Page 105 of Make Mine Sweet
THIRTY-FIVE
TESS
It’s official.I’m a starer.
No matter what anyone else does during the party, my gaze keeps returning to Ian. Across the yard kicking the soccer ball with August. Grilling our dinners at the barbecue with Jodi. Talking politely with Mom. I watch him like we’re having a staring contest he doesn’t know about, and if I look away, I’ll lose.
He’s just so happy tonight. He seemed a little disgruntled by the surprise arrival of his brother and sister-in-law, but he relaxes more and more as the evening rolls on. I can’t stop marveling over his casual friendliness with everyone. I’m a scientist observing her subject in an all-new environment, amazed by her findings.
The findings are:I am in deep.
“Uh oh,” Hope says. “Ian just asked Griffin about the best local hiking spots. They’re going to be there a while.”
Griffin, Steven, Iris, and Ian are in the yard with sodas in their hands. Ian’s nodding along while Griffin describes something. He looks over and catches me watching. When he flashes a small, slanted smile just for me, we might as well be the only ones out here.
“It’s too bad Lila’s sick,” Wren says. “I bet her new guy would love to get in on this conversation.”
I pull my attention back to my friends.
“How do we keep getting the outdoorsy ones?” Hope’s gaze darts to her fiancé as if she can’t help herself, either.
“I won’t be part of your little group.” Wren tips her nose up. “I’m holding out for an indoorsy type. A bookish guy. Someone who plays chess and drinks tea and never has grease under his fingernails.”
Hope takes a sip of soda, glancing away. That list got suspiciously detailed.
“You don’t play chess,” I point out. It’s my safest response here.
Wren makes a face at me. “It’s part of the vibe I’m looking for, though.”
August slips between me and Wren. “Mama, can we do cake and presents now?”
“Sure, buddy.” He’s been as patient as I can reasonably expect. Probably because he already had cake and presents once today. “Want to ask Ian to come to the patio?”
“Yeah!” He pumps his fist and sprints across the grass.
I go inside and pull the cake from the fridge. Wren follows me to grab plates, forks, and napkins but pauses when she sees the cake.
“That is the cutest freaking thing. Has August seen it?”
“I told him not to peek. We’ll find out by his reaction whether he resisted the urge or not.”
Outside, everyone gathers around our patio table, with Ian and August standing in the place of honor. I set the cake in front of them. It’s a strawberry-lemon cake as requested, but I kept to the dinosaur theme. I frosted the single-tier, three-layer cake in light brown buttercream and piped big, green leaves all around the outside to give it a rainforest effect. On top, I added a T-rex footprint filled with chocolate ganache.
I do know some movie references.
August slaps his hands on both cheeks when he sees the cake, his mouth forming a perfect ‘O.’ Oh, yeah. He peeked.
“Where did you buy that?” Iris asks me.
“Tess made it.” Ian sounds as proud as if he told her I’m a brain surgeon. “That’s what she does.”
I press two candles on either side of the T-rex footprint, smiling to myself.
“Seriously? This is so impressive.”
Hope slides over to her, phone out. “Check out what she made for our engagement party. Chocolate cake with mascarpone cream and salted caramel.”
Iris looks from the phone to me. “I want to eat this picture.”
