Page 79 of Tart

“I couldn’t agree more. Considering what we have going on, we’re going to need you here.”

I laid my hand on her six-month-along baby bump. It turned out that the first test she took all those months ago had been wrong. It wasn’t a scare, it was real, and now, they were going to make me an auntie. “And I’m going to be here taking care of the place while you and Brady raise your little able bakers.”

Her laughter filled the room, and I stored it in my heart for when she wasn’t here as much. “I can picture this tiny Able Baker Brady following his daddy around carrying baguettes bigger than he is.”

“Or a little Able Baker Haylee with ringlets in her hair and cupcake frosting on her face.”

She nodded, but her chin trembled a little. “I heard there’s a good chance this little cupcake will be sporting those ringlets in her hair after all. Can’t confirm, but we’ll know for sure in a few weeks.”

My hand went to my chest and my own chin trembled. “My heart just melted,” I whispered. “I can’t wait to hold her in my arms. She’s going to be the sweetest baby this side of St. Paul. I love you, sis. I know you’re going to be a wonderful mother because you know what it’s like to not have one.”

“I had one, and she’s wonderful. Come to think of it. I had two. It’s just that one happened to be my age.” She hugged me again, her arms tightening when she spoke. “Happy anniversary to my partner, bestie, sister, mother, auntie, and everything you are to this community. I know The Fluffy Cupcake is going to be okay when everything changes again because you’re here to make sure of it.”

“Darling,” I whispered, “it’s going to be better than okay. It’s going to be the legacy for our little ones—a place to grow up in and to make memories in that they someday tell their children. The Fluffy Cupcake isn’t a building or a business. It’s our life. It’s our dream of building a community to support our community. We’ve done that. We’ve supported our community, and they, in turn, support us. It takes a village to raise a child, and this is our village.”

She had her arm around my shoulder as she gazed out at the family we’d built over the years. “It sure is. We’ve taken our dream of having a little place to sell cupcakes and turned it into a business that is about to witness a new generation. I don’t know how that happened, but I do know I can’t wait to have our little ones under our feet, sneaking cookies out of the case, and chasing each other around the same way we used to.”

“Our little ones?” I asked, feigning shock and surprise.

“Yes, our little ones. I might be going first, but I know you and Bishop will follow close behind. I sure hope so, anyway. We’ve done everything else together, and I can’t imagine not raising our little cupcakes together, too.”

“That would be a berry sinful thing to do,” I said, laughter on my lips.

“What are you two whispering about over here?” Bishop asked, walking over to us with a drink in his hand. “Thirty years old and still whispering like schoolgirls.”

“I was just telling Amber how I was looking forward to us raising our little cupcakes together.”

He shook his finger at my bestie. “One teeny tiny cupcake and one even tinier tart.”

Haylee laughed with abandon and pointed at him. “You got me, Mr. Halla. I’m so happy that you’re here to celebrate with us this year, Bishop, and that you saved my best friend’s life so she could be here, too. I love you both.”

She pulled us in for a group hug, and I rubbed her back, knowing her pregnancy hormones were leading her emotional responses, but loving every minute of it. “We’re building a wonderful family,” I whispered, “Now, go find that man of yours before he sends out the police. You know he will, too.”

Hay-Hay laughed and waved as she weaved her way to the side of the bakery where Brady was engaged with my dad and old Mr. Martinson.

“She’s glowing with happiness,” Bishop said, his eyes on her protruding belly. “I can’t wait until you glow that way.”

I huffed and put my hand on my hip. “Excuse me, Mr. Halla? Are you implying that I don’t glow?”

His gaze drew me in while his lips captured mine in a short kiss that made me glad no one had noticed us. “Absolutely not. I said to glow in that way, which means your belly round with our child. I missed most of Sam’s pregnancy. I want to be there for every step of the next one.”

I leaned into him and nodded, my arm around his waist. “If my belly gets too round with our child, I might tip over. Oh!” I said, grabbing his hand. “I left part of our celebration in the back.”

He followed me to the back of the bakery, and I was glad no one followed us to see what we were up to back here. Still considered newlyweds, they probably figured we were sneaking off for a little nookie. I held up my hand by the cooler and stepped inside, grabbing a box off the shelf. His head was tipped in curiosity when I held it out.

“A special Fluffy Cupcake anniversary gift for you, Mr. Halla,” I whispered.

He took the box but held my eye. “What is it that you had to keep it in the cooler.”

“It’s an experiment,” I said. “It’s more like a work in progress. I haven’t quite decided what it will be yet. Open it.”

He set the box on the baker’s bench and untied the ribbon, parting the bakery paper and lifting out his surprise. “It’s a tart.”

“The teeniest tiniest,” I agreed, a smile on my lips.

He set it on the baker’s bench. “Raspberry and blueberry together?” he asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

“Yep. I couldn’t decide. It will take a few more months for me to know which tart it will be, but it’s most definitely a tart.”

He froze, his breath held in his chest for a moment. “Do you mean a teeny tiny tart for us?”

I nodded, a smile on my lips and a tear in my eye. “I know we didn’t plan for it to happen this soon, but I didn’t think you’d be too upset about it.”

His hand was shaking when he picked up mine. “Sometimes, the unplanned moments in life are what mean the most. You taught me that, and I can’t wait to see all the wonderful things you’re going to teach our tiny tart. Oh, God, I can hardly breathe from the joy and wonder of this gift. You are more than I deserve, Amber Halla.”

My hand caressed his cheek while the joy of his love and the joy of this tiny seed growing inside me filled my heart to overflowing. “No, Bishop. We deserve each other, and all the wonderful things that are happening to us. Don’t ever lose sight of that. You, my sweet teacher, taught me that. I love you.”

He gathered me into his arms and rocked me soothingly, kissing my forehead. “And I love you, my sweetart.”

Then his lips were on mine with the promise of being his today, tomorrow, and forever.