“I know they will,” I told him.

“If they can help out, put them to work,” he suggested.

“They just got KP duties,” I decided.

He smiled again. Then he dipped his head to touch his lips to mine.

He lifted his head and murmured, “Thanks, baby.”

“Anytime, honey,” I murmured back but even at a murmur I meant it and he knew it.

Therefore, he smiled then that smile faded as a shadow drifted through his eyes telling me he wanted to spend a Saturday when he should be with his sons going to a crime scene and “looking into that shit” about as much as he wanted to get a tooth pulled without Novocain.

Then he muttered, “I gotta go.”

I pressed into him and whispered, “Yeah.”

I got another squeeze, another lip touch (this one on my forehead), and he let me go but lifted a hand to cup my jaw before he murmured, “Later.”

Then he was gone.

I followed him out, moved through the back and front telling the girls we had two new helpers, approached Joel and Rex at their table where they were finishing up devouring a slice of carrot cake (Rex) and a red velvet cupcake (Joel), told them what they were going to do to earn their keep, and at this news their eyes lit.

Only kids would think clearing tables and washing up coffee cups, plates, and forks in a bakery was cool.

Or maybe it was only Brock’s kids.

And lucky for me they did because I could use the help.

* * *

“Aunt Tess!” I heard someone shriek.

I turned from loading a cake stand on the back shelves with cupcakes just in time to see Ellie darting through the shop, heading for the opening at the end of the counter, and rounding it.

Luckily, although her speed was akin to an Olympian who, with great dedication, trained daily and maintained an athlete’s lifestyle 24/7, I had time to brace before she hit my legs, arms wrapped around them.

My hand not holding the cupcake tray settled on her head and then dropped as she arched her back at an impossible angle without releasing her hold and grinned up at me.

“Mom’s buyin’ us pink cupcakes!” she screeched, jumped back, and clapped. “I can’t wait!”

I smiled at her and was surprised to see she’d ditched the princess attire and was now a mermaid, complete with a flashy green iridescent tail and flat lilac shells as bodice. However, this ensemble was marred by a winter coat and a cute, fluffy wool hat with a bobble on the top, both of which didn’t exactly say “under the sea.”

“Ellie, come out from behind that counter right now,” Laura snapped, standing at the end of it. “What did I tell you about when your Aunt Tess is working? You don’t go behind the counter when Aunt Tess is working.”