Page 63 of Knot Baked Out For This
I knock over my water glass.
It goes everywhere—across the score cards, into Levi's lap, somehow defying physics to also splash Rowan and drip onto Luca's boots.
"Shit! Sorry! I'm so sorry!"
We all jump up at once, which just makes things worse. I grab napkins, trying to help, and manage to trip over my own chair. Rowan catches me, but that throws him off balance, and we stumble into Levi, who grabs Luca for support, and suddenly we're a tangle of limbs and apologies and Alpha pheromones.
The crowd gasps, phones flash, and I hear Dottie scream, "IT'S HAPPENING! THE PROPHECY IS COMING TRUE!"
What prophecy? Why is there a prophecy? Who authorized a prophecy?
We untangle slowly, everyone slightly damp and thoroughly embarrassed. Except the crowd. The crowd is delighted. This is better than cable.
"Well," Bea says brightly, "I think we have our winners!"
"We haven't even finished scoring," I protest weakly.
"Oh, not the pies, dear. Though Mrs. Chen takes first place, obviously." She winks. "I meant you four. Definitely winners."
I'm going to start poisoning the town's water supply.
"We should go," Rowan says, his Captain voice cutting through the chaos.
"Yes," I agree immediately. "Going. Leaving. Exiting."
"We'll walk you back," Levi offers.
"All of us," Luca adds firmly.
And that's how I end up being escorted back to my bakery by three Alphas while the entire town watches and takes notesand probably starts a betting pool on everything from first kiss to wedding dates to baby names.
The walk is silent except for our footsteps and the distant sound of Dottie James having what sounds like a religious experience about "young love."
When we reach my door, they all stop, suddenly awkward.
"That was..." Rowan starts.
"Horrible," I finish.
"Memorable," Levi corrects.
"Traumatic," Luca says.
"All of the above," I agree, and somehow we're all smiling.
"The Gruna should be illegal," Rowan says.
"The Gruna should be weaponized," Levi counters.
"The Gruna should be forgotten," Luca says firmly. "Never spoken of again."
"Agreed," we all say in unison.
And then, because my life isn't complicated enough, all three of them step forward at the same time, like they're going to... something. Kiss me? Hug me? Pat my head? It's unclear.
They realize it at the same moment, freezing in a tableau of awkward Alpha energy.
"I was just—" "Didn't mean to—" "Should probably?—"
