up either, not now."

Rick sighed and dropped his gaze to their joined hands. "I wouldn't want you to," he admitted in a low voice. He squeezed her hands. "It's just Manhattan," he continued. "It's just a couple hours. Hell, you went back and forth all the time before your leave. Now I'll just come visit you."

Kate pressed her hand against his cheek and gave him a small smile. "Exactly," she agreed. "I love you, Rick. We'll be okay."

"I know," Rick agreed with a smile. "You'd be amazing on the Supreme Court, Kate. You should keep working towards that. And if that means we have to work a little harder to see each other, well, we'll do it."