Sugarplums and Sailing Ships

By K.L. Noone

Character Bleed/Gingerbread Dreams crossover

It’s Holiday Baking Showdown time! This year, Nate isn’t a contestant. In fact, he’s agreed to be a judge. But he’s never had to critique someone else’s baking on television before, he feels terrible about eliminating anyone, and he hates to disappoint his boyfriend Marcus, the show’s executive producer. And this week’s guest judges are two of the biggest names in Hollywood.

Jason and Colby both love baking, cooking, and holiday recipes, so agreeing to be guest judges on an episode of the Holiday Baking Showdown sounds perfect. It’s good for Jason’s new domestic image, and Colby’s a huge fan of the show. But Colby’s not a fan of crowds and chaos. And Jason can’t help worrying about him.

But with new friends, delicious desserts, and a tacky holiday sweater or two, everyone’s sugarplum dreams might just come true ...

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Dec 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646569892

K.L. Noone

K.L. Noone loves fantasy, romance, cats, far too sweet coffee, and happy endings! She is also the author of Port in a Storm and its upcoming sequel, available from Less Than Three Press, and numerous short romances with Ellora’s Cave and Circlet Press; her fantasy fiction has appeared in Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword and Sorceress anthologies. With her Professor Hat on, she teaches college students about Shakespeare and superhero comics, and has published academic articles and essays on Neil Gaiman’s adaptations of Beowulf, Welsh mythology in modern fantasy, and Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels.

Book preview

Chapter 1: Marcus

You want me to what? Marcus’s boyfriend, one hand clutching a skillet, stared at him. Nate’s expression suggested that Marcus had asked him for something unspeakable, rather than the perfectly reasonable request that he serve as a judge on a festive holiday cooking show; Marcus considered this reaction.

He’d probably missed something. Not being the best at emotion.

Me, Nate said. "I mean, me. Not you. Me." His eyes were very wide and very green, his freckles were bright as cinnamon sugar, and he clung to the skillet as if in self-defense.

The morning, calm as the week before fireworks, opened up in blue and gold and gauzy summer clouds. Their house was quiet, and tidy because Marcus liked tidy, and domestic. Eggs, in theory going into the skillet, gazed up from the countertop.

They had a week off, more or less; they’d been enjoying it, and each other. Marcus did not in general take vacations, but Nate had made an argument on behalf of them actually spending some time together while not worrying about either the production of fan-favorite televised cooking shows or running an award-winning bakery, and Marcus had given in because he couldn’t not, faced with that sunny, stubborn, beloved expression.

Nate had closed Nate’s Bakes for a week and had given his assistants vacation time too. Marcus, surreptitiously, had answered a few emails while Nate had been sleeping or reading or testing recipes. He couldn’t help it. Felt like an itch under his skin. Decisions being made without him. Plans being…planned, while he kissed Nate and explored local farmers’ markets with Nate and went to the beach with Nate, who liked reading in sunshine and sand.

One of those emails had been about Nate. The question, as it were, in question.

Not me, he agreed now. You.

You’re Marcus LeGrand, Nate said, finally setting the poor beleaguered skillet down. He didn’t look that direction as he did, and consequently nearly squashed the eggs. Kitchen superstar. GourmetTV celebrity chef legend. Restaurants and awards and your own show and producing more shows. Tall, dark, handsome, and scarily organized. Actual Renowned Sugar Master or whatever that title is. I didn’t even win the holiday competition I was on.

No. You didn’t. Marcus reached over, took Nate’s closest hand. Gestures were easier. They always had been. But he was trying, he would try, for the man he loved. But you were the favorite, among the viewers. Nate Miller, in the holiday sweaters. So enthusiastic, so ready to help other contestants. And you left with an offer for your own show, and…well…at least one of your judges’ hearts. This one.

Nate’s smile surfaced, wobbly. Best prize. No argument.

Thank you?

"But, seriously…wouldn’t that be a reason not to ask me to do this? If I sort of caused a…not exactly a scandal, but kind of…sleeping with a judge during the competition…"

I hope you’re not planning to do it again.

Nate’s answer was wordless, heartfelt, and ended with Marcus leaning back against the countertop, having been thoroughly kissed, his boyfriend solidly in his arms. You’re the only terrifying baking legend I want, thanks. But, again, speaking of, why me and not you?

Well. That’s in part why. We managed it well enough at the time, but…the general production sense is that I’m more to blame than you. I was the official network employee and competition judge, while you were a contestant…I’m older than you, and—

"Oh, come on—"

I am. And I was more at fault for compromising the integrity of the competition, and I was the one who stepped down from judging the final round, if you recall. More publicly taking the consequences.

You’re not in trouble, are you?

Not any more than I was then. I’ll executive produce and stay behind the scenes; I’m not being fired from GourmetTV or anything of the sort. But the feeling—and I agree, so don’t argue—is that I shouldn’t be visible at the judges’ table for a while.

But it’s okay if I am?

It’s tradition to keep winners and runners-up around as judges or guest judges, at least, for future competition shows. Evan Goldman can’t do it—he and his husband are expecting their first child, don’t ask me for details, I have none—

That’s awesome, we should send them a baby gift!

Ah. Yes. If you think that would be appropriate. Nate had a far better sense of normal human interactions and emotions; Marcus trusted that in place of his own, since he’d worn the chilly haughty critical persona for so long. Evan had been the Gingerbread Extravaganza winner, to Nate’s second place; Marcus himself would’ve been angry, or sulked, or found a way to convince himself that the loss hadn’t been his own fault, merely poor judging.

Nate wanted to send Evan a baby gift. Of course he did.

"And, to answer your question…yes, you’re a desirable television personality. You’re likeable, engaging,