“Ooo, what’s this for?” Callie asks.
“School camp for my daughter,” I say, shifting my attention to her. “I signed up, not realising I had to bring a second person, and Westley kindly offered to fill the spot.”
“That’s not how I remember it,” he says, his voice caressing my skin with the way it rumbles.
“Well, that’s the story we’re going with.” I look up at him, my eyes dancing around his face. I don’t know where I spend more time, on his lips or his eyes. They remind me of a galaxy, all those gold and grey flecks like stars.
A throat clearing behind us has my heart galloping as I quickly glance away from West.
“Anyway, I need to watch some baking tutorials and figure out what the fuck I’m making for a bake sale at school next week before I get ready for work.”
“I can come over and help if you want?” West says.
I’m already playing a risky game with the fake dates, the text messages, and the clandestine balcony meetings. I gotta maintain the line somewhere. Baking together sounds way too cutesy, with a side of romance, and I think hives are breaking out on my skin at just the thought of it. Not to mention, I don’t need to discover yet another side of this man that I find attractive… He cooks? My lady boner is standing at full attention.
“Are you doubting my skills or just trying to find an excuse to come over?”
The corners of his eyes crease, and he smiles in a way that says he knows what I’m doing. Maintaining the line. He calls me a trickster because he can’t figure me out, and he knows that’s not by accident. “I’m happy to be proven wrong by you. But, if you get stuck, you know where to find me.”
“Appreciate the confidence.” I tip my head.
“I thought Liv mentioned you work at the beauty salon over the road from the bakery?” Callie asks.
“Single mum life,” I chuckle. “Two jobs.”
“Aurora’s at her friend’s?” Westley asks, and stupid butterflies flutter around in my stomach over the fact that he even checks in about my daughter.
“Yeah, she’s at Ever’s.”
West nods, his eyes roaming my face.
“It was so nice to meet you, Maevyn,” Callie says. “Don’t be a stranger.”
I back away, smiling, eyes flicking over to West one last time. I’m so used to being a stranger, I don’t know how to be anything else. Apparently, just a few short months in Heart City makes a girl try new things.
15
TRICKSTER:
SOS
I frown down at the text on my phone, picking it up off the bench in a hurry.
ME:
What’s wrong?
TRICKSTER:
It’s Aurora. Mum’s trying to bake choc chip cookies. It’s not going well.
Stubborn woman. I knew she didn’t want to accept my help. She’s independent, she’s done the whole parent thing entirely on her own, which is amazing, but it’s just baking some damn treats for God’s sake. We’ve crossed paths a few times this week, but I don’t know if she’s giving me space because of Callie or if there’s something else on her mind.
I pop my head into Callie’s open bedroom door. She’s sitting in the middle of her bed, already in her pjs, her reading glasses perched on the end of her nose as she scrolls on her laptop.
“I’m popping over to Maevyn’s. Turns out she does need some assistance with the baking.”
“Okay,” she says without looking up. “Have fun.”
