Page 32 of Bake You Mine (Port Fortune #1)

twenty-one

“Mom, I know you’re not gonna ask if I’m okay again. Because I’m fine.” Daphne unrolled her napkin, sending cutlery clattering onto one of Elevation’s battered wooden tabletops.

Aubrey had tried to keep her temper under control when she’d picked up Daphne from Chris’s house for dinner and a trip to a haunted house. She found Chris and Kayla were in the middle of a shouting match. Her kid observed the scene from the stairs.

Aubrey went into black-out mode, commanding them to keep their relationship drama away from her kid.

The timing couldn’t be worse, especially since Aubrey’s mood was sour after her latest practice run for the third challenge had gone poorly, bringing up those anxious thoughts about failing on live TV.

She’d decided on a variety of Halloween-themed macarons.

The showstopper element was that these weren’t ordinary macarons.

She’d gone with orange, white, and green dough, which she’d shape into pumpkins, ghosts, and Frankenstein’s monster.

Each would be decorated with delicate iced details. She hadn’t settled on the flavors yet.

Sure, maybe she was playing it a little bit safe. Still, her time trial had gone over by a full minute. They each had only a minute for their presentations, which would be shown in parts.

On live television. In the ninth-largest television market in the country . Totally no big deal.

Her mind went into chaos as she wondered if she was a fool for going through this competition.

“I can’t help but worry about you, little bug.” She leaned over to squeeze Daphne’s hand.

“Give your mom a break, kiddo, okay?” Aubrey’s dad said. “We all want the best for you.”

Daphne brushed Aubrey’s hand away. “I’m fine! This thing with Kayla has taught me that nothing ever lasts, so why worry? Why have relationships when all people do is leave?”

Aubrey exchanged a raised eyebrow glance with her father. Since when had her kid become a nihilist? “That’s a rather bleak worldview to have.”

“It’s realistic!” She tucked into the house special, pork chops.

Even if meant sarcastically, her daughter’s comment stirred the pot of her emotional turmoil about dating Liam.

She sighed and reminded herself not to overthink it. If he were here, Tom would brandish a spatula like his grandmother’s chancla and tell her to knock it off.

Before she could cut into her pork chop, her phone exploded with multiple texts. She sighed when she saw they were from Chris. He was apologetic, at least.

She didn’t feel like having a text marathon with her ex, so she stepped outside to call him.

“We’re trying to eat, Chris.”

His breath crackled over the line. “I’m sorry.

I shouldn’t have put Daphne in the middle of that.

Kayla was picking up the last of her stuff.

And she let it slip that she’d been cheating on me with her upline from the protein shake multi-level- marketing scheme she’s gotten sucked into.

The guy bears a striking resemblance to Guy Fieri, for Christ’s sake. ”

Without thinking, Aubrey snorted. “Oh my God, seriously? She cheated on you with a low-rent version of the Mayor of Flavortown?”

The tense mood broke when he laughed. “Christ, I needed that.”

She laughed again, adding, “Look, I have too much on my plate for this right now. I want us to get along, so it’s all water under the bridge, but with the huge caveat that nothing like this ever happens again. I smell your bullshit on the wind; I’m calling my lawyer. Got it?”

“No, we’re done for real. I’m filing for divorce after that shit show. She took most of her stuff. The rest will be on the porch. I’m done.”

From separated to divorced so quickly? Someone had seen the light and was in a hurry. “Maybe that’s for the best.”

“You’re probably right. I’ll let you go. I can’t make up for lost time, but I hope I can be a proper co-parent. I want to be there for Daphne, one hundred percent.”

Aubrey looked into the restaurant, where Liam had joined the table. Daphne beamed up at him, not a care in the world.

It was a beautiful sight, so why did it make her feel anxious?

“Of course I will, Chris. I want you two to have a relationship. Don’t go back on your word when the next woman slides in from stage left.”

“I’m in no hurry to date.” He paused. “Are you and Liam serious?”

She groaned. “Don’t ruin our truce. We’ll talk more about the co-parenting arrangement tomorrow. Go have a beer and celebrate your newfound freedom.”

She ended the call and stepped into Elevation.

Liam came around the booth and walked over to her. He placed a hand on the small of her back. She relaxed at his touch. Even though she knew they were drawing the stares of other diners, she didn’t care. The competition was almost over. Let them stare.

“How are you liking your food?”

“That is the best pork chop to ever pork chop!” Daphne stabbed a piece with her fork, dipped it in the apple compote, and shoved it into her mouth.

Everyone laughed, and Aubrey’s mood lightened.

“I’m glad you like it, kiddo. Your mom gave me the idea to add it to the menu.”

Aubrey turned to face him. “I did?”

“Yeah, the day at the farmer’s market when we argued about eggplants?” His perfect brow creased. It felt strange that Liam remembered that moment better than she did.

She hid a smile against her shoulder. “How could I forget?”

“Our Aubrey tends to be full of good ideas,” her father said.

“She is.” Liam grinned at her. “And oh, before I forget, Mom wants to do dinner at her place the night of the last challenge. It’s the only night everyone can get together until Thanksgiving.”

Add another thing to an already super stressful day. Although it wasn’t like the Linleys were strangers.

“Yeah, sure, why not?”

“Where’s the bathroom?” Daphne asked.

“I’ll show you on my way back to the kitchen, kiddo,” Liam said.

Once Daphne left, her father leaned forward. “What in the ever-loving hell is going on, Aubrey?”

She gave her father a brief play-by-play of the day’s events. She’d nearly wrapped up the story when Daphne slunk into the booth next to them. Damn, that kid needed a bell around her neck; she could be quiet as a mouse when the adults were having a conversation they didn’t want her to overhear.

“You okay, little bug? Up for the haunted house?” Aubrey’s voice was falsely cheerful, and her kid picked up on it.

Daphne pouted. “We don’t have to go if you’re too tired, Mom. I’m okay, though.”

The last thing she wanted was to get the bejeezus scared out of her. But her kid needed a treat. “Oh, we’re going.”

After they ate, they waited for Liam to finish in the kitchen. They were testing out a couple of new sous chefs to fill in the gaps, which made Liam feel comfortable leaving.

Well, comfortable- ish , judging by his nervous expression.

“I’ll be ready to go in two minutes,” he called from the kitchen.

As Aubrey and her father were buttoning their coats, Daphne skipped to the hostess stand to talk to Sasha.

Aubrey’s father turned to Aubrey as he tucked his scarf into his jacket. “If it’s all right, I’ll skip the haunted house.”

“Why? I thought this would be a good opportunity for everyone to get to know each other better.”

Her father smiled. “I already know enough to say I like the guy. Besides, I would invite him for a beer to talk one-on-one.”

Things were progressing in a manner she never could have imagined. So why did she feel like panicking?

“You’re a million miles away.”

She snapped back into focus, taking in her father’s features to settle her nerves. “I’m fine, Dad. We shouldn’t be late, anyway. Daphne has school in the morning.”

“Good. And one thing before I go—did you call your therapist?”

Why was he bringing this up now?

“No, but I will, I promise. I’m not falling apart, even if that’s how I appear on the outside.” He didn’t seem convinced, so she forced a smile. “I promise, Dad. I’ll move making that phone call up on my to-do list.”

He squeezed her hand. “Don’t let that beautiful brain get ahead of you again. Try to live in the moment, okay?”

Before Aubrey could respond, he ducked out onto Sweet Briar.

“Hey, where’s your dad going?”

Liam had changed from his chef’s whites and wore jeans, a leather jacket, and a gray T-shirt. He was so hot—more than that, both cool and young as hell. She frowned down at herself, her muffin top escaping from her jeans, her quilted jacket dowdy.

She had thick skin that rivaled a crocodile’s, so why did this negative line of thinking get to her? She was trying to hurt her feelings.

“He chickened out. He said he’s going to take you out for a beer at a later date if that’s okay.”

“Of course, it’s okay. But are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I promise.”

Now wasn’t the time to get into it. They had timed entry passes to the haunted house, and they needed to get a move on if they didn’t want to miss out.

Liam had expected Aubrey to be happy. After a good meal at Elevation, they were all hanging out together.

To him, it seemed like the beginning of something.

Her white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel unsettled him.

He turned, finding Daphne with earbuds stuck in her ears, watching a program on her tablet.

“Hey, you didn’t answer me. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She turned toward him, her smile falsely bright. “I promise. It’s just been a long day, and my trial for the TV segment went over badly, on top of having to rescue my kid from a scene straight out of a Lifetime movie . ”

“I’m sorry. At least you have something to do a trial run for. I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do.”

“I know you; you’ll figure it out.”

Once parked in a field opposite the attraction, they headed to the ticket-holder line. No sooner had they lined up than Daphne ran ahead toward a group of kids. Aubrey flashed Liam a smile. “I have to say hi to the other moms. I’ll be right back.”

He pulled out his phone while he waited for their return. Jason Morse had left a message informing him he might have space for Liam in one of his new developments in DC and that he looked forward to seeing how the contest played out.

DC could be a compromise—close enough to keep his mother off his back and keep things going with Aubrey.

Liam blinked at the message, taking a moment to process it. What happened to just meeting to talk? Now, Jason wanted to view space together. He typed out a text to Jason saying that he’d be interested in talking once the results came out.

“Oh my God, Liam!” A hand came onto his shoulder, forcing him around. His smile dropped when he caught sight of Dani. He hit send on the text to Jason and shoved his phone in his jacket pocket.

“Are you here with the pastry chef?” She scrunched up her pert little nose, and her friends howled with laughter.

“Why do you care? I thought you didn’t know her. Or at least that’s what you implied the last time we talked. ”

“Whatever. If you want me to delete those reviews, you know my number.”

God, now he could see her acts for what they were—desperation. Maybe she thought this stunt would bring them back together or something.

“Never going to happen. And, as a side note, jealousy doesn’t wear well on you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Liam. Call me because we both know you’ll get bored with her eventually.”

Liam winced as Aubrey approached. Given her stricken expression, she’d heard Dani, who resembled an archer after hitting the bullseye.

Luckily, the line moved forward. Shortly later, their group was admitted into the path leading toward the haunted house. They were doubly lucky when Dani and her friends stayed behind.

Liam reached for Aubrey’s hand. “She’s jealous, Aubs. Pathetically so. She wanted to get a reaction from us and for me to try to get her to delete those reviews. Her jealousy is the reason they exist.”

If she replied, it was drowned out by the shrieks ahead of them as a masked man ran through the crowd with a chainsaw.

Daphne squealed and reached out to grab Liam’s hand as the masked man got close to her.

He knew the difference between genuine horror and delighted glee, and she was scared as hell. He bent down.

“Are you okay, Daph?”

Her pupils were dilated, and her hands shook slightly. “I’m fine. I wasn’t expecting that so soon!”

Aubrey came to Daphne’s other side. “Part of the fun is the people jumping out to scare you. We don’t have to go in the house if you don’t want?— ”

“No!” Daphne roared. “Come on, before they close the door on us.”

She ran off ahead of them. Liam took Aubrey’s hand. “I’m sorry you had to hear Dani’s hateful talk.”

She sighed. “It’s okay. She’s like a troll comment come to life.”

“There haven’t been as many since ReviewGate, right?”

She shrugged. “Not really.”

“Good. But, Aubs, seriously, you’re beautiful. My kind of beautiful.” He rested his hand on hers, and she relaxed.

“Mom! Liam! Come on, they’re waiting for us!” Daphne jumped up and down on the porch.

Liam and Aubrey took off at a run. They laughed as they raced toward the door.