“And your hands are full with it, so why don’t I just put these over here.” He crossed over to set the flowers out of the way.

“They’re beautiful.” Had she flirted with him? Yes. Sort of. “Thank you.”

“I have my grandmother’s recipe for the lathopita.”

“Oh, that’s great.”

“She gave me orders to deliver it in person.” He took a recipe card out of his pocket, laid it beside the bouquet. “And to bring you the flowers.”

“That’s awfully sweet of her.”

“She liked you.”

“I liked her, too. How about some coffee?”

“No, I’m fine. Her third order was for me to ask you out to dinner—which I’d intended to do anyway, but she likes to take credit.”

“Oh. And that’s sweet of both of you. But I’ve actually started seeing someone recently. Well, the seeing part is recent. Sort of.”

“My grandmother and I are disappointed.”

She smiled a little. “Can I still keep the recipe?”

“On the condition I can tell her you only turned me down because you’re madly in love with someone else.”

“That’s a deal.”

“And ...” He took out a pen, turned the recipe card over, and wrote something down. “My number. You’ll call me if things change.”

“You’ll be the first.” She took a strand of sugar from her rack, offered it. “Have a taste.”

“Nice. As consolation prizes go.”

They grinned at each other as Del walked in.

“Hi. Sorry, I didn’t know you were with a client.”

Awkward, Laurel thought. “Ah, Delaney Brown, Nick—”

“Pelacinos,” Del said. “It took me a minute.”

“Del, sure.” Nick held out a hand for a shake. “It’s been a while. How are you?”

Or not awkward at all, Laurel decided as the two men settled in.

“I talked toTerri and Mike just a couple weeks ago. Are you in the market for a wedding cake?”

“Me? No. I have a cousin getting married here in a few months.”

“Nick’s grandmother’s visiting from Greece,” Laurel put in, in case they’d forgotten she was there. “We had a pre-event event so she could see the setup.”

“Right. I was by that night.”

“You should’ve joined the party. It was a good one.”

“I glanced in for a minute.You got Laurel on the dance floor.” Del glanced at her, deliberately. “Big night.”

She went back to her spun sugar. “I got a recipe from the matriarch out of it,” she said with a smile as sweet as her sugar. “That’s a major night for me.”

“I’d better get going. I’ll let my grandmother know I made the delivery.”

“Tell her how much I appreciate it, and I’ll try to do her proud at the wedding.”

“I will. Good to see you again, Laurel. Del.”

“I’ll walk you out. What’s your handicap now?” Del asked as they left the kitchen.