Page 17 of Fierce-Baker

He’d loved once. And yeah, she’d loved him back.

Maybe he hadn’t been strong enough to climb the walls that stood between them.

But then the truth settled in the pit of his stomach, weighing him down. He hadn’t been given a chance to fight for anything.

“Not everyone is as fortunate as her and Gavin. Or Mason and Jessica. You and Eve.”

“Hope and Devin, Liam and Margo, all her kids, nieces and nephews, my brother and Anya. I could keep going on if you want.”

“You made your point.” Baker took another sip of his coffee in hopes of stopping the laughter. It shouldn’t be funny to him, but it kind of was in an ironic way.

He came from a family where his parents didn’t respect each other, even if they professed to love the other.

And here, he was surrounded by more respect, love and companionship than a Hallmark movie.

“Jolene will drill hers home with you too,” Ben said, then turned to return to the brewery while Baker went to the distillery.

When he opened the door to the floor, it wasn’t Jolene that was standing there watching him, it was Gavin Fierce with an eyebrow lifted as if he was ready to tag along for a day of fun.

“Baker,”Gavin said. “Just the man I wanted to see.”

He had to get away from his wife. She was driving him insane and pushing him out the door to find out what he could about Baker.

No amount of telling Jolene to mind her own business was going to work.

So rather than work her up, he said he’d head over. It wasn’t like it was a hardship for him to be here.

“Looking to taste a few things or get to work?”

“Both,” he said. “My wife doesn’t need to know about the tasting part. We can keep that between us.”

Baker grinned. “We can. If you can tell her to give me some space.”

His big shoulders dropped. He didn’t know why his wife thought no one was onto her or that they would just all fall in line.

“I can tell her all I want to do it, but she doesn’t listen too well.”

“And you love that about her, don’t you?”

“If you tell her I said yes, then I’m going to tell her you’re interested in Tasha.” Baker’s eyes lit up. “And you know that already. Or you are interested in Tasha and my wife hasn’t figured it out yet?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Tasha and I actually just talked for the first time today, so I’m not sure why your wife thinks we’d fit. Unless of course she told Tasha and now has everyone doing the work for her?”

“She won’t push Tasha. Don’t worry there. She knows enough of who can handle things and who might not be able to.”

“How is that?”

“I’m not going to make it too easy for you,” he said. “But we can keep this conversation between us.”

“I’d appreciate it,” Baker said.

“And you can give my wife hell if she crosses the line. See, she sent me here.”

“You’re admitting it?”

“I’m admitting it because sometimes I like to play with her as much as she does everyone else. So I’m giving you a bone if you do the same. Maybe we can work her up some. I can be a shield for you and you can let me tap that bourbon barrel over there that I know Mason is ready to taste. Been two years now, right?”

“I should have figured that was what you wanted.”