“We don’t believe in God.It feels weird being there without her.”
“We got married in a church,” she points out.
“And look what happened there.”
Freya leans into me.“He fascinates me but scares me at the same time.”
Lake sighs, like she expected that comment.“Which is why I won’t bribe you to go or continuously remind you that we got married in a church.”
“I love you,” he tells her.“I forgive you for not fighting for my brownie.”
“I would never have given in to your demands,” Malia snorts.“I would rather feed them to the wildlife than give them to you.”
“What did I ever do to you?”Max snaps.
“You stole my fucking food.I hate baking.Loathe it.But I do it because I know it will be worth it.What I don’t do it for is other people.”
“She’s right.The only reason she bakes extras is so we don’t steal hers.But we do the same when we bake,” Mercedes comments.
“Then bake me extras.Problem solved,” he offers.
Everyone, except his wife, widens their eyes at him.Lake just looks heavenward as Malia takes a closer step toward him.“You aren’t welcome here.I already have a sign being ordered.”
“That’s not fair.Where else are we going to have our eating contest?My wife doesn’t like me doing shit like that in our garden.Me and my brother-in-law tried to make a water slide and she lost her shit.”
Malia arches an eyebrow.“Wait...that note was from you?”
His eyebrows pinch together.“Who else would it be from?I told you at the spa opening thing we should do one.”
Malia laughs, throwing her head back she laughs that hard.“Maybe you shouldn’t laugh,” I mumble from the side of my mouth when I see Max begin to go red.
“This is so funny though,” she declares, and the minute she glances at Max, she doubles over, laughing even harder as she clutches her stomach.“I can’t.I really can’t.I thought he was joking at the party.I can’t...”
“Can’t win you mean,” he grumbles, and she splutters out more laughter.
“Max, take your cake, sit down, and shut up,” Lake orders, pinching the bridge of her nose when it’s clear he’s going to say more.She glances at Malia.“I would apologise for him, but if you know him, you’ll know it’s all I would be doing.So I’m going to say this once, and once only, I am deeply sorry for my husband.That apology extends until the day he dies.Honestly, he isn’t as bad as he acts.Normally, you can sit him in the corner with a five-course meal and a slinky and hope he entertains himself.”
Max’s eyes widen as he stares at his wife with a pained look.The hand holding the cake has frozen halfway to his mouth.“That’s it, wife, twist the knife whilst it’s firmly wedged in my back.How could you?I am your husband and you’re apologising to the enemy.”
“You dragged me here, drove like you were chasing the ice cream van, and shoved me in front of a woman who has already been through enough.If you were honest with yourself, you’re only being extra because she reminds you of someone.”
His nose scrunches up.“Who the hell is she supposed to remind me of?”
No, don’t say it, lady.
Don’t say it.
Arching her brow, his wife replies, “You.”
Fuck, she said it.I stick my fingers in my ears, blocking out the screeching coming from not only Max but Malia.
It takes a minute for them to split up, and that’s when I relax somewhat.
“Food has arrived,” Milly cries in happiness.“Oh, we have Indian.No wait, we have Chinese too.Oh my god, there’s chicken.This is the best day of my life.I don’t know how to handle all this joy.”
“Aww, is she like this Christmas morning?”Freya asks.
I sigh sadly.“Believe it or not, no.”
