Tyson stretched to bump fists with Jake. “All those tastings were worth it.”
“If you say so,” Jake countered. “It meant a lot of extra time at the gym and every baker in the city thinking we were a couple.”
“That one woman who insisted we practice feeding each other!” Tyson’s face lit up when he laughed like that.
Jake shared his laugh. “Hey, I was willing to play along so you could practice.”
“I know how bad your aim is, man. The cake would have ended up on my shoulder or the hood of my car.” Tyson turned to Eric, and his smile softened. “Besides, there’s only one person I ever plan to share my cake with.” He pulled Eric to him with an adoring expression. “So, no practice necessary.”
Eric beamed at his new husband before addressing me. “And you’ve been warned about Jake’s potential bad aim, Nay,” Eric said. “If you bring him cake tasting for your wedding, maybe bring a poncho.”
I chuckled but eyed Jake nervously, though he was exchanging a look with Tyson I couldn’t read. I never wanted to push, knowing how badly his marriage to Gretchen had ended. We were happy the way things were. We planned to be together, had vaguely discussed starting a family, but I honestly didn’t know if he wanted to be married again, and I was okay with that.
When the grooms were pulled away by Tyson’s grandmother, I asked Jake, “What’s up with them trying to push us down the aisle?”
He bent his head to my ear, his warm breath on the delicate skin behind my earlobe, and whispered, “I was thinking we’d pick the cake together.”
I turned abruptly and looked up at him in surprise, my eyebrow raised. “What?”
“I have experience now, but you love cake more than anyone I know.” Jake circled his arms around my waist again, and I tried to decide if he was joking or proposing, scrutinizing his grin.
He must have seen the question in my face. “Oh, I’m not asking you to marry me, if that’s what that face means.”
“Good to know.” I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“I didn’t bring the ring with me, so you’ll have to wait and see what I have planned.”
My jaw dropped, and I again tried to read his tipsy expression.
He waggled his eyebrows and planted a playful kiss on my mouth, my face still turned up in surprise. “Don’t worry. For now, I can’t wait to fight about the toothpaste, check things off our list, fall asleep with you every night, and wake up with you every morning.”
Sounds good to me.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Naya found her happily ever after at the end of a long and winding road. If you or someone you love is, or may be, experiencing intimate partner violence, information and resources are available nationally and through agencies in your local area when you’re in a safe place to access them.
NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE
thehotline.org espanol.thehotline.org
1-800-799-7233
1-800-787-3224 （TTY）
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I come from a long line of strong women. I come from homesteads in Colorado, and the Jim Crow south, from sweet potato pie and aebleskivers, from traveling the world, and from love that stood the test of time. Thank you to the generations who fought so I could flourish. My grandmothers were both writers, something I knew little about until after they were gone. Thank you for raising strong, loving children who became strong, loving adults, so I might become one as well.
To my parents: You’ve encouraged me to write, to reach, and to achieve from day one. I’m sorry I accidentally sent you an early copy of this novel full of the sex scenes I thought I’d redacted. You’ve shown me what love and a strong relationship looks like for over thirty years and across three continents. Thank you to my brother for always cheering me on and promising to listen to an audio version of this book, provided I am not the one narrating. To Amanda, Mike, Melissa, Jean, Bruce, Barb, Tim, Aretha, Allison, Kaitlin, all my aunts, uncles, and cousins, my niece and nephews, and my friends, thank you for listening to me talk about this book for years.
For my husband and Tiny Human—squeeze hugs. You two are my world and my everything, and I love you. Also, Tiny Human, you can NEVER read this book.
It’s a gift to work with strong, funny, and kind publishing professionals. Thank you to my incredible agent, Sharon Pelletier, for believing in this book and in me. Thank you also to Lauren Abramo, Kemi Faderin, and Mike Hoogland at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret, and Kristina Moore at Anonymous Content.