Sweet Obsession

He grimaces. “Go home, Vince.”

I shove at his shoulder. “You remember his name?” I ask, laughing. “I didn’t. I had no idea.”

He shrugs, his mouth twitching with a smile. “I lost my virginity to a Vince. That name is burned in my memory. Plus, I remember you telling me how he was uncircumcised and you thought his foreskin looked strange.”

I scrunch up my face in disgust. “We talk about the weirdest shit.”

“Word.”

“Anyway, I ran into Mason right after that, and I told him what I said, that I called him my boyfriend, and his face, Joey.” I frown, leaning my hip against the wood. My cheeks burn. “He looked so happy to hear me say that. I mean, I was literally freaking out, but he was just so ready, you know? Like yes, say it again. Again, Brooke. Please. I could practically hear his thoughts.”

Joey smiles gently. “I bet. So, are we calling him your boyfriend now? Please say yes.”

I shrug, turning back to the ingredients I laid out. “I’m just going with it. Whatever this is, I like it, so . . . yeah, I guess. I guess he’s my boyfriend. I have a boyfriend.” I let out a nervous giggle. My eyes widen. Joey regards me with barely contained jubilance. “Um, yeah I just had a tickle.” I touch my throat, swallowing thickly. “That was weird.”

Oh, my God. I just turned into a preteen.

“Weird indeed,” Joey remarks, wiggling his brows.

The front door chimes again, followed by the loud tapping of heels striking on tile. Dylan steps into the kitchen with my sister close behind.

Juls used to be a regular in the bakery up until last year when she popped out her second kid. Now she’s a full-time mommy, part-time wedding planner, and hardly has a minute to spare for visits that aren’t work related.

“Good morning, everyone,” she sings, circling the worktop and wrapping her arms around Joey. “Mm. You smell nice. Is that new cologne?”

“It’s Billy’s. I ran out.” Joey leans back, releasing her from the hug. “Do you like it better than mine?”

Dylan chuckles from her stool. “Oh, Jesus. Here we go.”

“What?” Joey cranks his neck around to stare at her. “I’m just asking. I’m secure, bitch. I know I smell fantastic in my own fragrance.”

“Excuse me? Shouldn’t you be manning the front, bitch?” Dylan affronts. “Don’t piss me off, Joey. My blood pressure is already off the fucking charts lately.”

“Is it?” I ask, dropping my gaze to the top of her protruding belly.

Dylan lets out a rushed breath, then gathers her hair off her neck and secures it into a messy pony. Juls and Joey loom closer. “Yes. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow. Reese bought one of those home blood pressure monitors the other day when I felt really anxious. We’ve been taking it every night. It’s pretty elevated.”

“Other than that, do you feel okay?” Joey asks, rubbing Dylan’s back and shoulders. “Nothing’s going on with the baby?”

“No. I feel fine. Enormous and constantly sweaty, but fine.” She drops her head back and smiles at him. “Thanks. That feels really good.”

“Anytime, cupcake.”

“Women having elevated blood pressure when they’re pregnant is common,” Juls says. “It’s probably just something you need to keep an eye on. Maybe try and stay off your feet as much as possible.”

Dylan closes her eyes. “That’s what I’m worried about,” she murmurs, rolling her head to the side as Joey moves up to her neck.

Jesus. I can’t imagine Dylan staying off her feet any more than she already does. She’s always planted on a stool back here, and I can tell it drives her crazy. She wants to be up, running her business. I get that. She’s a very proud woman.

Juls reaches across the table and squeezes Dylan’s hand. “I’m sure it’ll be fine, sweets.”

Dylan smiles, her eyes remaining closed.

Turning her attention on me, Juls walks around the worktop to stand closer. “I see you survived camping.”

I roll my eyes. “Barely. Some tick nearly took me out.”

She gasps appallingly. “Oh, gross. See? That’s why I always shoot down Ian’s weekend retreat ideas. I’m not picking ticks off the kids.”

Dylan and Joey both start giggling. I pinch my lips together, fighting my own amusement at the idea of Ian roughing it as Juls looks across the worktop at the two of them.

“Something funny?” she asks, hands flying to her hips.

Joey moves to stand beside Dylan. “Ian wants to spend the weekend outdoors? Where in the world will he plug in his hairdryer?”

Wow. He took the words right out of my mouth.

Dylan’s eyes go round, her cheeks lifting.

Juls glares around the room, remaining silent, seemingly pissed, until her shoulders start shaking and she covers her mouth. “I know. God, I know,” she giggles, shaking her head. “He would be so miserable. I don’t know why he keeps suggesting it. My man is crazy high maintenance, but I don’t care. He’s so sexy, isn’t he?”

“No comment. We’re practically related.” I shuffle over to the shelf to grab some cupcake liners.

Juls glances down at her watch. “Oo, I gotta go. Hey, dinner this Friday, right?”

I give her a thumbs up.

She quickly says her goodbyes, bending down to speak softly to Dylan’s belly before she slips out the front door. I grab the two mixers and set them on the worktop. The bakery officially opens, and Joey disappears upfront, while Dylan slides some of the ingredients in front of her and begins making her own batch of cupcakes. ns class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">