22. CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 22

Even though they'd slept the whole night, when that alarm went off the next morning, they both groaned tiredly. They had to find a better balance for these long festivals. Plus, with sales increasing, it was time to get Dorsey some real help, not just two teenagers working there after school.

Thank fuck, they were on winter break or there would have been no way to convince his sub to go to bed last night instead of working himself into the ground.

Forcing themselves out of bed, they got dressed and headed downstairs. They both needed to eat breakfast, but they needed coffee even more. "I'll head to Sweet Buns and bring back the strongest coffee they have and some food."

He was hoping they had those breakfast wraps Zane had put on the menu, because he didn't think the empty calories of a pastry was going to be enough fuel to get them through the day. Dorsey nodded his agreement even as he began pulling out the supplies he'd need to get started.

Pressing a kiss to his forehead since he didn't want to stop Dorsey's flow, Mercury walked partway down Main to the bakery. As usual, there was a line that time of the morning, but thankfully, it wasn't too long.

"I know that look," Zane chuckled as he stood behind the counter placing full trays in the glass showcase under the counter. "My first couple of these events I thought I was going to fall asleep on my feet."

Mercury chuckled. "It's been brutal, but thanks to you, his online sales are increasing and we've gone through about a third of those pamphlets. I just wish there was a better way to keep up with all the sales from the festival."

Zane shook his head. "I wish. I'm more used to them now, so I don't get quite as exhausted, but even though I have three bakers and staff to deal not only with the front end here but also running the booth, we constantly are running out of food."

He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "I even doubled the size of the kitchen but we just can't seem to make enough."

"That's not what I was hoping to hear. At some point, I'd like to spend some downtime with Dorsey." He really was missing his sub. Only when his boy freaked out were they able to do a scene and since that tended to be when Tasty Balls was open, it was usually very brief before someone came in.

"And he's very quickly going to outgrow his kitchen, and there's no way to expand." He'd considered moving the store, but most places along downtown were the same size. Zane had gotten lucky that Sweet Buns had been its own building instead of the standard storefronts.

"Didn't I hear you two spend every night together?" Zane asked.

It had been Mercury's saving grace during the chaotic time. No matter what, he was able to hold his boy while they slept. He nodded as he gave Brenda his order.

"Then move him in with you and renovate the apartment upstairs as a full kitchen. Don't get me wrong, it's not ideal to have to run up and downstairs all the time," Zane admitted. "But it would give him more room and then you could renovate the downstairs for a bigger storefront with more tables and a larger display case for his fudge."

"Huh," he said as he paid for his order. "That just might work. Thanks, Zane," he said as he took his box of food and a box of coffee and headed back to Dorsey.

When he pushed through the door of Tasty Balls, he actually had a bit more pep in his step. Maybe they could make this work after all. But that was for later. Right now, he needed to get them both coffee and food before heading out to get Harper and Kahlid, who he'd texted last night to see if they were available that morning.

It took him basically holding the breakfast wraps to Dorsey's lips but he got him to eat a whole one. "There's another one as well as a cheese and spinach quiche. Promise once you finish this batch, you'll eat one of them."

"Yeah, I will." Dorsey was too distracted to have actually heard what he'd said, but he had to hope he'd eat more.

Worst case, he'd heat them up when he got back and feed him another one. "I'm heading out to pick up Harper and Kahlid. I filled your travel mug with coffee so it hopefully will stay somewhat warm. Is there anything else you need?"

All he got was a shake of his head as he watched the thermometers in four pots even as he chopped nuts. There was zero doubt this was going to be another rough day.

Heading out the back to the parking lot with his own thermos of coffee, his bag of more breakfast, as well as a stack of boxes since they had been running low. The SUV was already loaded with the remaining fudge as well as the two-wheeler if needed. Heading in the direction of The Wilde Side, he really prayed the teenagers would be waiting for him as they still had quite a bit to do to get ready and he wanted to get back to Dorsey so he could keep an eye on him.

Twenty-five minutes later he pulled up to what was essentially a bunkhouse that was the group home. He breathed easier when he saw Harper and Kahlid open the door and walk out as soon as they saw him. Maybe this day would turn out better than they thought.

"Good morning, Mr. Welch," they both said as they got in his vehicle.

"Good morning. I hope you're ready to be very busy today," he teased. "Dorsey and I have been run ragged by the crowds."

Harper nodded in the seat next to his. "We've heard. And since winter break just started for the school, it most likely will be a lot busier."

He wanted to groan hearing that. There was no way they were going to be able to make enough fudge. Well, Dorsey made it, but Mercury had gotten fairly good and scooped the hardened treat into balls. Not that it was that difficult since there was a perfect-sized scoop, still, it would help take something off Dorsey's plate.

He could also help chop the various ingredients for the fudge. If anyone else was available, he'd beg for help, but all their friends had their part in the event.

Parking in the vendor lot, he pulled out the two larger totes and decided to put them on the two-wheeler. He could have carried them but decided not to expend energy he would need to last through the day. Harper carried the extra boxes, while Kahlid took a fairly large stack of pamphlets from the box that they'd kept in the backseat.

He opened the lock on the vinyl cover to open two sides of it. One would remain opened the entire time for customers. The other three sides would remain down but not locked since it was fairly chilly out and it would help keep down the wind from entering the area–mostly.

They did have a heater in the back of the booth, but it didn't begin to provide enough to take away the colder temperatures. Pulling the totes behind the see-through display, he went to work loading the remaining balls into their correct slots. While he did that, Harper wiped down all the surfaces with disinfecting wipes, and Kahlid put away the boxes for easy reach and set the information about Tasty Balls in a container the customers could easily access.

When he was done with putting away the fudge, Harper was already counting the register to make certain there was enough in to give out change. Kahlid turned on the remote credit card reader.

It had taken them about thirty minutes and Mercury was anxious to get back since he'd been gone just over an hour at that point. "All good, kids?" he asked.

They both nodded. "Just get back here with more as soon as you can," Harper said as she eyed the woefully stocked display.

"Yeah, I really don't want to deal with an angry mob wanting something we don't have," Kahlid added.

He couldn't blame them. "We'll do our best. I promise. You have our cell phone numbers. Call if you need any help."

They nodded and he took off back to Tasty Balls and his boy.

Music blared through the kitchen as Dorsey shook his hips as he worked feverishly to make as much fudge as possible. It was absolutely adorable, and Mercury was positive he'd fallen in love a little bit more with his boy.

There were eight pans of cooling fudge, and Dorsey was already in the middle of four more. "Hey, sweetness. Is any of this ready to scoop yet?"

Dorsey grinned at him and let Mercury press a quick kiss to those luscious lips. "Not yet. I'm guessing another twenty minutes, but I could use your help chopping if you don't mind."

He grabbed one of the many aprons hanging near the door and put it on. "Point me in which direction you want me to start."

The thing with fudge was it really didn't take long to make, but the sheer volume they needed to get done, with only a four-burner stove, made it a bit more tedious. Once the holidays were over, he needed to bring up buying at least a six-burner stove. He'd also mention the idea of turning the upstairs apartment into a huge kitchen, that way there would room for several stoves as well as hold all the ingredients they would need on hand.

But that wasn't a conversation for the moment. They had fudge to make. He was given what felt like a million candy canes to unwrap and crush. Usually, Dorsey ordered them pre-crushed, but he'd severely misjudged how popular they would be and the distributer couldn't get him more in time, so they were making do. Talk about tedious.

He'd barely managed to get them all unwrapped when Dorsey announced it was time to ball the fudge. Quickly washing his hands so no peppermint would get on any other type of fudge, he grabbed eight of the scoops and set one next to each of the pans. Then he opened the first tote marked with which pan he would start with.

He'd just finished the entire pan when his cell phone went off. Somehow he knew it would be the kids telling them they were out. Seeing Harper's name, he sighed as he answered.

"Help," she begged. "We are completely out and the natives are getting restless."

"I've got one pan done. I just need to ball the other five and then I'm on my way." It would still take him a good half hour or more to finish but that was the best he could do.

Dorsey, who had just poured four more pans, set them aside and picked up a scoop. "Let's get this done quickly," he said determinedly, causing Mercury to grin at him like a loon.

His boy was seriously amazing. The fact that he was keeping his cool despite the harried day only made him more stunning.

In record time, mostly because Dorsey was a lot faster because it was what he did all day, they had them all in the containers and stacked in large totes. It wouldn't last long, but he had zero doubt by the time he got back quite a few more trays would be done. That was just how special his sweetness was.

Pressing a quick kiss to that tasty mouth, he headed back to his SUV and the festival. When he got there, his steps faltered. Despite being completely out, there was a long line waiting for him to arrive with more of the sweet treats.

Yep. They were well and truly fucked.