Page 48 of Clap Back (Carter Brothers)

“Wow,” Athena shook her head. “So you’re thinking about moving to Sunnyvale? Really?”

I nodded, my heart in my throat.

I really was.

This was a huge step.

“And do you think that your dad will let you live in peace over there?” she asked as she uncapped a white tube and handed me a stick.

I rubbed it on the inside of my mouth before answering.

“Well, I don’t know that he’ll leave me alone. But it’s my hope that I’ll be out of his reach forty minutes away. Plus, I’m thinking about taking this bakery and turning it into something else anyway. I don’t like the hours.”

She rolled her eyes.

She knew I didn’t like the hours.

Hell, who would like getting up that early in the morning?

She capped the tube and dropped it into her pocket before scrolling through my saved places.

The one that’d originally caught my eye caught hers, too, and she pointed at it. “Email them and ask about that one.”

That was why we were best friends.

“Do you think I’m making a hasty decision by moving there? I mean, what if Auden and I don’t work out?” I pushed.

Athena’s gaze came to meet mine. “Since when have we ever done the safe thing, Maven Amalia?”

She had a point.

I mean, I’d opened the bakery on a whim. I’d moved out of my parents’ house in the dead of night. I’d bought a car just to spite my father. I always jumped in with two feet, and never tested the waters first.

What was any different about this time?

Just put a ball of aluminum foil in the microwave at the station so we could get off early today.

—Text from Auden to Atlas

AUDEN

I made it five days before I caved.

Originally, I was going to just go sit across the street and watch her work.

But when I pulled up across from her shop, a large red sign hung on the door with bold black letters that said ‘CLOSED.’

Frowning, I went to the door to see what was up and peeked inside.

There wasn’t a single pastry in sight, and the only person inside was Pepper, who was moving around cleaning up tables and stacking chairs.

I tapped on the glass door to catch her attention.

She saw me and came over, opening the door.

“Wow, a Carter,” she said as she blocked me from coming inside. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

I smirked at her. “I’m hungry and thought I’d stop by.”

---