Page 38 of Bake You Mine (Port Fortune #1)

Liam cocked a brow. “That sounds an awful lot like an excuse, Ma. Especially given that his truck has been seen leaving the neighborhood early in the morning. Now that I think about it, beef emergency kinda sounds like a strangely named?—”

Likely assuming the direction of the conversation, his mother cut him off. “Doesn’t Aubrey look pretty tonight?”

Sensing he’d get nowhere further on the butcher issue, Liam sighed. “Of course, she does. She looks pretty every day.”

Liam was stern with his mother, but he was borderline giddy after his conversation with Aubrey. They were on the same page and ready to take things to the next level.

His mother cocked her head. “Whatever you say, William.”

If Aubrey was nervous, she didn’t show it as they gathered around the long table. The whole crew had turned up: Brandon, Becky, and their kids, Joanie, Carolyn, and their kids, and Sasha.

Liam was grateful he came from such a kind, if overbearing, family.

Sometimes, during dinners like this, he realized how much he missed his father.

He’d been louder than most of them combined, and with a heart made of solid gold.

All these years later, people still stopped Liam to tell him stories about how his father. He would have adored Aubrey.

Caught up in his memories, Liam was dragged back to the present by Sasha’s loud voice.

“Tell me you’ll do the advent calendars again this year, Aubs.”

“It’s funny you mentioned it, because we got the boxes from the printer today.”

“Advent calendar?” Liam ventured.

“Of course, you wouldn’t know, you non-sweets-loving weirdo.” Aubrey tapped his knee under the table.

The playful insult had his family roaring, especially the kids.

“Uncle Liam won’t even eat any of our birthday cakes!” Brody said.

“We’ve been over this. It’s not weird to not like sweets.” Liam might have pouted a little at the pile-on.

“I’m just giving you a hard time.” Aubrey seemed to realize the double entendre at the same time he did, as her cheeks flared.

She cleared her throat. “Anyway, I do a twelve-day advent calendar. I make seventy-five, and they’re distributed via lottery.

I fill it with treats and coupons. The final day’s prize is a tart or a bouche for their holiday dinner. ”

“That’s a great marketing idea,” Liam said.

“You could learn a thing or two from Aubrey,” Brandon said.

Liam managed a hearty eye roll. “I already have.”

Liam noticed an odd tug in his chest. This felt fast, but somehow not fast enough.

Like he regretted he hadn’t spent more time with her.

He wished he could go back in time and realize the feelings she’d had for him.

He’d been oblivious once, but never again.

This thing between them had always been inevitable.

After dinner, his mother had acted offended when Aubrey had offered to help clean up.

Liam found himself elbow-deep in the dishes, half-listening to his mom and sister about their battle for back payments from the state.

They’d finally agreed to one payout—a fraction of what they should’ve been paid.

It all came down to a technicality with how he died.

The terminology for “accident” was broad, as it turned out.

The back payment was still a substantial amount, but his mother was tired of fighting. He couldn’t blame her.

“You should get out there to Aubrey. God knows those kids might have her duct taped to the ceiling by now,” his mom said.

He reached for a towel. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

He ran down the stairs, finding the older kids circling the TV, playing a video game. Aubrey and Kiki sat in the center of the rainbow rug. They were busy affixing stickers to each other’s cheeks.

“But your eyes would look so pretty with a daisy in them!” Kiki said.

“I keep telling you, I need these to see, and so do you. There are some places stickers should never go.” She put a gold star on Kiki’s forehead.

“Ugh, fine. I’ll have to use my imagination.” Kiki smushed a sticker on Aubrey’s cheek before she ran past them up the stairs .

“Look at you, sparkly as usual.” Liam leaned over to ruffle her hair.

Aubrey chuckled as she peeled the stickers from her face. “Kiki saw the sparkle in me when she went for these stickers.”

“You ready to head out?”

The older kids started to shout at each other, giving them a perfect exit. She extended a hand to him. He clasped it and brought her to her feet. He got his arm around her shoulders and drew her in close.

“Ugh, take your PDA upstairs,” Brody said.

The other kids mimed kissing their hands, so Liam and Aubrey laughed and took their leave.

On their way out the door, his mother and Brandon cornered Liam.

“So, have you scheduled your meeting with Jason yet?” Brandon asked. “Because that’s your best shot at a plan B, bro.”

Brandon’s money was still tied up with the Cluck U chicken restaurant franchise. He never talked much about the project, but Liam knew his brother well enough to know he regretted tying his money up in it, especially now, since Elevation’s fate was uncertain.

“He wants to meet right after the announcement. He said he had an opportunity that might fit me perfectly, but the timing would have to be fast for it to work.”

Becky gathered all the kids and ushered them out, taking Brandon with her. Aubrey had started playing a card game with Kiki.

His mother leaned in the doorway and worried at her necklace. “You know, there are other options, Liam.”

“I know, Ma. An opportunity to work with someone like Jason Morse doesn’t come around all that often.”

Aubrey approached, her smile faltering slightly at the business talk. “Are you ready to go? I’m dead on my feet, and you have to get back to Elevation.”

His mother waved him off. “Go, go, you two. You’ve had a long day. We can continue this conversation later.”

The last thing he wanted was to have his mother as a business partner, but it was an option. A plan Z, maybe.

Liam walked hand-in-hand with Aubrey to the van and marveled at how incredible this new normal was.