Page 74 of Clap Back (Carter Brothers)

I stayed silent, my mind whirling.

I had so many questions.

I wanted so many things.

And, as if he could sense that my mind was a spiraling mess, he shifted the covers over us both, pulled me in close, uncaring of my wet hair, and buried his face into my neck.

“Go to sleep, cupcake,” he whispered. “I have to go to work at six, and I have a feeling I’m going to need my strength. Both to keep up with you when I get up in the morning, and to deal with your dad when I’m done. I’ll have all the answers after that.”

I swallowed hard but laid my head back down on his chest.

I would be quiet.

I would be…

I was asleep before he was, and completely missed his last words.

You’re mine, and we’ll figure this out together.

Don’t let your wild, majestic heart fall in love with someone who has the intelligence of a soggy cat turd.

—Athena to Maven

AUDEN

I’d left Maven in my bedroom after assuring her that she could stay at my place for as long as she wanted, and that she could use my truck to go check out the bakery today if she wanted.

I had two of them, and the one would just be sitting there.

When I was sixteen, I’d gotten a square body Chevrolet for my birthday, and had kept it since.

The only issue was it was a gas guzzler, and had no working A/C.

It also wasn’t too happy to be driven for long periods of times, which wasn’t conducive with working thirty minutes away.

After telling her where the keys were, I headed out, leaving her sleeping in my bed.

I met my brother in the kitchen.

“For a person who is supposed to get up and open a bakery at five in the morning every day, with pastries and goodies already prepared, she has to be the sleepiest person ever,” Gable mused.

I snorted. “How many times did you drive past that bakery and see it dark as hell when they were supposed to be open?”

Gable chuckled as he said, “Plenty.”

I had, too.

I was very much aware of when she was supposed to be open.

The first time I’d decided to run by there early just to see her face, it’d been closed, and I’d been worried.

But as I made it a habit to run by there more and more, the reality became apparent.

Maven did not do early mornings well.

In fact, it was only when she hired Pepper that the bakery opened early with any consistency.

“You ready for this?” he asked.

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