April nodded. She legally wasn’t allowed to talk about Violet or anything she did with her, but she’d already told Tanner about her, just not that they were related.
“What’s her name?” Skyla asked.
“Violet.” April pulled out her cell phone to show them her screensaver that had a photo of Violet holding a soccer ball with a huge grin where one of her front teeth was missing. She’d snapped the photo a few weeks ago.
“She’s beautiful,” Orly said.
“When do we get to meet her?” Skyla asked, and everyone looked at her in surprise. “What? It’s not like I stopped liking kids just because I lost mine.”
April swallowed at Skyla’s words, and quickly added, “Um, she lives with her step dad and he’s really strict about letting her go out.”
“Even with you? It’s not like she’s a teenager trying to sneak out to meet boys,” Orly teased.
April laughed, trying to imagine how Ned would react to Violet sneaking a boy into that cement and steel prison he calls DynaTech Corp Headquarters. But then she sobered, remembering their rampant security, and that Violet would likely never get the chance to go out and meet boys like normal teenage girls.
“Who’s sneaking out to meet boys?” Tanner asked. He’d come up the steps of Garrett’s wraparound porch just in time to hear the last part of Orly’s words.
“No one,” Hallie laughed. “We were just wondering when we were going to meet April’s niece, and she was telling us about her strict step dad.”
“Niece?” Tanner asked, and April felt a lump painfully settle in her stomach. She’d wanted to tell him, but she never knew how or when. It wasn’t like she met someone like Tanner and his friends every day. These people seemed genuinely kind and absolutely wonderful. She wanted nothing more than to introduce them to Violet, and to bring Violet to these get-togethers. She would love running around Garrett’s yard, fishing with the guys, and even swimming in the lake. Though, now that April thought about it, she wasn’t sure if Violet knew how to swim, but that could easily be remedied.
“You didn’t mention Violet was your niece,” Tanner said with no heat. “Now I’d really love to meet her.”
Every alarm bell rang in her head as the conversation she’d had with Zara blared like a loud radio in her mind.He deserves to know about his kid. What if no one told him?April wanted to crawl under the porch and hide. She’d said too much, and courtesy of the NDA she signed as a condition of working with Violet, she legally couldn’t say more. Not until she was ready to tell Tanner everything. “We’ll see,” she said, hoping someone would change the subject.
As if picking up on her tension, Hallie stood from Skyla’s side and clapped her hands. “We almost forgot about dessert.” April had heard all about her cake, and was actually eager to try it. All the women smiled just as the guys came up onto the porch in time to hear the worddessert. Then almost comically, they made a beeline back to the dock.
Hallie pinned them with a glare, which made Caden stop in his tracks, while the others pretended not to notice. “You don’t even want to try it?” She called after them.
All the guys stopped in their tracks and Caden visibly sighed. He jogged up the steps and wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll try anything you make, Hales,” he said, then shot Blake a glance that made April sit up straighter. “But Blake has to try it first.”
April almost laughed until Blake half-jokingly protested, “What the heck, Man? Haven’t I been through enough?”
At that, everyone froze, all smiles faded, and April could probably hear a pin drop in the tall grass. No one seemed to know what to say but then, without even thinking, April said, “my mom was vegan for a few years, and she used to bake with substitute ingredients all the time. If something came out too mushy, the key was to put it in the microwave or toaster oven for a few minutes to dry it out a bit.”
Hallie turned to April with a relieved smile and hugged her. “Thanks,” Hallie said. “You’re a lifesaver.”
April hugged her back, wishing there was more she could do. When Hallie released April and turned to go inside, Caden quickly followed, offering April a grateful nod before disappearing into the house on his wife’s heels. Blake joined Skyla on the floor, pulling her into his arms, and Tanner joined April on the porch, standing beside her.
“Never a dull moment around here,” Tanner said, obviously trying to relieve some of the tension. If April didn’t know better, she would’ve thought this was the worst day for him to invite an outsider into their group. But she had genuinely enjoyed her time with all of them, so she kept that thought to herself, hoping no one else was thinking it, too.
“Pretty sure you just saved the day,” Martin said, coming up on April’s other side. “I know it may not feel like it with everything going on, but you’re a hit.”
April shrugged. “Good thing my mom went through a health nut phase before losing her mind.”
Martin gave her a curious glance at that.
“Alzheimer’s,” April explained. “I try to talk to her once a week on Zoom, but she doesn’t even know who I am anymore. It only confuses her most of the time. So, I just call the nursesevery few days to check on her.” She was rambling now, but Martin gave her a reassuring smile.
“You’re a good daughter,” Tanner said, putting an arm around her. “And a good friend.”
A few minutes later, Hallie came out with Caden, carrying a platter of cut up pieces of cake. “April, you were right. A few minutes in the toaster oven and this baby is practically perfect. Want to try it?”
There was no way April could say no. “Of course. I’d be honored.” She took the piece closest to her. Everyone watched with seemingly bated breath as she took her first bite. Covering her mouth with her other hand, she laughed, and everyone else laughed too, finally releasing the pent-up tension that had lingered all this time. “It’s really good,” she announced. “Not like a normal cake, but definitely edible, and I mean that in the best possible way. Good job, Hallie.”
Hallie beamed and Caden took a piece for himself. After a moment of chewing, he said, “This is pretty good. I guess I can be a health food convert, and not just because you’re my wife, and I love you and would literally take a bullet for you.”
Hallie smiled and shook her head. Blake rose to his feet and took a piece. “Only for you, Hallie,” he said, before biting into it. Then everyone else ponied up and took a slice as well, and the reactions were all positive, much to Hallie’s relief.
