Page 47 of Third Time Lucky

She takes a bite of our offering first, savoring the flavors before looking at us with a knowing smile. ‘Impressive. But it’s you, so I knew it would be. Now let’s see what your brother has to offer.’

‘Wehaveto win,’ Madi says to Aaron. ‘We made this cake twice.’

I laugh. ‘Is that what took so long?’

Another finger flung my way.

Audrina teases us as her gaze shifts between our creations, her expression inscrutable.

Lucy grips my arm suddenly. An electric current surges through my body, but I know I need to keep my cool.

I pat her hand lightly.

‘We’ve totally got this,’ I say softly, leaning into her.

‘Aaron better buy you that trophy,’ she teases.

Finally, Audrina sets down her fork and clears her throat, the suspense thick in the air. ‘After careful consideration,’ she begins, drawing out the moment, ‘the winning team is…’

I exchange a glance with Lucy, silently willing Audrina to announce our names.

‘Asher and Lucy!’ Audri proclaims, her smile lighting up the room.

‘Boo!’ Aaron says, tossing a towel from the counter aggressively my way. ‘She’s always liked you more. Where’s the unbiased judge?’

‘Yours wasn’tbad,’ she counters Aaron. ‘Just not as good,’ she says with a smirk.

She turns to us. ‘Congratulations on a truly exceptional dessert, you two.’

I wrap Lucy in a tight hug, overcome with happiness and pride. We did it. We impressed Audrina Leighton.

She hugs me back, pulling away after a second and giving me a high-five.

‘Good job, partner!’ she says, beaming. ‘You are an excellent instructor.’

‘It was a team effort. You did better than a guy who graduated culinary school.’

Aaron’s lips curl into a mischievous smirk.

‘FYI for the future, he likes that in the bedroom, too.’

Lucy’s eyes widen in shock at his comment, and she glances between him and Madi, disbelief written on her features.

‘He’s, uh— kidding,’ I say, pitching the towel back at him while shooting him a sharp glare, silently warning him to stop before he goes too far. ‘Aren’t you?’ I press, all heads now his direction. I convey the message with a subtle hand gesture across my throat.

‘Oh, yeah. I’m kidding,’ he says, half a guilty grin on his face. ‘Ash doesn’t know what he’s doing in the bedroom, so guide him.’

That douche.

I clear my throat, but Lucy speaks for me.

‘Better make that trophy big,’ she says.

‘It’ll be as big as his?—’

‘No,’ I bark. Silencing him once again.

‘I think we should all clean up our stations,’ she suggests.

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