“I get it,” Sunny said, looking at Duke who smiled at her.
“Sunny, can we make the cupcakes now?” Zippy called out. “I want to decorate mine. I’m going to put so much icing on it that it collapses underneath the weight.”
“Oh Lord, she probably plans on eating it too,” Betsy said as she moved past them. “She’s going to be awake all night with a stomachache. I just know it.”
“It’s all right,” Sunny said. “I made plenty of icing. I got out of bed this morning when I wasn’t supposed to and made extra,” she said to Brody.
“Bet you got into trouble over that,” Brody said as he pushed his glasses back up his nose.
“Yep. Let’s just say I’m not looking forward to sitting down while I’m doing the cupcakes. I might try to stand. Do you think anyone will notice if I’m standing?”
Brody nodded. “Yep, I think they will. But don’t worry, you’re not the only one who got spanked this morning.”
“You too, huh?” Sunny said with commiseration.
“Oh, yeah, and so did Tutu.”
“Zippy, don’t you use all that icing. It’s for everyone!” Betsy called out.
“Yeah, everyone like us, Zippy,” Baron called out. “Save some for us.” He rushed over toward the table that had been set up for the cupcake decorating, while Royal strolled behind him, his hands in his pockets.
Royal looked relaxed, but his gaze was moving around the surroundings, as though he was keeping an eye on things, too, or as though he was up to something.
The twins were usually up to something.
Hopefully they didn’t plan on blowing anything up. Now that would be a Fourth of July to remember.
Autumn walked up beside Brody and slid her hand into his. “What are you guys talking about?”
“How we’re going to decorate cupcakes while standing up,” Sunny said with a grimace.
“You too, Sunny?” Autumn said with sympathy.
“Yep. Turns out that when you are doing something sneaky, you always need to check that your dog doesn’t stand on the evidence and that you wipe it off your face. Either one would’ve gotten me caught. Both were just the nail in the coffin of my sore bottom. I’m going to go help set up.”
Sunny headed over to the table, leaving the two of them.
“Was that supposed to make sense?” Autumn asked.
“I have no idea,” Brody replied.
“Are you going to decorate a cupcake, Brody-bear?”
“Oh, um, I don’t know.”
“Yeah, me neither,” Autumn said.
Shoot. If he wanted to help her relax, then he should insist that they both go decorate a cupcake. Even if he had absolutely no skill with decorating, or icing, or cupcakes.
“Come on, let’s do this. I bet I can make more of a mess than you can.”
Autumn gave him a grin. “Challenge accepted.”
Fifteen minutes later,both of them were a mess.
Brody swore that there was more icing on his hands and his T-shirt than there was on the actual cupcake he was attempting to decorate.
“What do you think?” Autumn asked as she showed him her cupcake.
