Page 66 of Royal Icing

She shook her head and sat back in her seat. “That won’t do. We’ll have to celebrate your half birthday.”

“A half birthday? What am I, twelve?”

She shook her head. “Anyone born between the months of November and January get a half birthday. With celebratory cheesecake. It’s the law. Watch your PO box for a totally mangled cheesecake in the middle of June.”

He smiled. “Totally mangled dimension-transcending cheesecake,” he clarified.

“Exactly.”

“I look forward to it. And when is your birthday?”

“January twelfth.”

“Ah. I’m starting to understand why you’re an expert in half birthdays.”

She nodded. “The law may have been enacted by my own mother.”

“Is she looking for another job? Maybe as a powerless figurehead for a small European country?”

“Sorry, but I think that position is about to be filled by my hopefully soon-to-be ex-boss who’s banging your brother,” Emma said.

Leo froze with a bite halfway to his mouth. “Wait, does that mean she could be my sister-in-law? I didn’t agree to this.”

It would never happen. The queen would arrange a marriage before allowing John to marry an American. The thought didn’t bring him any joy, as he was bound by the same made-up rules.

“That’s right,” Emma said “She’s yours now. Good luck. You know, I joked about this before coming here, but I never dreamed it would actually happen. Maybe I should actually stay at Crumb and Get It now,” she said thoughtfully.

He shook his head. “Stay the course. You deserve to be your own boss.”

“That’s right. I do.” She glanced at her watch. “Shit, I only have another hour. I really need to get the big pieces of the structure baked tonight. The oven in my kitchenette isn’t big enough. And then there’s the fact that it now it smells like burnt shoes.”

His heart fell. He wasn’t ready to end the night.

“Dance with me,” he said.

She raised her eyebrows. “Now? In here?”

“Normally a date would include dinner, dancing, and maybe a movie. But as we’re short on time…” He held his hand out to her, and she took it.

“So you’re saying this is a date?” she asked coyly.

“It’s… I don’t know what this is,” he admitted.

She rose from the table, her hand in his. “Let’s not worry about what it is or isn’t. Let’s dance.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

EMMA

The speakerin the corner of the greenhouse transitioned from “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” to “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star.

A thrill ran down her spine. She had always loved this song, even though she could never quite figure out if it was a love song or a lament.

Leo pulled her close, one hand hot on her hip while the other clasped hers.

“Well, this is a little more romantic than patricide,” she said.

“It felt right.”