Page 73 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have. It was a stupid idea.”

My heart squeezes tight. She remembered. She’s here, by my side. I’m a lucky son of a bitch to have found her.

Daynah moves to stand but I grip her forearm, halting her. “No. Let’s have some now.”

She sniffs back. “Really?”

“Yep. No one else I’d rather eat cake with today.”

A vision of Liv comes to mind, her smile, her sweet laugh, but I force it away. She made her choice, as much as it kills me.So why can’t I stop thinking about her?

“I’ll be right back.” She rushes from the room.

I take the opportunity to slip on a pair of crumpled jeans from the floor and pad barefoot to the kitchen.

Daynah searches the cupboards. “Where do you keep your plates?”

I point to the tall cupboard beside the fridge. She takes out two mismatched plates and yanks the bread knife from the knife block. She fills up the kettle and flicks it on to boil. “I’ll make you a coffee.” It’s a statement because, obviously, I look like I need it.

She assembles two cups and opens the container, revealing my late Uncle Frank’s famous hummingbird cake, which is only created for special occasions—Aunt Bernie rarely makes it.

“I asked Bernie to help me,” Daynah says, as if reading my mind.

“She shared the recipe with you?” My voice is high because that’s one secret Bernie swore she’d never share.

But Daynah is different. She’s family, my family, and the love of Finn’s life.

A wide smile stretches across her face. “Not exactly. We worked on it together.”

“She is a control freak.” I laugh.

We sit opposite each other at the small dining table and mostly eat in silence. I slurp at my coffee. She daintily sips at her tea.

After a while, Daynah reaches across the table and weaves her fingers in mine. “Happy birthday, little brother.”

This is the first time in twenty-six years I’ve acknowledged this day with someone else. It means the fucking world spending it with Daynah.

“You’re the best,” I tell her. I’m a man of few words, and in this moment there’s so much I want to say, but I don’t know where I’d start or if my mumblings would truly portray my feelings.

“You know I’m here for you, always.” Daynah cuts herself another slice of cake.

I nudge my empty plate towards her and give her a wink. She obliges me.

“Yeah, I know, sis.” When the second serve is gone, I’m overcome with the urge to talk. “If I tell you somethin’ you have to promise me that it stays between us. Not Finn, certainly not Bernie. Just us.”

Her kind eyes soften. “Of course. Anything.”

“Liv’s pregnant.”

Daynah’s brows bunch and her mouth opens and closes.

“It’s not mine,” I add. “She’d be about ten weeks along, now.” The baby would be about the size of a kumquat. I have no idea why I tortured myself last night looking up pregnancy stuff. I’m sick in the head, obviously. And I have no doubt I finished the bottle last night because of it.

“Wow,” she whispers. Her brows smooth out and a moment later her eyes widen.

“What?”

“I saw her in the chemist a few weeks back. She was acting a bit weird.” She huffs. “Anyway, that’s beside the point. How do you feel about it?”

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