Chatter of Mary had naturally segued into the history of the Cupcake Lovers, which segued into talk of the memoir/recipe book, which segued into whether to self-publish, which is when Rae and Luke had arrived, hand in hand, looking ridiculously happy. Since Luke was still a member of the club, he had every right to be here and even more so, Rocky supposed, given his personal relationship with Rae. But Rocky sort of wished her brother would’ve stayed away. Everyone, including Rocky, was keenly aware of Sam’s crush or former crush on Rae. The tension was just plain awkward.

Regardless, everyone settled in and listened intently as Harper relayed what had been said in the media thus far regarding Rae and her humanitarian efforts, followed by Olivia Deveraux’s attempt to sully Rae’s reputation.

All eyes had turned to Rae as she explained in pained detail why she’d lied to her mother about her whereabouts last year and why she’d pretended to be someone else. She shared a little about her childhood and background—which garnered everyone’s sympathy—and then her hopes and plans for the future regarding running Sugar Tots (to be renamed) as well as establishing a foundation that supported select charities.

Rae was composed throughout her explanation, but when she started talking about promoting education and helping people in need, she got all fired up. It was that passion that won over Rocky and everyone else in the room.

Luke looked plain smitten.

“Okay, this is great,” Harper said as she paced around the exterior of the circle. “I mean I know certain aspects are uncomfortable for you, Rae, but I can spin this in your favor and I can do it with grace.”

“Do you always text other people when you’re in the middle of a meeting?” Daisy asked Harper.

Rocky knew everyone had noticed and it was pretty rude—shades of Tasha Burke—but leave it to Daisy to ask outright.

“Busy week,” Harper said without offering an apology. “Don’t worry. I’m a master at multitasking. Just so I’m straight,” she said, still texting whomever. “The Cupcake Lovers have officially and unanimously decided to allow Rae to finance the self-publishing of your memoir/ recipe book. Correct?”

Everyone nodded.

“Based on reasons we’ve discussed to death,” Rocky said as the president of the club, “yes.”

“And based on Rae’s defense, regarding her mother’s attack, everyone believes and supports Rae.”

Another round of nods and murmurs.

“Damn straight,” Casey said.

“We know our Rae’s heart,” Ethel said.

Harper stopped texting and zeroed in on Rae. “Anything else I, we, should know? Any other incident that your mother could twist? Any secret she could possibly use against you if unearthed? Any—”

“I’m pregnant,” Rae blurted.

The ensuing silence was deafening. Rocky, of course, knew. But clearly it was news to everyone else.

Harper looked a little blindsided by the overall tension in the room. Apparently she was unaware of Sam’s famous year-long crush on Rae. Because they’d been holding hands and sitting so closely, the publicist naturally assumed the baby was Luke’s. “And this is, was, a secret because?”

“I’m not even at eight weeks,” Rae explained, cheeks flushing. “The first trimester is unpredictable. I wanted to wait until I was further along before sharing.”

“I felt the same way,” Chloe said in Rae’s defense.

“I would have felt that way,” Monica said. “But you all know my history. When it finally happened I couldn’t wait to shout it to the world.”

“Hold on,” Daisy said and Rocky instantly knew her grandma was doing the math like most of the other CLs. She pushed her glasses up her nose then squinted suspiciously at Rae. “You were living in California eight weeks ago.”

“I went out for a visit,” Luke said.

Daisy reached over and whacked her grandson hard in the back of the head.

Luke grimaced but didn’t comment.

Harper sighed. “So are we happy about this news?”

“Yes,” Luke answered for them both, his gaze firm on Sam.

Everyone was looking at Sam.

Rocky swallowed a huge lump of emotion when her cousin calmly stood and approached Luke.

Luke rose as well. “Be happy for me, Sam.”

Sam pulled Luke into a bear hug, said something in his ear, then broke away, and pulled Rae into a warm hug.

Tension broken, the room erupted into a gabfest of congratulations and baby talk as well Harper’s idea on a spin on Rae’s problem that would also afford free promo for Moose-a-lotta as well as the Cupcake Lovers.

Rocky wondered if anyone realized Harper’s plan fell on the same day the CLs had planned to make Rocky’s wedding cake.

Oh, yeah. She was irritated with the universe big-time.

* * *

NEED 2 TALK 2 U

Sam looked down at his phone then over his shoulder at Harper. For Christ’s sake he was standing in the same room. Still, the senior CLs had her cornered near the front door so she wasn’t exactly free to speak her mind. Sam had lingered, relocating chairs back to various rooms, but now he was itching to leave.

CAN IT WAIT?

NO

Damn.

Sam hung back while Helen, Judy, Ethel, and Daisy finally said their good-byes. He glanced at his watch. Six thirty. Not knowing how long the meeting would take or how things would play out, Sam had hired a sitter to watch Ben and Mina until nine. He wasn’t under the gun, but he was restless.

“That was interesting. Why didn’t you tell me you had a thing for Rae?”

“Maybe you haven’t noticed, but we don’t talk a lot.”

“What did you say to your cousin?”

“None of your business.”

“Chill, Rambo. On another note…” Harper walked past Sam and into the kitchen.

He hated that he watched her ass as she went. What the hell was with her walk anyhow? She didn’t slink or sashay exactly. It wasn’t overt. Just a gentle sway of the hips, just enough to mesmerize him. Cursing his randy reaction, Sam followed. “On another note, what?” he asked, almost tripping on a puddle of red dress near the threshold.

Wearing nothing but a matching silky bra and thong, Harper lounged against the counter in her funky heels, holding a white cupcake in a red foiled baking cup. “Why won’t you try my cupcakes?”

“What?”

“I sent you home with almost a dozen the other day. You didn’t try one. I baked these fresh for tonight. Everyone in the club had one. Everyone but you.”

“I wasn’t hungry.” Sam’s heart rammed against his chest, his cock throbbed. He wasn’t sure why he’d avoided Harper’s cupcakes. Something psychological. He hadn’t given it thought. He would now.

Harper’s blue eyes twinkled with an ornery gleam.

Sam knew that gleam. She was about to torture him with some sexy deed.

Sure enough she stuck her thumb in the center of the strawberry filled cupcake. Gaze locked on Sam’s, she licked then sensuously sucked the red goo from her thumb. One brow raised, she taunted, “Hungry now?”

Sam was randy and moody and not up for games. He moved in—swift and sure. He took Harper in his arms and ravished that luscious mouth. Sin and strawberries. Hell, yeah.

Her hands worked his belt and buttoned fly while he unclasped her bra. He had her naked and writhing in his arms, kissing her, touching her, just rough enough to rev her senses.

Her damn phone rang. Incessantly.

Sam broke the wild kiss long enough to toss the cell on the top shelf of the fridge. Slamming shut the door, he spun Harper around, bending her over the counter. He splayed his hands down her back, over her ass, her thighs. He kissed the back of her neck, made her sigh, then entered her from behind, and made her squeal.

It was hot.

It was fast.

And it left them both limp and gasping for air.

In the aftermath, Sam was shocked that he’d been so urgent, so selfishly dominant. But when Harper smiled over her shoulder at him, the guilt slid away. He started to speak, but she shushed him.

Right. No talking after.

Screw that.

“What was that for?” he asked as she stepped back into her dress, no undies.

“I was wound up. Also I sensed you could use a distraction.”

With that she shoved her tousled hair out of that beautiful face, grabbed her phone from the fridge, and cast him a parting, enigmatic glance. “See you tomorrow, Sam.”

THIRTY-TWO

Luke had never asked a girl to sleep over in his house. Let alone sleep over every night for, well, hopefully the rest of their lives.

After putting in a full night bartending and hosting at the Shack, he’d returned home around two in the morning to find Rae fast asleep in his bed. She was bathed in a soft wash of moonlight and he could see just enough of her face to know she was sleeping peacefully. She looked content. He liked that a lot. Sam’s words had been ringing in Luke’s ears all night.

“I wish you the happiness I had.”

Just thinking about it choked Luke up. Sam’s years with Paula had been the happiest of his cousin’s life. What’s more, the wish had been sincere.

Luke had climbed into bed with Rae, knowing he’d turned a corner in his life. There was no going back. He’d had a hard time getting his mind to shut down. A lot of unsettled issues. The thing with her mom. The beef with Geoffrey, something Luke still wasn’t clear on. Sugar Tots would require a lot of Rae’s time and Luke would be taking on new challenges at the Shack. They’d have to settle into a new routine, somehow juggle their professional and personal lives. He knew he had to attack his dyslexia in a new way. Learning to conquer rather than cover. He wanted to be able to read stories to his kid without stumbling. He wanted to handle the books and inventory at the Shack without having to rely on Dev or Anna.

He wanted to make Rae proud.

Luke drifted off fully expecting to wake up in a panic.

He woke up with Rae in his arms. He woke up content. “How long have you been awake?” he asked.

“A while.”

“Why are you smiling?”

“I’m happy. I don’t remember ever being this happy.”

Luke kissed her forehead. “I’m glad.” He glanced at the bedside clock. “Damn. It’s late. What time did Harper say that film crew would be at Moose-a-lotta?”

“Noon.”

“We best get cracking. You shower and dress and I’ll start breakfast. Craving anything special?”

She smiled and his heart jerked. God, he loved that.

“Pancakes,” she said. “With lots of butter and a ton of maple syrup.”

“You got it, Champ.”

She scrunched her brow. “Why do you call me that?”

“Because when life knocks you down, you get back in there swinging. Sam was right. You’re a warrior at heart, Rae. I admire you for that.”

“Thank you, Luke.” She flushed then and bit her lower lip. “I hope I don’t get knocked out today in that interview. I’ve never done well in the spotlight.”

“You’ll be fine. Harper’s going to coach you beforehand and you’ll have a huge cheering section watching from the sidelines. This mess will be behind us before you know it.”

She nodded and swung out of bed. “That’s incentive enough to kick this Champ in the butt. Meet you downstairs. I won’t be long.”

“You look cute in my T-shirt,” he said as she padded toward the bathroom.

She grinned. “I may never wear my pjs again.”

“Speaking of,” Luke said as he pulled on a pair of sweats. “I slid by the Pine and Periwinkle late last night like we talked about and I gathered all of your things.” He nodded across the room. “Your laptop and suitcases are over there. Be warned. I’m not a neat packer.”

She did a one-eighty and hustled over, thanking him with a brush of her lips. “I don’t care about neat.”

He thought about his overall housekeeping skills. “Remember you said that.”

Twenty minutes later, Luke was adding a sixth flapjack to a serving plate when he heard a knock on the door. He wasn’t expecting anyone. Wary of paparazzi, he peeked out a window before answering and was surprised to see his mom and dad standing on his front porch.

Frowning, he swung open the door. “You okay?”

“What kind of greeting is that?” Jerome asked while guiding Kaye inside just ahead of him.

“We wanted to meet Rae before this afternoon’s filming,” Kaye said as she shook off a chill. “To wish her luck.”

“To tell her the family’s behind her one hundred percent.”