Sweet Dreams (Ladies of Stanford #1)

16. Fifteen

Fifteen

T he community center bustled with activity as contestants and spectators alike filed in for the Christmas Baking Spectacular. The air was thick with the scent of sugar and spice, punctuated by the occasional whir of a stand mixer or clang of a baking sheet.

Beth stood at her assigned station, surveying her ingredients with a critical eye. Yuri hovered nearby, ready to assist but careful not to overstep the competition rules.

"Nervous?" he asked, his voice low and soothing.

Beth took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "Terrified. Excited. A little nauseous. Is it possible to be all three at once?"

Yuri chuckled, discreetly squeezing her hand. "Perfectly normal, moye solnyshko. You've got this. Your macarons alone could bring world peace."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Minsk," Beth grinned, some of the tension easing from her shoulders.

"Alright, lovebirds," Reese's voice cut in as she approached, arms laden with last-minute supplies. "Save the sweet talk for after we crush this competition."

Jessie trailed behind her, looking slightly frazzled. "I've calibrated all the measuring tools to ensure maximum accuracy," she reported. "And I've prepared a series of charts detailing optimal baking temperatures and times based on relative humidity and barometric pressure."

Beth blinked. "That's... very thorough, Jess. Thanks."

"Oh, and I've also calculated the statistical probability of various flavor combinations appealing to the judges based on their publicly available dining preferences and social media activity," Jessie added, producing a thick binder from her bag.

Reese raised an eyebrow. "Jess, honey, I'm pretty sure that's cheating. And possibly stalking."

Before Jessie could protest, a booming voice echoed through the hall. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the First Annual Stanford Christmas Baking Spectacular!"

Mayor Winters stood on a small stage, beaming at the crowd. "Today, we'll see the finest bakers in our lovely town compete for the coveted title of Stanford's Star Baker. Contestants, are you ready?"

A chorus of affirmatives rang out. Beth gripped her rolling pin tightly, adrenaline surging through her veins.

"Excellent!" Mayor Winters clapped her hands together. "You have four hours to create a showstopping Christmas dessert that captures the spirit of the season. On your mark... get set... BAKE!"

The hall erupted into a flurry of activity. Beth dove into action, her earlier nerves forgotten as she lost herself in the familiar rhythms of baking.

"Reese, can you start on the gingerbread while I tackle the macarons?" she called out, already reaching for the almond flour.

"On it, boss," Reese replied, expertly measuring molasses.

As Beth began piping perfect circles of macaron batter, she caught sight of Zack at a nearby station. He gave her a small wave, which she returned with a smile.

"Ah, is that the famous Zack?" Yuri asked, his tone light but with an undercurrent of... something. Jealousy?

Beth laughed, shaking her head. "Down, boy. Zack's just a friend. And speaking of friends, shouldn't you be cheering from the sidelines? Not that I don't appreciate the view, but I'm pretty sure having a personal assistant is against the rules."

Yuri held up his hands in mock surrender. "As you wish. But first..." He leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "For luck," he whispered before sauntering off to join Kelly in the spectator area.

"Girl," Reese said, her eyes wide, "if you don't marry that man, I will."

Beth felt her cheeks warm. "Let's focus on winning this competition first, shall we?"

The next few hours passed in a blur of flour, sugar, and increasingly complex baking techniques. Beth's vision for a winter wonderland dessert slowly took shape: a gingerbread castle surrounded by delicate snowflake macarons, with a mirror-glaze lake and spun-sugar icicles.

As she put the finishing touches on a fondant Santa, Beth became aware of a commotion at the far end of the hall.

"I'm telling you, it's not fair!" a shrill voice carried over the general hubbub. "She's got a whole team helping her!"

Beth looked up to see Gina, her former employee (and the reason for her breakup with Keith), gesturing wildly at Mayor Winters.

"Now, now," the Mayor said soothingly, "everyone's playing by the same rules here. Ms. Mason's assistants are registered contestants, just like your... er, helper."

Beth followed the Mayor's gaze to see Keith lurking behind Gina, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"Oh boy," Reese muttered. "Drama at three o'clock."

"Ignore them," Beth said firmly, though her hands shook slightly as she piped a delicate border on her gingerbread castle. "We've got more important things to focus on."

But Gina wasn't done. She stormed over to Beth's station, her face flushed with anger. "You think you're so special, don't you? With your fancy bakery and your foreign boyfriend. Well, I've got news for you, Beth Mason. You're going down."

Beth straightened up, meeting Gina's glare head-on. "Gina, I'm sorry you feel that way. But this is a baking competition, not a personal vendetta. Why don't we let our desserts do the talking?"

"Oh, they'll talk alright," Gina sneered. "And when I win, everyone will see what a fraud you really are."

"Is there a problem here, ladies?" Yuri's voice, cool and collected, cut through the tension.

Gina's eyes widened as she took in Yuri's imposing figure. "N-no," she stammered. "No problem at all." She scurried back to her station, dragging a bewildered-looking Keith with her.

"You, okay?" Yuri asked softly, his hand a comforting presence on Beth's back.

Beth nodded, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine. Just... bringing back some not-so-great memories."

"Hey," Yuri said, gently turning her to face him. "You are talented, kind, and stronger than you know. Don't let anyone make you doubt that. Least of all them."

Beth felt a rush of affection for this man who had come to know her so well in such a short time. "Thank you," she murmured, resisting the urge to kiss him senselessly in front of the whole town.

"Anytime, moye solnyshko," Yuri winked. "Now, go show them what a real baker can do."

Reinvigorated, Beth threw herself back into her work. The final hour ticked by in a frenzy of last-minute adjustments and near disasters narrowly averted.

"Five minutes, bakers!" Mayor Winters called out.

Beth surveyed her creation with a critical eye. The gingerbread castle stood proud and tall, its spun-sugar windows glinting in the light. The macarons were perfectly formed, their ganache filling flavored with peppermint and cocoa. The mirror-glaze lake reflected the twinkling lights strung around the hall.

"It's beautiful, Beth," Reese breathed, admiring their handiwork.

"We did it," Beth said, a note of wonder in her voice. "We actually did it."

"Was there ever any doubt?" Jessie chimed in, still scribbling furiously in her notebook. "According to my calculations, the aesthetic appeal combined with the flavor profile gives us a 78.3% chance of victory."

Reese rolled her eyes fondly. "I'll take those odds."

"Time's up!" Mayor Winters announced. "Bakers, step away from your creations!"

As the judges made their rounds, sampling each dessert with serious expressions, Beth found herself gravitating towards Yuri. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Win or lose," he murmured, "I'm so proud of you."

Beth leaned into him, drawing strength from his steady presence. "Thank you for being here," she whispered. "For everything."

The judges conferred in hushed tones, their deliberations seeming to stretch on for an eternity. Finally, Mayor Winters stepped up to the microphone, a golden envelope in hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have our winners! In third place... The Daily Grind Café, with their innovative coffee-infused Yule log!"

A smattering of applause filled the hall. Beth caught Zack's eye and gave him a thumbs up, which he returned with a gracious smile.

"In second place..." Mayor Winters paused dramatically, "Gina's Sweet Sensations, with their peppermint dream cake!"

Gina let out a shriek of delight, jumping up and down. Keith looked relieved, if a bit overwhelmed by her enthusiasm.

Beth's heart pounded in her chest. This was it. If they hadn't placed second, then...

"And the winner of the First Annual Stanford Christmas Baking Spectacular, and our town's official Star Baker, is..."

The room fell silent, the tension palpable.

"SWEET DREAMS BAKERY!"

The hall erupted into cheers. Beth stood frozen momentarily, unable to process what she'd just heard. Then Reese hugged her, Jessie rattled off statistics about their victory probability, and Yuri spun her around, his laughter mingling with hers.

"You did it, moye solnyshko!" he exclaimed, setting her down gently. "I knew you could."

As Mayor Winters presented her with an oversized check and a gaudy trophy, Beth felt as though she might burst with happiness. She'd done it. They'd done it. Sweet Dreams was officially Stanford's best bakery.

The celebration continued late into the night, with the entire town seeming to cram into Sweet Dreams for an impromptu victory party. As Beth moved through the crowd, accepting congratulations and fielding questions about her winning creation, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned to find Zack holding two cups of coffee. "Congratulations," he said, offering her one of the cups. "You deserved it."

"Thanks, Zack," Beth smiled, genuinely touched by his graciousness. "Your Yule log was amazing. I loved the coffee twist."

Zack shrugged, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. "Well, I learned from the best. Listen, Beth, I... I'm happy for you. Truly. Yuri seems like a great guy."

Beth felt a rush of affection for her friend. "He is. And Zack? You're going to make someone very happy one day. You're a catch, you know."

Zack's blush deepened. "Yeah, well... maybe I just needed to open my eyes a bit. Speaking of which..." He glanced at Jessie, who animatedly explained something to a bemused-looking Kelly. "Do you think Jessie might want to grab coffee sometime? You know, to discuss the scientific aspects of baking?"

Beth grinned, patting his arm. "I think she'd love that. Go get 'em, tiger."

As Zack made his way over to Jessie, Beth felt arms encircle her waist from behind. "Having fun, Star Baker?" Yuri's voice rumbled in her ear.

Beth turned in his embrace, looping her arms around his neck. "The most fun. Although..." she bit her lip, suddenly feeling shy. "I can think of one way to make it even better."

Yuri's eyes darkened. "Oh? Do tell, moye solnyshko."

Instead of answering, Beth stretched up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to his in a deep, passionate kiss. The noise of the party faded away, leaving just the two of them in their own little world.

When they finally parted, both slightly breathless, Beth rested her forehead against Yuri's. "Stay," she whispered. "Not just for a few more days. Stay for good."

Yuri's answering smile was radiant. "Beth Mason," he said softly, "I thought you'd never ask."

As they sealed their agreement with another kiss, oblivious to the knowing looks and good-natured teasing of their friends, Beth knew that this – right here, in Yuri's arms, surrounded by the people she loved in the bakery she'd built from the ground up – this was her true victory.

It was the best Christmas gift she could have ever had.

Sweet Dreams had won more than just a baking competition. It had won her a future filled with love, laughter, and endless possibilities.

And really, what could be sweeter than that?

The End