Sweet Dreams (Ladies of Stanford #1)

14. Thirteen

Thirteen

T he familiar scent of vanilla and cinnamon enveloped Beth as she pushed open the doors of Sweet Dreams. Home. After her whirlwind week in Belarus, the cozy bakery felt both comforting and slightly surreal.

"She lives!" Reese's voice rang out from behind the counter. "I was starting to think you'd decided to defect to the land of vodka and fur hats."

Beth rolled her eyes, dropping her bags and enveloping her assistant in a tight hug. "Missed you too, smartass. How's everything been?"

Reese's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh, you know, same old, same old. Although..." she leaned in conspiratorially, "Zack's been in here every day asking about you. I think someone's got a crush."

Beth felt a pang of guilt. In all the excitement with Yuri, she'd completely forgotten about Zack's attempts at flirting. "Reese, I—"

"Relax, boss," Reese cut her off with a knowing smirk. "I've seen that look before. How was the trip?”

Before Beth could respond, the bell above the door chimed. Jessie burst in, her cheeks flushed from the cold.

"Beth! You're back!" she exclaimed, pulling her friend into an enthusiastic hug. "How was Belarus? Did you find any scientific advancements in pastry technology? Oh! Did you bring back any samples for analysis?"

Beth laughed, extricating herself from Jessie's grip. "Slow down, Jess. I've barely had time to put my bags down."

"Right, sorry," Jessie said, not looking sorry at all. "It's just that the Christmas Baking Spectacular is in three days. I’ve been working on some theories about optimal sugar crystallization that I think could really give us an edge."

"Three days?" Beth felt her stomach drop. How had she lost track of time so completely?

Reese raised an eyebrow. "Please tell me you didn't forget about the competition you’ve obsessed over for weeks."

"Of course not," Beth lied, her mind racing. "I just... lost track of the days a bit. But don't worry, I've got plenty of ideas from Belarus. We're going to blow this competition out of the water."

As if on cue, her phone buzzed. Beth's heart skipped a beat as she saw Yuri's name on the screen.

Yuri : Missing you already, moye solnyshko. How was your flight?

Beth bit her lip, trying to suppress a grin as she typed back:

Beth : Landed safely but experiencing severe Yuri withdrawal. Might need to book a return trip ASAP.

"Earth to Beth," Reese's voice cut through her Yuri-induced haze. "Care to share with the class?"

Beth looked up to find Reese and Jessie watching her with matching expressions of curiosity. She sighed, knowing there was no point in trying to hide her happiness.

"Yuri is amazing,” she admitted. "My trip to see him and his country was amazing."

Reese's eyes widened. "I’m so glad. I still can’t believe you went to see a man you only have known online for a few weeks. Beth Mason, you dark horse! I didn't think you had it in you."

Beth protested weakly. "We just... connected. And now..."

"You've been googly-eyed and giggly for weeks," Reese finished for her. "It's disgustingly cute. I approve."

Jessie, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly piped up. "Now that you've spent time with him, have you considered the logistical challenges? The time difference alone would require significant schedule adjustments, not to mention the potential visa issues if things progressed—"

"Whoa, slow down there, Einstein," Reese laughed. "Let's let Beth enjoy the honeymoon phase before we start planning international relocations."

Beth's phone buzzed again. Another message from Yuri:

Yuri : Funny you should mention that. How would you feel about having a very enthusiastic cheerleader at your baking competition?

Beth's heart leaped. She quickly typed back:

Beth : Are you serious? You'd come all this way?

Yuri : For you, moye solnyshko, I'd cross oceans. Plus, I hear there might be cookies involved. How could I resist?

"Okay, that's it," Reese said, plucking the phone from Beth's hands. "No more lovey-dovey texting until you fill us in on everything. And I do mean everything."

For the next hour, as they prepped the bakery for opening, Beth regaled Reese and Jessie with tales of her Belarusian adventure. She told them about the Christmas markets, the delicious food, and, of course, Yuri. By the time she finished, Reese was sighing dramatically, and Jessie was scribbling notes about Belarusian baking techniques.

"So," Reese said as they put the finishing touches on a tray of croissants, "when do we get to meet this paragon of Belarusian manhood?"

Beth's phone chimed again. She read the message, a grin spreading across her face. "Sooner than you might think. He's coming for the competition."

Reese's jaw dropped. "Shut up! Seriously? Oh, this is going to be good."

"Indeed," Jessie nodded thoughtfully. "It will provide an excellent opportunity for cultural exchange and comparative analysis of baking methodologies."

Beth and Reese shared an amused look. "Right," Beth said. "That's definitely why he's coming. For the... baking methodologies."

The bell above the door chimed again. This time, it was Kelly, looking windswept and excited. "There's my globe-trotting girl!" she exclaimed, pulling Beth into a tight hug. "You, missy, have some explaining to do. I want every juicy detail."

As Beth opened her mouth to respond, the door chimed once more. Zack walked in, a hopeful smile on his face and a bag from The Daily Grind in his hand.

"Beth! You're back," he said, his eyes lighting up. "I, uh, brought you some of that new blend we were working on. Thought it might help with the jet lag."

Beth felt a twinge of guilt at the eagerness in his voice. "Thanks, Zack. That's really thoughtful of you."

An awkward silence fell over the bakery. Reese, ever the peacekeeper, clapped her hands together. "Right! Well, as fun as this reunion is, we've got a baking competition to prepare for. Zack, why don't you tell Beth about those coffee-infused scones you were working on?"

As Zack launched into an enthusiastic description of his latest creation, Beth's mind wandered. In just three days, she’d compete in the biggest baking event of her career. And Yuri would be there, watching. The thought sent a mix of excitement and nerves fluttering through her stomach.

Her phone buzzed again. Another message from Yuri:

Yuri: Ticket booked. I'll be there in two days. Try not to miss me too much until then. ??

Beth couldn’t suppress her smile as she typed back:

Beth : Too late. Already missing you. Can't wait to see you. And to introduce you to everyone.

"Okay, lovebirds," Kelly's voice cut through her thoughts. "Enough texting. We've got work to do. Beth, honey, I love you, but you look like you've been hit by the happy stick. We need to get you focused."

Beth nodded, reluctantly putting her phone away. "You're right. Okay, team. Let's talk about strategy. This competition isn't going to win itself."

As they gathered around the central workstation, Beth felt a surge of determination. She had her friends, her bakery, and soon, she'd have Yuri by her side. The Christmas Baking Spectacular didn't stand a chance.

"Alright," she said, tying on her apron. "Let's show this town what Sweet Dreams is made of."

The next two days passed in a blur of flour, sugar, and frantic preparation. Beth barely had time to think, let alone worry about Yuri's impending arrival. But as she stood in the airport’s arrivals area, her heart pounding, all her nerves came rushing back.

What if the spark they'd felt in Belarus didn't translate to her world? What if he took one look at her small-town life and decided it wasn't for him?

Her spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. "Moye solnyshko."

Beth turned, and there he was. Yuri looked slightly rumpled from the long flight but still devastatingly handsome, his blue eyes crinkling as he smiled at her.

Without a word, she threw herself into his arms. He caught her easily, lifting her off her feet as he kissed her deeply.

When they finally parted, both slightly breathless, Yuri rested his forehead against hers. "Hello," he murmured.

Beth laughed, feeling giddy. "Hello yourself. Welcome to America."