Page 63 of Strawberry Kisses

“Did you actually want something?” I asked, switching off the mixer and lifting the arm to remove the giant balloon whisk. The meringue was perfect. Grabbing my piping bag off the side, I began to spoon the meringue mix into it. I’d have to work quickly because meringue had a nasty habit of deflating if left out in the heat for too long, and the kitchen wasn’t exactly cold. Luckily, I’d be able to fit all the lemon meringue pies in the oven to cook at once. That was the one benefit of having something industrial sized.

“I just wanted to check on you,” Aaron said. He grabbed an empty piping bag off the side. “Can I help?”

I paused for a second then nodded. Usually I wouldn’t let anyone apart from Darcie help me, but I trusted Aaron. He washed his hands in the sink at the back of my kitchen before filling a piping bag and starting at the other end of the counter, carefully piping meringue on top of the lemon filling in exactly the same pattern as me.

“After Friday, I just wanted to check everything was okay. I didn’t know if you’d said anything to him,” Aaron continued.

“No. I will though.” I sighed and went to refill the piping bag. “I just have no idea how to say it or what to say. I may, um, I may have made a list earlier. I binned it though.” The admission made my skin heat, and I couldn’t bring myself to look at Aaron in case he laughed at me.

“I don’t know. A list sounds like a good idea to me. Everyone always says speak from the heart, but I think that’s bollocks. How the fuck are you supposed to know what your heart thinks? If it were me, I’d fuck it up as soon as I opened my bloody mouth if I hadn’t thought about it.”

I nodded, a small smile creeping onto my lips. “I’ll make another list then.”

“Good.”

“Why are you here, Aaron?” It was the question that had been circling my mind ever since I’d seen him. “Did you need something?”

“No, nothing like that.” He wasn’t looking at me, and that was suspicious. “I was at home, but I got a message from someone who said they were worried about you. So I thought I’d come down and see what was going on.”

“Who?” I asked, feeling my face wrinkle. “Connor?”

“Why the fuck would Connor have my number?”

“I don’t know.” I was genuinely bemused. I hadn’t seen anyone else… except Ben. I was sure I’d heard him pottering around earlier. “Was it Ben?”

“Nope. It doesn’t matter who it was. They were just worried about you.” He chuckled wryly. “They said they’d never seen you stress bake this badly.”

“I’m not—” I tried to argue, but Aaron raised an eyebrow. “Fine. But it helps.”

“You know what would help more?” Aaron said, finishing off the last of the piping with a flourish. “Actually fucking talking to him.”

“You’re an asshole, you know that?” I grinned and Aaron returned it.

“It’s been said, Pads. It’s been said.”

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