Page 29 of Scorched

Tara laughed. “Girl, there are more than samples. I’ll see you soon.”

They said goodbye, and Maggie hung up as she went back inside to find Declan. His twenty minutes were getting cut short.

She rounded the corner to his office hallway, stopping in his doorway.

“It hasn’t been twenty minutes,” he said, not looking up, writing.

“No, but Tara called. She needs us to go to the store and bring her some things to make cake.”

He looked up with a frown. “Shouldn’t she have had all that before she started?”

Maggie smiled. “She did, but she and London used it all and need more. Apparently, pregnancy has made my sister indecisive. They’re at the inn, baking a bunch of different flavors because she can’t decide which one she wants for the wedding.”

“Wait. Are you saying there are several kinds of cake at the inn? That London baked?”

Maggie nodded, sensing victory. She had him now. His sweet tooth was as bad as Seb’s, she’d discovered.

He clicked his pen closed and tossed it on his desk, rising from his chair. “Let’s go.”

“I’m not sure if I should be offended that you’re more willing to leave for cake than my growling stomach.” She stepped back into the hallway as he came toward her.

He grinned. “Cake will always win. And I like messing with you. Take that as you will.” He sauntered past her.

She rolled her eyes, laughing, and followed. Outside, they climbed into her car, and she headed for the grocery store to get the things on Tara’s list.

Once the groceries were bought, they swung by the pizza place, then drove out of town toward the inn. Maggie pulled into the drive and parked around the side of the house, noting that most of the family was here.

“I hope they don’t expect us to share our dinner,” Declan said, glancing around at all the cars. He held the pizza box in his hands.

She looked up from looping grocery bags over her arms. “Our dinner?”

“Don’t even pretend like you weren’t going to share with me.”

“Well, only if you asked nicely.” She snagged the last two bags with her fingers, then backed up. “Hit the button to close the hatch, would you?”

He pushed the button just inside the vehicle and stepped back. They made their way to the front door. Declan twisted the knob and let them inside. The noise of her family assaulted her right away. They followed the sound into the kitchen.

“Oh! Yay!” Tara spotted them. She hurried around the island, hands outstretched, to take the grocery bags from Maggie. “Did you get everything I asked for?”

“Yes.” Maggie took in the array of cakes scattered over the counters. “Geez, Tara. How many different flavors did you bake?”

Tara looked up from emptying the bags. Her eyes roamed over the pans littering every available surface. “A lot.”

“Eight.” London piped up. “We made eight.”

“Holy cow. What happened to good ol’ chocolate and vanilla?”

Tara sighed.

“It’s boring,” Jace said. “She doesn’t want boring.”

“Well, I think you’ve avoided that. How many more were you planning on making?”

“Too many,” London moaned.

Tara shot her a look. “You don’t have to help. I can do this on my own.”

“No, I’ll help. I’m just tired. The sooner we get finished, the sooner I can go put my feet up.”

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