Epilogue #2
Her eyes flared at my meaning and she murmured, “Don’t you dare.”
“Dare what?” Callie asked around a mouthful of one of the cupcakes we’d baked. Apparently she couldn’t wait.
“Nothing.” Sloane slid her arm around my waist and held out her hand. “As much as I just want to stare at this ring for the next thousand years, I have a bakery to open.”
“And we’re here to help. Also, I have this.” I pulled a velvet pouch out of my pocket and a white gold chain fell out. Gesturing to her ring, I said, “Give.”
Bemused, she reluctantly took off her engagement ring and handed it to me. I slid it through the chain until it dangled from it. “To keep it safe when you’re in the kitchen.”
Understanding dawned as Sloane turned so I could place the chain around her neck.
“You thought of everything.” She turned back to stare up at me with so much love, I could barely stand it.
I’d never know what I did to deserve her.
But I knew I’d never walk away from this. “You always think of everything.”
Caressing her cheek with my thumb, I said quietly, “No. Just everything pertaining to you.”
Sloane clasped the necklace, the ring to her chest. “No one would believe you’re such a romantic. I kind of like being the only one who knows it.”
“I know it too.” Callie finished up her cupcake and brushed the crumbs off her fingers.
“Let’s face it, Walker’s like a Mento. Hard on the outside but soft on the inside.
Anyone paying enough attention can see it.
Lewis’s mom said Walker’s the reason Monroe and Brodan even got back together.
So …” She gestured between me and her mum. “None of this is surprising, really.”
I didn’t know how to feel about any of that, but Sloane looked ready to pee her knickers with laughter. She turned to me, wide eyed and voice trembling with amusement, “Out of the mouths of babes. I think I’m going to call you my Mento from now on.”
A smile prodded my mouth. “Don’t even think about it.” I gently shoved her toward the front of the store.
“No, I think I have to at least work it into my vows,” she continued, as I guided her forcefully forward. “My love, my Mento!”
Callie giggled at her side.
“I can take the ring back.”
They ignored my flat tone and empty threat.
“Ooh, maybe we should have a Mento wedding cake.”
“I’m regretting every choice I’ve made since I woke up this morning.”
Sloane snorted as she handed me an apron.
I glared at it.
“You said you wanted to help. I got a bigger one made just for you.” She waved it at me. “Do you need one with a Mento on it?”
“I know several ways to kill a man.”
“Does it involve Ment—”
“Don’t finish that sentence.”
She beamed gleefully up at me. “I love you.”
“I’ve signed up to a lifetime of being tortured by you and Callie, haven’t I?” I said in beleaguered realization.
“Pretty much.” She stood on tiptoes and kissed me hard.
“Fine. I love you too.” I grabbed the apron out of her hands and donned it.
Looking down, I frowned at the pink fabric with the white writing across the front that read Callie’s Wee Cakery.
I cursed inwardly, since I was trying to be better about not swearing in front of Callie.
Sloane read the look on my face, lips trembling with laughter as she repeated, “I really do love you.”
I pointed at her. “Only for you.”
She was so happy, I couldn’t regret it.
Even when the first bastard to walk through the door was Brodan Adair. His lips parted in a slow O as he came in with the small crowd, Monroe at his side, and Nox in his arms. Utter sadistic glee gleamed in his eyes as he took in my pink apron.
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen.” Brodan grinned like a fucking fool. “This feels like karma.” He turned to his wife, practically vibrating with joy. “Does this not feel like karma?”
Monroe smirked. “This feels like the day my husband might die if he’s not careful.”
He looked back at my stony expression. “This is the part where I say I told you so.”
“I love her. We’re engaged. Get over it. Buy a cake or leave.”
“Engaged!” Monroe cried out and rushed around the counter, minding no one else, to hug Sloane.
Brodan’s smile was genuine and warm now. “Happy for you, Walk. Congrats.”
“Thanks. Cake?”
He snorted at my abrupt response and glanced down into the glass cabinet filled with Sloane’s creations. “I’ll take one of the chocolate sensations.”
“That’ll be ten pounds.”
Brodan scowled. “It says four quid.”
“She underprices everything.”
“Walker!” Sloane admonished, laughing at my side. “It’s Brodan.”
“You’re right. He’s loaded. Fifteen quid.”
Brodan glowered, but Nox diluted the fierceness by accidentally hitting his dad in the face as he shook his wee arms about. My mate took hold of his son’s hand and kissed it. Then he smirked at me. “Does this mean you’ll be adding to your wee tribe, then?”
“You’re worse than a fucking woman.”
“Walker.”
I turned to find Sloane giving me wide “don’t curse in my new bakery” eyes.
“Shit, sorry.”
She looked at Monroe. “I give up.”
“Roe, look at those strawberry tarts,” Brodan said suddenly, easily distracted and salivating over the pastries. “Want one?”
“Uh, aye.” His wife grinned as she leaned into Sloane, who was looking flustered, even though her two shop assistants were handling the other customers.
“So, two strawberry tarts?” I asked.
“Make it three.”
“That’ll be another twenty-one pounds.”
Brodan shot me a look. “It says they’re four quid each too.”
I looked at Sloane. “Have you underpriced everything?”
She threw her hands up. “Okay. Apron off. Out.” She shooed me toward the kitchen.
“Why?”
“Because this is not a school bake sale, and you can’t overcharge my customers.
I love you. Like a whole bunch.” Sloane gently pressed her hands to my chest, attempting to force me backward.
Her lush brown eyes twinkled with amusement but also determination.
“But come back at closing, and we’ll go celebrate our engagement. ”
“Dinner at ours!” Monroe announced loudly, sharing a quick nod with Brodan. “Tonight. Six o’clock. The whole family will be there to celebrate. And I’ll invite Aria.”
“You guys don’t have to do that,” Sloane replied, expression tender. Appreciative.
“We want to. Unless, of course, you guys just want to celebrate together.”
My fiancée looked up at me.
She wanted to celebrate with our friends who had become family to her.
I caressed her cheek. “We’ve got all the time in the world for just us.”
Sloane bussed into my touch for a second before turning to Monroe. “We’d love that.”
“Great! Well, we better get going so we can organize. But we’ll take a few things from here for dessert, if you don’t mind.” Monroe turned to Callie and asked her for help to select some cakes.
“You really want me to leave?”
Sloane turned back to me. “Never,” she promised, pressing her soft body to mine. “But you seem to have an issue with my prices.” Her laughter shook through her and against me. “So I think you should either hang out in the kitchen or take Callie for breakfast.”
I wrapped my arms around her waist, holding her to me. “I’m proud of you.”
Her gorgeous smile lit up her entire face. “I know.” She touched the engagement ring on its chain. “I’m proud of you. Proud of us … for getting here, despite everything.”
An ache so fucking big I could hardly stand it yawned in my chest. “Me too.” I leaned down to brush my lips across hers. Then I murmured, “But mostly you’re just happy you’ll get to take my cool-as-fuck surname, right?”
Sloane threw her head back in laughter, the bright, sunny sound filling the bakery. Her body moved against mine with the force of it, and I couldn’t hold back my grin.
I vowed in that moment to make sure I heard her laughter every day, and I’d make it happen. Because I’d promised her that I’d stay by her side for the rest of our lives.
It would be the easiest promise I’d ever kept.