Icing vs Frosting

Kayleigh wanted to turn over and bury her head when her alarm went off at 4 am. But that totally wasn't an option. It was Monday. She needed to get in to bakery by 4:30 am so she could get the baking done. Plus, she was closing SugarBaker's for a private party for a few of the Bruins and their parents, and she seemed to think she might have a few cakes on the calendar. She needed to check and make a game plan. Staying away from the bakery was great, but it meant she needed to get better organized.


Kayleigh slipped out of the bed and made her way to the spare bedroom. She managed to locate a clean SugarBaker's shirt and jeans. Normally she wouldn't bother with makeup for the bakery but Brad's family would be there. No time for war paint. Kayleigh added some mascara and lip balm. Kayleigh braided her hair into a neat French braid. She headed back to the spare room to grab her go walks. Shoes on, purses in hand, she had her phone, and her tablet. Now she just needed to get out the door. Kayleigh walked back into the bedroom to kiss her sleeping fiancé.

Kayleigh looked at the bed. Was Brad buried underneath the blankets? She moved the blankets. No Brad. Kayleigh sat down on the edge of the bed. Where was Brad?


"You lose something, Doll?" asked Brad standing next to the door facing. She laughed when she saw him. Brad was wearing her neon pink SugarBaker's shirt and black track pants.

"What are you doing, Brad?" she asked smiling at him.

"I figure you could use my help today. Plus, I hate waking up without you. So I am your new sous chef." he replied holding out a UK to go mug "I made coffee. So I should be your favorite. I'll ride with you and catch a ride with the boys to practice."

Kayleigh took the cup of coffee. She leaned in and kissed him softly "I love you." she whispered "Your gonna ruin your rep "Lil Ball of Hate" my ass."

"It's the pink, Doll." he said before dipping her backwards and kissing her "I think I need a black and gold one."
"If you come more than one time a week to work at Sugarbaker's, I'll order a black and gold one with your number on the back." she answered smiling up at him "Move your ass Marchand, we're gonna be late."

"Drink the coffee! You're cranky." retorted Brad as they made their way out of the apartment. He held his hands out for the keys. Kayleigh tossed them to him as he unlocked the Escape. "It's dark out, Doll. And cold as hell."

"You'll get used to it."

"Can't we just stay in my warm bed?" he wheedled.

"You can go back to bed. I have a job to do."

"Fine be that way." laughed Brad.

Brad was amazed the drive took less than 10 minutes in the dead of the early morning. He parked in her usual spot underneath the security light. He realized it was still pretty dark back here. Her delivery van was sitting to left of the door. Anyone or thing could hide out. Her security needed updating. He debated just doing it for her. But decided that talking about it might be better. SugarBaker's was and is her baby. Kayleigh unlocked the door and kicked on the lights. Brad followed her in the building. Kayleigh immediately turned on her ovens, fryers, and proofers. She moved the kitchen with ease. Brad decided that he was best served in his normal position, so he hauled himself up on the counter by the mixer. Kayleigh looked at Brad and shook her head.

"No way, Marchand. You aren't going to sit there and look pretty." called Kayleigh "No shirt for sitting around."

Brad hopped off the counter and sauntered over to Kayleigh. He smirked at Kayleigh "You think I'm pretty."

"I also think Baby K is pretty and he works when he’s here. Maybe we'll end up with 88's." replied Kayleigh kissing his cheek before scrubbing her hands in the sink.

"Bart's right, you are mean." pouted Brad.

"Move it, Marchand!" she laughed "I'm going to teach you to make donuts."

"Can I make special Marchy donuts?" he asked wiggling his eyebrows.

"After we discuss proof of concept."

"It's not a no." he said heading to the sink scrubbing his hands. He watched as Kayleigh cranked on the music in the bakery. She then started rolling bins of ingredients out of the pantry. "Okay Doll, it's time to make the donuts."

"I thought you were a Timmy's guy, not a Dunkin guy."

"Neither, I am a SugarBaker's guy." he said pointing at the neon pink shirt. He leaned in and kissed Kayleigh. KK jumped when Raven called out to her.

"Hey Ray," she called "We've got a baking assistant this morning."

"I don't think making out with the baker makes him a baking assistant." retorted Raven "Nice shirt, Marchand."

Brad made a face when he noticed her black and gold SugarBaker's shirt. "You already have black and gold SugarBaker's shirt!" accused Brad "I'm running around looking like a marshmallow peep!"

"I didn't say we didn't have it. More that I would get you a special one." placated Kayleigh.

"We're in Boston of course we have black and gold. We have Pats and Sox, too." laughed Raven "But you totally rock that pink!"

"Of course I'm a 12." scoffed Brad.

Kayleigh smacked him in the abs "You're obnoxious." Brad grabbed her around the waist and dipped her as if they were dancing. He kissed her senseless before returning her to a full upright position.


"Yep," he said popping his p "You love me. And that's why you agreed to marry me. No take backs you promised my dad."

"What?!" screeched Raven.

Brad gave Kayleigh megawatt smile and held Kayleigh's hand out to Raven. "Pink looks better on my girl, eh?"

"I thought we were easing people into this, Marchand?" said Kayleigh laughing at his excitement.

"Well Future Mrs. Brad Marchand, I've told the Bruins, my family, and now Raven." pouted Brad "I want to take out a billboard, plaster it on a Jumbotron, and possibly see how much it would cost to have it flash in Times Square."

"I love you too, Brad." replied Kayleigh.

"You did good, Marchy." said Raven giving him a fist bump.

"I'm pretty awesome." he retorted before smacking Kayleigh's ass "Donuts woman, we've got to make the donuts."

"I know where you sleep." sassed Kayleigh.

"With you." replied Brad "And only you for the rest of our lives."

"Why does that sound like a threat?" asked Kayleigh.

"You wound me." called Brad.

"Not even with a stick of TNT, Bradley Keith." responded Kayleigh.

"Well I'm ready to gag." intoned Raven "I'm going to go get stuff ready to bake bread. No sexual healing around the donuts."

Brad started singing as Kayleigh groaned. Kayleigh walked him through the steps of making donuts. She was pretty sure he had more glaze on him than he had on the donuts. But she did kind of love the donut hole sculptures. He had rifled through everything in her pantry until he decided what he wanted on his Marchand donut. Kayleigh watched him carefully lay out his donuts and get ready to top them. She had helped him mix some malt powder in the glaze to get the flavors he wanted.


"Now what?" asked Brad


"You take the spoon and sling it back and forth covering the donuts with the caramel, then chocolate. Then we put on the peanuts." explained Kayleigh. She demonstrated for him. When Brad took over she realized her kitchen was minutes away from looking like an edible Jackson Pollock painting. But she could care less. She loved having him here.


Brad held up his first finished donut "We should eat this one right, doll?" he asked "You know, in case it's not good. Raven come try my Snickers donut!"


"You yelled?" said Raven "Oh, chocolate."


Ty ventured over from where he was still making bread and rolls. "Split it with me, too."


KK was glad her staff accepted Brad. She was even happier that they didn't treat him like the superstar he was. Raven stuffed the piece of donut in her mouth.


"Not bad, eh?" said Brad working on splattering more donuts.


"Snickers always popular." said Ty.


"I'm gonna make a Bergy one next." explained Brad

"I've created a monster." laughed Kayleigh "And how do you plan on making a Bergy donut?"


"Easy, Doll." smiled Brad "We're gonna top it with captain crunch and black and gold chocolate."


"That is kind of brilliant, Kayleigh." replied Ty "Especially if you use the icing we use for the fruity pebble cupcake."


Kayleigh just shook her head yes. Brad and Ty finished the 6 dozen Snickers donuts. They loaded them into the pastry case along with the all the other pastries. Kayleigh was taking biscuits out of the oven. Brad watched her brush the tops with butter.


"Please tell me you are filling those with ham and cheese. "pled Brad


"I might." she teased "Go on, make your Bergy donuts." She shooed him away from her work station. Brad returned with a cup of coffee. He sat it on the counter and went back to work on his creations.



When the doors opened at 6 am the shelves were full of breads, the pastry case was stocked, and the coffee maker going. Kayleigh threatened him every time he got near the espresso machine. Brad really wanted to learn to use it. Raven promised to teach when they weren't busy. She had also taken several photos of Brad and all his donuts for social media. He was currently working the counter retrieving baked goods and tying them up in the signature SugarBakers blue twine. As word got out that Brad was at the bakery people came for treats and to meet Brad.


"Hey, Marchand!" called one older guy "What’s you doin' workin’ here?"

"My fiancé owns the shop." he replied smiling a Kayleigh "She is teaching me to bake. Retirement planning, eh?"

The older gentleman smiled as Brad hooked an arm around Kayleigh and hauled her to stand beside him. Brad nodded at his girl.

"I might learn to bake for a chick like that." said the old guy "Congratulations on the engagement."

"Brad!" exclaimed Kayleigh "Are you going to tell everyone you meet we are engaged?"

"Yes." he replied nodding.

"Just yes?" asked Kayleigh.

"Yes." said Brad again before stealing a kiss.

"You still haven't earned that SugarBaker's shirt, Marchand!"

"But I'm trying." he smirked "I love you, Kayleigh Jo."

"I love you, too." said Kayleigh turning to smile at a customer. Kayleigh was a little taken back when the customer held up a large camera.

"You two got to let me get a picture for the paper. Marchand in a bake shop, and no one has written about him being engaged." pled the guy.

Kayleigh glanced at Brad who was giving her his full Marchand smile "It's not a billboard, Doll."

"It's a good thing I love you and all your crazy." she replied.

The photographer got a few shots of them behind the counter. He got one of them that included KK's ring. When the interview started Kayleigh hid in the kitchen. He was better than her at these kinds of things. She had a feeling that she signed on for chaos. Her phone chirped. She noticed a good morning text from Davey.

Davey: Morning KK
KK: Hey Davey
Davey: My mom no come until tomorrow late before game
KK: I'm sorry. Anything I can do?
Davey: Maybe help get her from airport to game
KK: Definitely, we'll handle momma.
Davey: k thanks
KK: What are you doing this am
Davey: Waiting for practice
KK: Do you and Desi want to have breakfast with the Millers,Hamiltons, and Marchand's? Please say yes!
Davey: Yes if you need me
KK: I need you. I'll send Brad to get you. Ask Desi?
Davey: She said yes.
KK: He will get both of you.

"What are you smiling about?" asked Brad wrapping his arms around her waist "We're getting married this summer, right?"

"We haven't even discussed it!" exclaimed Kayleigh

"I didn't give them a date." he replied snagging a piece of bacon.

"How much do you love me?" asked Kayleigh

"More than the Stanley Cup." he said without missing a beat "What do you want, Kayleigh Jo?'

"Will you go get Davey and Desi?"

Brad made a scrunched up face before laughing "Yes, I'll go get your pet rookie." he said kissing her cheek "Mom needs to meet her adopted grandchild. Congratulations is a Czech."

"You're my favorite!" called Kayleigh after Brad as he headed to the vehicle.

"I know!" he yelled over his shoulder.

Kayleigh sat in silence working on finishing biscuits and breakfast savories. She realized the moment Brad left it felt as if the air was sucked out of the room. Everything was just a little flat. Life without Brad was dull. He'd only been gone a few moments, but she already missed him. Less than an hour until the families would start arriving. The last of the food was finished. She looked over her cake orders for the week. Pulling each clipboard from the walls before. She smiled when she got to Tuesday's clipboard. There wasn't a cake order, but a bright yellow post it.

K,
Because you love me you aren't taking cake orders on opening day.
63

KK smiled and took the post it off the clipboard. She took the small note to her office and attached it to her board. Kayleigh shook her head. Her ring caught the the light from her desk lamp. She looked at the ring and looked at the note. Kayleigh knew without a doubt that agreeing to marry Brad would be the biggest adventure of her life. And she was ready!

Notes