“That’s because there’s a lion in the room, Cob, and Brock’s standing between that lion and me. If he wasn’t, I don’t know how long I’d survive. You created that, not in a good way, in a bad one but that doesn’t mean it isn’t done. No one can erase mistakes. But in the end, your actions brought them together. They’re close. They love each other deeply. They’re fiercely loyal. They look out for one another and the ones who mean something to them. You had a hand in that and that doesn’t excuse what you did. But I hope that it brings you some peace to know the family you created, well, they’re survivors too even if the thing they had to survive was you.”

“That’s the loopiest thing I ever heard, sweetheart,” he replied. I shrugged and he went on, “But, I’ll be damned if it isn’t true.”

That’s when I laughed.

And after I was done, I told him, “Just FYI, where I stand is, you’re welcome at my bakery and my home anytime. And if you need anything, now or if it gets rough, I want you to know, honestly and I mean it, you can call on me.”

He stared at me, and while he did his eyes got bright again.

Then he whispered, “Frosting all the way through.”

I smiled and whispered back, “Nope, you eventually get moist, rich cake. Even so, that layer of frosting is more like a mountainous swirl.”

“A mountainous swirl?”

“Yeah, lavender. Or sometimes pink. Occasionally baby blue or mint green or anything else I can dream up. But always with candy confetti and edible fairy dust.”

His face cracked right before he burst out laughing.

When he did, Brock came through the front door.

We both looked to him as he examined the occupants of the sectional, shrugged off his leather jacket, and threw it on the back of the couch.

“Something funny?” he asked, moving around the couch making a beeline to me.

And as he moved toward me, I thought of Cob’s words.

Makes him feel however Slim feels that makes him get close to you anytime you’re even a little near. Like any moment a lion’s gonna come roarin’ into the room and he’s gotta be close enough to come between you and it so he can keep you safe.

This life-altering thought was interrupted by Cob speaking.

“Tess here’s a mountainous swirl of frosting with candy sprinkles and fairy dust,” Cob told his son as Brock folded his long body next to mine on the couch, curled an arm around my shoulders, tucked me close, and rested his boots on the coffee table.

“Come again?” he asked and I giggled.

“Nuthin’, Slim, you had to be there,” Cob muttered and I tipped my head back to look at Brock.