Xavier groaned, imagining one more brick stacked against him. "She's probably going to expect that I have some idea, right?"
Ryan nodded. "I would think so. She wouldn't expect you to be an expert, but she might think you at least have a passing interest. Lucky for you, you have me. I'll give you a crash course, and maybe even flash cards if you need them."
The thing was, Ryan would. Sweetly, and without malice. He'd help, as always, to make sure that Xavier and Everson had the best chance. The Brennan brothers always stuck together.
"I'll take you up on that, but not tonight." He stood and called for the dog. "I'm heading home now. And I'll act completely surprised when you guys call us with the news. Get us all on the group video chat so you can tell us all at the same time."
"You don't have to go. You can stay for dinner."
"Nah. You guys need some time alone. I'll see you for family dinner on Sunday as usual." He hugged them goodbye and headed out. When he glanced back, as the door was closing, Ryan and Everson were already reaching for each other.
Xavier started the short walk home. Seeing his brother so happy and settled made him happy. It was the same when Leo had married Kelsey. He'd never given the matter of finding someone to love much thought. Until he'd turned thirty. The milestone birthday coupled with signing his latest contract had changed his perspective. The contract might be his last as a football player. Suddenly the future, the post-football future, was no longer far away. Hell, it was practically right in his face. The days of partying were behind him, had been for a few years now, but even so, his reputation hadn't completely caught up to his now drama-free lifestyle.
Rocky barked and pulled him toward a squirrel racing up a tree. Laughing, he directed the dog toward home. Thoughts of the future needed to take a backseat to more immediate concerns. Like his crazy dog and his crazy family, and that he somehow had to learn how to bake, or at least something about baking, before he saw Ashley again.
CHAPTER FOUR
Ashley carefully brushed luster dust onto the petals of a rose adorning the five-tier ivory fondant tower that stood on the table before her. Her hands and shoulders ached from the hours of work, but she felt wonderful, alive, and happy riding the high that always accompanied a cake well-done. She put down her brush and stepped back to survey the finished cake.
The once blank icing canvas now resembled a romantic garden. Dozens of blush-pink roses and delicate orange blossoms garlanded the cake.
Katie circled the table, checking for flaws and imperfections. "Looks good. You've outdone yourself. The client is going to love it."
"I hope so."
The bell over the front door jangled.
Ashley glanced at the doorway and rolled her neck. "Can you check on that please?"
"On it." Katie dashed into the hallway.
Alone again, Ashley scanned the cake with a critical eye. The sound of footsteps crossing the floor grew louder as they came up behind her. She didn't look up, intent on inspecting one last flower. "Who was it?"
The footsteps came closer. "Just me. No dog, this time."
Xavier's voice, deep and as rich as the most decadent dessert washed over her. She slowly turned around.
Dressed in dark, perfectly tailored pants and a pale blue button-down shirt, the tight end stood a few feet away. "Wow, that cake looks amazing."
In the week since she'd last seen him, he'd been on her mind far too often. Sweaty in her baker's coat, she inwardly cringed, imagining her appearance. Strands that had worked themselves loose of her ponytail hung in her face. She lifted a hand streaked with the colors of her handiwork to push them away, and stopped just short of transferring the icing to her face. She stuck her hand behind her back. "How's Rocky? He didn't get sick from eating the icing, did he?"
"He's got an iron stomach."
"That's a relief." She smiled at him and wondered what he was doing there. Then realized she'd never called him to schedule a time to meet about the competition. "I'm sorry I didn't call you. We had a lot going on this week." Not a lot of bakery orders, but a visit to a new bank, and yet another loan application, and a day of stress when one of the ovens had needed an emergency repair.
"No worries. I'm here because I wanted to place an order for a cake."
Uncomfortable under his intense gaze, she shifted her weight from the balls of her feet to her heels. Why did her mind turn to jelly when he was within ten feet of her? "Of course. We can make anything you want."
He turned his attention back to the cake and walked over to examine it. "You made these flowers? They look so realistic." He lifted a finger to touch one of the extras left on the table.
"That's what we were going for." The hours of work, every ache she had, was worth watching the admiration in his eyes. They stood, mere feet apart. She blew out a breath and tossed her head in a failed attempt to shift the hair off her face.
He shifted, closing the distance between them until they were only a step apart. His rapt attention focused on her face the way she'd imagine an artist contemplating his muse.
She studied his square jaw, firm mouth, then her gaze locked with his green eyes and her heart skipped a beat. He slowly brought his hand to her face, lifted the hair out of her eyes and tucked the strands behind her ear.
The incidental contact set her nerve endings sizzling. She focused her attention back to the reason he'd come in. "You wanted a cake?"
His hand lowered to his side. The
