Sweet Dreams (Ladies of Stanford #1)

15. Fourteen

Fourteen

T he bell above Sweet Dreams' door chimed merrily as Beth and Yuri entered, a gust of cold air following them inside. The bakery was a hive of activity, with Reese and Jessie darting between workstations like sugar-fueled bees.

"Honey, I'm home!" Beth called out, unable to keep the grin off her face. "And I brought a special delivery from Belarus!"

Reese's head popped up from behind a tower of mixing bowls, her eyes widening as she caught sight of Yuri. "Well, well, well," she drawled, wiping her hands on her apron as she approached. "If it isn't the famous Yuri in the flesh. I was starting to think Beth had imagined you."

Yuri chuckled, extending his hand. "Very much real, I assure you. And you must be Reese. Beth's told me so much about you."

"All lies, I'm sure," Reese winked, shaking his hand. "Though I must say, her descriptions didn't do you justice. No wonder she came back from Belarus with stars in her eyes."

"Reese!" Beth hissed, feeling her cheeks warm.

"What? I'm just stating facts," Reese said innocently. "Now, are you two lovebirds going to stand there all day, or are you going to help us prep for this competition?"

Before either could respond, Jessie emerged from the back room, her arms full of what looked suspiciously like scientific equipment. "Beth! Oh good, you're back. I've been running some experiments on sugar crystallization rates, and I think I've found a way to— oh!" She stopped short, noticing Yuri. "Hello. You must be the former premier nightclub owner. I'm Dr. Jessica Brooke, but you can call me Jessie. Everyone does."

Yuri raised an eyebrow at Beth, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Doctor? I didn't realize we'd have a scientist on our team."

"Oh, I'm not really on the team," Jessie explained earnestly. "I'm just here to provide empirical data and analysis to optimize Beth's recipes for maximum flavor impact and textural appeal."

"In other words," Reese translated, "she's our secret weapon. Speaking of which, we should probably get back to work. The competition's tomorrow, and we still have a ton to do."

Beth nodded, slipping off her coat. "Right. Yuri, I hope you don't mind jumping right in. We could really use an extra pair of hands."

Yuri's grin was positively wicked as he rolled up his sleeves. "Moye solnyshko, my hands are yours to command. Where do you want me?"

Reese let out a low whistle. "Oh, I like him. Can we keep him?"

"Down, girl," Beth laughed, tossing Yuri an apron. "Alright, team. Let's show this town what international collaboration looks like."

For the next few hours, the bakery was a whirlwind of activity. Beth and Yuri moved around each other with an effortless synchronicity, as if they'd been baking together for years instead of hours. Reese watched them with a knowing smirk, while Jessie flitted between workstations, muttering about molecular gastronomy and flavor profiles.

"So, Yuri," Reese said as she piped delicate rosettes onto a tray of cupcakes, "tell us more about this nightclub of yours. Beth mentioned it was quite the hotspot."

Yuri's smile dimmed slightly. "Ah, Rhapsody. It was... special. Imagine the energy of a thousand people, all moving as one to the beat. The lights, the music, the atmosphere – it was magic."

"Was?" Jessie asked, looking up from her refractometer. "Did something happen?"

A heavy silence fell over the kitchen. Beth reached out, gently squeezing Yuri's hand. He gave her a grateful smile before turning back to Reese and Jessie.

"There was a fire," he explained quietly. "We lost everything. Including... including a dear friend."

"Oh, Yuri," Reese breathed. "I'm so sorry. That must have been awful."

Yuri nodded; his eyes distant. "It was. For a while, I thought I'd never find that kind of passion again. But then..." his gaze shifted to Beth, softening, "I found a new kind of magic."

"Aww," Reese cooed. "That's disgustingly sweet. I love it."

"Indeed," Jessie nodded seriously. "The parallels between nightclub management and bakery operations are quite fascinating. Both require a keen understanding of crowd dynamics, sensory stimulation, and product delivery. Perhaps we could design a series of experiments to—"

"Or," Reese cut in, "we could focus on not burning these cupcakes. Jess, can you check the oven?"

As Jessie hurried to rescue the cupcakes, the bell above the door chimed again. This time, it was Kelly who burst in, her arms laden with shopping bags.

"Alright, my little sugar plums," she announced, "Mama's here with reinforcements. I've got energy drinks, snacks, and— well, hello there, tall, dark, and handsome!"

Yuri chuckled, extending his hand. "You must be the famous Kelly. I'm Yuri. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Kelly's eyes widened as she shook his hand. "My, my, Beth. You weren't exaggerating. The accent, the smile... if you ever need a taste tester for this particular dish, you just let me know."

"Kelly!" Beth exclaimed, torn between embarrassment and laughter.

"What? I'm just appreciating the view," Kelly winked. "Now, tell me everything. How's the prep going? Are we ready to crush this competition or what?"

As Beth filled Kelly in on their progress, Yuri found himself drawn into a debate with Jessie about the merits of various leavening agents. Reese watched it all with an amused smirk, shaking her head as she continued to decorate.

"I hate to break up this little United Nations of baking," she said eventually, "but we've got about twelve hours until showtime, and there's still a lot to do."

Beth nodded, clapping her hands together. "Right. Okay, team. Let's break this down. Reese, you focus on the decorations. Jessie, keep working on that sugar experiment, but maybe dial back the scientific jargon a notch. Kelly, you're on supply-run duty. Anything we need, you're our go-to girl. And Yuri..."

She trailed off, suddenly realizing she hadn't actually discussed with him how involved he wanted to be. "Yuri, you don't have to—"

"I'm all yours, moye solnyshko," he cut in, his eyes twinkling. "Just point me where you need me."

Beth felt a rush of affection. "In that case, you're with me. We've got a secret weapon to prepare."

As they all sprang into action, the bakery humming with renewed energy, Beth couldn't help but marvel at how perfectly Yuri fit into her world. It was as if he'd always been there, filling a space she hadn't even realized was empty.

Hours ticked by in a blur of flour, sugar, and increasingly punchy banter. As the sky outside began to lighten, signaling the approach of dawn, Beth called for a break.

"Alright, everyone," she said, stifling a yawn. "Power nap time. Twenty minutes, then we're back at it."

As the others settled onto various surfaces – Reese curling up in a chair, Jessie sprawling across a clear countertop, Kelly disappearing into the office – Beth found herself alone with Yuri for the first time in hours.

"Hey," she said softly, leaning into him. "How are you holding up?"

Yuri wrapped an arm around her, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I'm perfect. This... all of this... it's amazing, Beth. You're amazing."

Beth felt her heart swell. "I'm so glad you're here," she murmured. "I don't think I could do this without you."

Yuri tightened his embrace. "You could. You're stronger than you know. But I'm honored to be by your side."

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, swaying slightly. Then Yuri spoke again, his voice hesitant. "Beth... what happens after the competition?"

Beth pulled back slightly, looking up at him. "What do you mean?"

Yuri ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture she was coming to recognize. "I mean... I fly back to Belarus in three days. And then what? I can't stop thinking about it. About you. About us."

Beth felt her breath catch. "Yuri..."

"I know it's crazy," he rushed on. "We've only known each other for a short time. But Beth, I've never felt this way before. The thought of going back, of not seeing you every day... it's killing me."

Beth's heart raced. She knew exactly how he felt because she felt the same way. The idea of him leaving was like a physical ache in her chest.

"So don't go," she whispered.

Yuri's eyes widened. "What?"

Beth took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "Don't go. Or... or if you have to go, come back. We can figure it out. Visas, work permits, whatever it takes. I just... I don't want to lose this. Lose you."

For a moment, Yuri just stared at her, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face. "Moye solnyshko," he murmured, cupping her face in his hands. "My Beth. Are you asking me to move to America?"

Beth nodded, feeling simultaneously terrified and exhilarated. "I guess I am. Is that completely insane?"

Yuri's answering laugh was joyous. "Probably," he said, leaning in close. "But then, the best recipes often require a little madness, no?"

As their lips met in a deep, passionate kiss, Beth felt like her heart might burst with happiness. They still had a lot to figure out – the competition, the logistics of an international move, the future of their relationship – but in that moment, none of it mattered.

The sound of slow clapping broke them apart. They turned to find Reese, Jessie, and Kelly watching them with varying expressions of amusement and approval.

"Well," Reese drawled, "I guess that answers the question of whether Yuri's sticking around."

"Fascinating," Jessie mumbled, scribbling in her ever-present notebook. "The release of oxytocin and dopamine during moments of romantic connection can lead to heightened decision-making capabilities and increased risk tolerance. This could potentially impact Beth's performance in the competition. We should run some tests—"

"Or," Kelly cut in, "we could let the lovebirds have their moment and get back to prepping for this competition. After all," she added with a wink, "we've got a wedding cake to practice for now, don't we?"

Beth buried her face in Yuri’s chest, laughing as her friends dissolved into excited chatter about international romances and fusion wedding menus. "Welcome to my world," she mumbled.

Yuri's chuckle rumbled through her. "It's perfect," he said softly. "You're perfect."

And as they turned back to the controlled chaos of competition prep, Beth couldn't help but agree. This – the bakery, her friends, Yuri by her side – was exactly where she was meant to be.

The Christmas Baking Spectacular didn't stand a chance.