Mazie (The Baker Siblings #3)

1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mazie

H ow did this happen? How did they surpass me in life?

As I dance and sing at the top of my lungs with my baby sisters at Alina’s wedding, those questions keep circling in the back of my mind. I can’t believe they’re both married now. And Liv has a baby. It doesn't even feel real.

It’s not that I’m jealous. Well, not entirely. How could I not be when I so desperately want to be a wife and mother? But I’m not angry jealous. I love them both dearly, and I’m incredibly happy for them finding their perfect matches, finding their forevers.

But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little sad for me.

The free-flowing alcohol helps numb the sting a little bit. As does this carefree moment with our arms around each other as we scream-sing a song from when we were younger.

There is a sadness weighing me down, but it has nothing to do with my sisters passing me in life’s accomplishments and everything to do with who’s missing.

Our parents.

They would have been over the moon at each wedding and the most doting grandparents the world has ever seen for Liv’s baby. I can hear Mom now, calling Jordanna her baby’s baby.

It’s not often that I think about how unfair life has been to me and my siblings by tearing them away from us, and so brutally. But the thought has been on my mind more lately.

Especially for Liv. She had the least time with them, the least time to get Mom’s sage advice and Dad’s handy skills. The least fatherly protection and motherly love.

It’s where my brother, Eli, and I have stepped in the best we could. It wasn’t even a conscious decision; we knew what had to be done and got to it. I know I overstep my bounds sometimes, but I’m a worrier at heart.

Their murder made it hard for me to trust people. It’s why I gave Jameson such a hard time at first. He’s an outsider, and I don’t like opening our family to outsiders. In fact, I don’t really like outsiders at all. Which is a large reason I tend to do most of my work for the café from home.

It’s also probably why Zach is my best friend. We’ve known each other since we were kids. He’s not just a good person, but he’s a safe place for me too.

And that’s probably how I pick his voice out above the music. He’s urgently trying to express something, but what, I can’t tell. Concern takes over the fun, and I hope he’s okay. I saw him earlier, downing drink after drink. Not something he does often, since he rarely takes a day off from work.

As the song ends and changes to something a little slower, I make my way toward the tables and find him seated with Eli and Cameron, the two of them shoulder to shoulder in front of him.

I walk over and push them apart as a waiter brings over a cup of steaming coffee.

Kneeling in front of Zach, I put my hands on his to get him to look at me. But instead, he sways slightly, a stupid smirk on his face. He’s three sheets to the wind.

“Mazie! There she is.” The words come out way too loud and a bit slurred. His eyes are red and glossy.

“Hey, Zach. What’s going on?” I try to make my voice sound as calming as possible, even when I’m borderline panicked. I don’t know what to do with a drunken Zach. While I’ve seen it several times over the course of our friendship, it’s been years, and he’s far bulkier than he ever was back in high school and college.

“I had a few drinks. They were so good. And I have to tell you that I—”

“He wanted to tell you that he was having a great time and that you look beautiful,” Eli interjects while clapping a hand on Zach’s shoulder at the same time that Cameron shoves the coffee into Zach’s hands.

My eyes narrow, and I know they’re hiding something, but I don’t push, not wanting to start anything at my sister’s wedding.

Standing, I turn around and lean into Eli. “You’re going to have to help me get him home. You know that, right?”

“Yup. Already figuring out if we should let him hang here or try to get him out sooner as opposed to later.”

I glance over my shoulder to take another look at Zach’s condition. “Let’s see how the coffee treats him. But he needs a babysitter.”

“You or me?”

“If you don’t mind, I’m going to ask you, because if he falls, I can’t catch him.”

“I’m not sure I can either. He’s a big dude.” While Eli has some muscles himself, Zach is broad, with muscles on muscles. While it’s not usually my thing, I’ve always felt like it suits Zach.

And I can’t deny how safe I feel with him, and not just because he’s a cop. He could pummel anybody who tried to hurt me. There’s certainly been a time or two he’s wanted to when some guy I was dating broke my heart. Most can’t handle the dead parents and how that has come to affect me on a daily basis. Such as the crippling anxiety I just can’t rid myself of.

But Zach was there through it all. He lets me be me. That’s why he’s such an amazing friend, and I’m so lucky to have him.

Turning back to check on Zach again, I find him passed out on the table, mouth open and surely snoring. I’ve always promised not to tell any future girlfriends that the man snores like a Mack truck roaring down the highway.

“I think he’ll be okay for a while, if you don’t mind sitting with him. Just in case he wakes up.” I bite my lip and raise my eyebrows toward Eli. I already know he’ll agree. He's a good man and a better brother. But I still feel guilty asking since it’s his sister’s wedding too.

“Not a problem. You know I’m not much for dancing anyway. Plus, you girls looked like you were having fun.”

I notice that Liv and Alina are still on the dance floor, and a smile pulls up the corners of my lips. “Yeah. We were.”

Things have been tense, off and on, over the past…well…several years, really. But especially when Jameson came into Liv’s life. And again, when Cam was first back. That motherly role hasn’t gone away just because they’re adults. They still don’t have Mom around and I feel like I need to be there in whatever way I can be.

It’s nice for us to have this time together when the stressors of life and things that have been said or done are far behind us.

Because the first time one of the bonehead brothers-in-law messes up, I’ll be the first to jump to my sister’s defense.