Chapter 17

When she set the box down in the middle of the table the guys looked up, "what do ya got there?" Richie nudged Jon, "you said she brought dessert." Jon set the notebook aside, "I know that you ass, but I don't know what she brought for dessert."

He looked expectantly at Cilla, "what did you bring us baby?"

She smiled at the two of them and proceeded to untie the string and unfold the box. She slid the round cardboard tray out. There was one cannoli, a couple of éclairs, several small squares of cake, a couple of tarts and two brownies. "I didn't know what you liked so I brought a little of everything."

Jon and Richie reached for the tray at the same time, both wanting the cannoli. Richie reached it first and Jon shoved him, "back off man, I want that." Richie laughed and held it just out of Jon's reach, "what's the matter man, arms too short, can't reach?" Jon flipped him off, "fuck you man. I'll have an éclair."

Richie started to bring the cannoli to his mouth only to have it plucked from his fingers. He looked up to find Cilla standing next to him with the cannoli in her hand, "hey, I was gonna eat that." She smiled at him and broke the cannoli in half. "Here." She handed half to him and the other to Jon. "Can the two of you behave long enough for me to get the coffee?" Jon laughed as he stood, "Sit down Cil, I'll go get it."

Once Jon came back and they were sipping their coffee Cilla asked about the cake. "What did you think of my ideas?" Jon grabbed the notebook. "I think we're headed in the same direction Cil. Richie and I liked this one." He flipped the notebook open to the one he and Richie had agreed on. Cilla smiled, "that was my favorite too." She took a sip of her coffee, "how about cake flavors; any favorites I should know about?"

They tossed some ideas around and Cilla shoved the desserts toward them, "there are some samples on here. Why not try them and let me know what you think?"

Jon and Richie reached for the tray at the same time again. Jon shot Richie a warning "you take the one I want this time man, I'm gonna make you sleep out here tonight." Cilla laughed at them. "You two are impossible. There's two of each kind. Now knock it off." Jon and Richie each took two and looked over at Cilla, "what kind are they?" They weren't afraid to try anything; having traveled the world there was very little they wouldn't eat, but they liked to know what it was they were putting in their mouths before it got there.

Cilla looked over at what they had each taken and point to each piece, "Jon you have double chocolate with raspberry mousse filling and lemon poppyseed with a blueberry cream filling." She turned to Richie, "and you have pistachio with vanilla buttercream filling and chocolate chip with a caramel cream filling." Jon pointed back to the tray, "what's that one?" She leaned in and looked, "that's pumpkin chocolate chip with an eggnog cream filling. I don't usually do that flavor until the fall, but I had a special request for it."

They ate and talked and Jon noticed that Cilla hadn't had any of the desserts she had brought. "Cil, don't you want anything?" She sipped the last of her coffee, "no, I'm not a big dessert eater Jon." His eyebrows rose in surprise, "you make all this stuff and don't eat any of it? How do you manage that?" Cilla laughed, "if I ate everything I made do you know how much I would weigh? I'd be as big around as I am tall." Jon laughed as he tried to imagine that.

Turning back to the subejct at hand, she asked about the cake, "what do you think, do you like any of those cake flavors?" Jon and Richie nodded; they had liked them all. "We're going to have to let you know. It's going to be a tough decision." Cilla nodded, "I can do the traditional chocolate and vanilla as well." She stood, "I should be going. I have an early day tomorrow." Richie glanced at his watch, "it's only 9:30 Cilla, its still early now."

She laid her hand on his arm, "for you it's early but for me it's late. I've been up since 3." Richie's eyes widened, "I'm usually just going to bed at 3. Why do you get up so early?" She laughed and pointed at the nearly empty tray in front of him, "that's why." She turned to Jon, reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips, "thank you. I had a good time tonight." He stood and took her hand, "I'll walk you home Cil."

When they reached the door he turned back to Richie, "don't wait up man."