“Who?”
“My sperm donor.”
“God, that’s horrible. He’s your father, and ok so I don’t know him, or what this is about between you, but he seems nice.”
“He’s a good actor, and this doesn’t concern you.”
“And yet you seem to think my business concerns you.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“Shut up, the judging is starting.” He took her arm and towed her forward until they stood with Mallory.
“Don’t tell me to shut up!” she hissed so only he could hear.
“Then stay out of it and I won’t have to.”
Maggs didn’t speak again.
“Welcome to the Great Ryker Falls Bake-Off.”
“Original,” Luke muttered.
“Mrs. Howard thought it had a better ring to it,” Maggs added.
Major Gripper wore caramel-and-black-striped trousers and a Christmas sweater that had a reindeer on the front with a flashing red nose and antlers. On his head was a Santa hat.
“He pulls it off though,” Fin said. “The guy has style.”
“Wait for it,” Jack arrived.
Major Gripper tapped the mic, and it squealed.
“Never gets old,” Jack said, pulling Rory in front of him so he could lean on her.
“Today we have ten entries.”
“I told Joe he’s getting fat so I should do the judging,” Jack added.
“Bet he loved that,” Fin said.
“Did you bake anything for the competition?” Mallory looked to each of them.
“I’m a park ranger.” Fin slapped his chest. “We have far more important things to do than baking.”
His words made his sister giggle.
“You baked a Halloween cake and put red jelly in the middle for the school bake sale,” Dylan reminded him.
“I think you’re confusing me with someone else.”
“The judges will eat a sample of the ten finalists, then they will write a number from 1-10 on the card and stick it under the plate. Votes will be counted after the judging,” Mayor Gripper said.
“Mrs. L is blinking rapidly. One day those heavy lashes of hers will cause a natural disaster,” Pip said.
Maggs laughed as the woman concerned slapped Joe’s hand as he tried to take a second piece of muffin from the same plate. All the judges wore Christmas sweaters in varying designs.
