Page 50 of Offside Rules

I give it to her, confirm the date, and ask about access to the venue for setup. She answers what she can and says she’ll send the rest with the event information. By the time we hang up, I have a whole page of notes and an appointment I want to tell somebody about immediately.

Ellie is the obvious choice.

I call her while the mixer is still off. She answers with, "Please tell me you’re bringing more lemon tomorrow."

"I am. Also, someone called about the Second Shift Sports Foundation gala."

"What?"

I tell her about Juliet, the guest count, and the tasting. I’m halfway through the budget when she interrupts.

"Baylor. That’s huge."

"It’s a proposal. I haven’t got it yet."

"You have a tasting. That’s how it starts." I hear a door close on her end. "Okay. I’m in the office. Tell me the numbers again."

I do, this time with the rough costs I’m already putting beside them. Ingredients, boxes, transport, the hours I’d need someone with me. Ellie asks questions about the display and whether the venue has anything I can use, and I write down the things I need to check.

"And the kitchen will be done by then?" she asks.

"The gala’s two days after the repair deadline. I’ll ask Dan what that means before I confirm. I can bake ahead, but I still need somewhere for the decorating and storage."

"Good." There’s a pause. "What does that leave you for the deposit?"

I look at the last number on the page. "More than enough. I could use the extra to get a commercial-grade mixer, cooling racks, a bigger fridge… plus I’d get to do something with an organization that has done so much for my family."

"And get paid a fair price for your work," she adds. "Both can happen."

I smile at the notebook. "I sort of can’t believe this just happened."

"I can help you too. I’ll take the day off to help decorate cupcakes and work the event. I bet a bunch of the Hawkeyes players will be there too. I bet Wolf could ask them to help us bring in the boxes of cupcakes."

"I don’t want to ask for charity."

"We’ll pay them off with extra cupcakes. They’ll be happy to do it. I see these guys on the regular. They’re really good people."

She has to go when someone knocks on her office door. I let her, then finish measuring the sugar and start the mixer again. The orders I already have still need filling, even if I want to spend the rest of the afternoon writing a gala menu and looking at pictures of the shop.

An hour later, Wolf opens the front door while I’m folding boxes on the island. He has his bag over his good shoulder and the little cupcake box in his hand.

"You ate both?" I ask.

"I followed the instructions." He sets the empty box on his side of the counter. "The filling stays."

"You might be biased."

"I’m giving you a customer’s opinion."

"A customer who got them for free."

"Would you like me to pay?"

"No. I’m conducting research too." I press a box flap into place, then look up at him again. "I got a call about a gala."

He puts his bag down. "Yeah?"

"Five hundred people. Dessert display, a few different flavors. I have a tasting next week."