Page 29 of Bake You Mine (Port Fortune #1)

He spotted Kiki and Brody at one of the booths. Kiki was tugging on Joanie’s hand, trying to persuade her mother to buy her cotton candy. Kiki went to kindergarten in the afternoon, so they’d drop her off at the adjacent elementary school after.

“Oh look, Nonna and Uncle Liam are here!” Joanie stepped past them and whispered in Liam’s ear, “Emergency court hearing. Can you take over? Kiki knows I have to leave.”

She didn’t wait for an answer before hustling off.

Kiki turned and saw Liam, and she leaped into his arms, expecting him to catch her. Which, of course, he did.

“Oof, you’re getting too old for this, Kiki.”

“I’m still a baby.”

He laughed as she nuzzled against him.

They met with Brandon, Becky, and Brody at a jewelry vendor. Kiki begged for a necklace (which he bought her). Brody wanted to go on all the fun fair rides (Liam complied). What’s the point of being the funcle if you couldn’t spoil your nieces and nephews, especially if the parents were obliging?

He leaned on a hay bale, eyes glued on Kiki and Brody going up and around the miniature Ferris wheel, when he felt a tug on his arm.

He turned from the candy apple booth, assuming it was his mother. Instead, he found Aubrey and Daphne.

“Hi, Liam!”

“Hey!” He held up his hands, and Daphne double high-fived him. “Hey, Aubs.” He smiled at her, and she grinned as her jarhead ex ambled up.

“What are you doing here?” Chris asked.

Liam didn’t owe the prick an explanation, but Chris was Daphne’s dad. Best to rise above the pettiness. “Waiting for my niece and nephew to finish on the Ferris wheel.” He pointed to Kiki and Brody, who waved every time they looped close.

“Do you think we could ride the Spook Boat ride together?” Daphne asked.

Before he could answer, his mother approached. “Why hello there, Daphne. Aren’t you the cutest thing ever?”

Liam had to admit the kid was cute, with Aubrey’s dark hair and miniature face. Today, she wore red glasses that matched her bright-red jacket.

“Hi, Mrs. Linley. Do you think Brody and I can ride the Spook Boat together?”

The young man in question burst through the exit gate of the ride, clutching his little cousin’s hand. “Hi, Daphne!”

“Hi, Brody!”

During this exchange, Becky and Brandon returned and said hello to Aubrey, which only made her ex roll his eyes.

Liam’s mother herded all the kids toward the ride.

“How do you know my kid, anyway?” Chris asked.

“Aubrey and I have been working together a lot. I’ve only met Daphne a couple of times. She’s in the same class as my nephew. I’m here for him.”

That earned him a grunt. “Don’t you think you’re too young for her?”

“Well, Daphne’s twelve, and I’m twenty-nine, so, yeah.”

The ex grunted again. “I meant Aubrey.”

She cut in close to her ex. “First of all, what I do or don’t do with Liam is none of your business. Second, don’t you think you should mind your own, Mr. My Much Younger Wife Just Left Me?” Aubrey hissed the words out like a snake.

That got him to shut up. He took off toward the ride.

Liam fell in step next to Aubrey. “So, it’s official then, they’ve separated?”

“Yep. I don’t know, maybe the age gap was too wide. Not that he’d admit as much to me.”

“The age gap between us isn’t that bad.” The words came out before he could stop them.

The gap didn’t bother Liam, even if he could tell it got under Aubrey’s skin.

“We’re older than they were when they got together.” She let out a laugh. “Much. ”

He wanted to pull her in for a reassuring hug, but they were already garnering stares from passersby. “We should catch up to the crowd.”

Her phone pinged with several texts in a row. With a groan, she turned to him. “My damn oven is acting up again. I’ve got to get back. We have a big catering order that must go out early this afternoon. I’ll text Chris and Daphne.”

“Let me know how it goes. I have a guy if yours isn’t getting the job done.”

Her hassled expression lessened somewhat. “Thanks. I’ll see you later.”

Liam had almost forgotten that they were about to discover the third challenge.

She sped off through the crowd. Liam’s eyes stayed on her until she vanished, then he met up with his family at the ride.

“Where’d Aubrey go?” Brandon asked.

“Oven emergency,” he replied.

“That’s a shame; she’s such a sweetheart,” his mother said.

He started to say something, but she spoke over him. “He’s done a good job with the kids, huh, guys?”

“They love their Uncle Liam,” Becky said.

“You’re the fun uncle who plies them with sugar and plays video games with them. Quite different from if you and Aubrey become serious?—”

“Ma, will you stop?” He jerked his head toward Aubrey’s ex. He was out of earshot, but who knew who else could hear them?

“What?”

“Seriously, nothing is happening with me and her.” He chewed on the inside of his cheek.

She turned to face him, her eyes a mirror to his own. “A mother knows, William.”

“Ma, don’t push him too far,” Brandon said .

Instead of answering, Liam leaned forward to squeeze her around the shoulders. “Have any dates with a friendly silver fox butcher lately?”

“Hmph. Point made.” She sharply shifted her gaze. “I don’t care what you say. I know something’s going on. And if I’m right and something turns into a real relationship, then you need to be realistic about having a child in your life. Not just for the fun stuff.”

Aubrey’s speech to her ex and his soon-to-be ex returned to Liam. His mother was right. He should let Aubrey lead the way when it came to his relationship with her daughter.