The late September sun reflects off the white stone of the cookery school as I park in the car park. The leaves are turning the colour of pumpkin spice lattes and cinnamon buns, and every day I wake knowing I’m beside the best man in the world. I’ve already started planning our first Christmas together and all the presents I’ll fill his stocking with. Max nearly cried when I told him I’ve booked a lesson for Bailey with a top patisserie chef.

​

I can’t believe this is my life! I never thought I’d be this happy. I shimmy with glee, releasing my seatbelt so I can move more.

 

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” I tell Max as I take in his bright blue eyes and his grey, rugged beard. He’s got a sexy lumberjack thing going on this morning with his check shirt and jeans. I almost made him stop on the way here so I could have fun with him.

​

“Shouldn’t I be saying that to you, Flour?” He cups my cheek, his lips brushing my freckle. I shiver against his caress like I always do. His fingers are coarse from playing hockey last night and the training he’s thrown himself into. The roughness of his touch turns me on even more. “I can’t get enough of you. I want to spend all morning like this, fiancée.”

 

The minty freshness of his tongue presses between the seam of my lips, and the hum that echoes from him to me as we make out has me inching over the gearstick. At the ache between my thighs, I contemplate how tricky it would be to fuck in the car.

 

His natural musky scent is as perfect as ever, and my heart flutters as I fist his shirt and remember this man is all mine forever.

 

A knock on the window makes us jump and giggle.

 

“Are you coming in? We’ve only got an hour,” Liz shouts through the glass.

 

Together we turn to find Liz Cloud standing outside the Jeep, tapping her watch and repeating her time check. I open the door slowly. “Sorry. We’ll be in right now. We wouldn’t miss this.”

 

Like two troublesome teenagers caught behind the bike shed, my strapping American hockey-playing fiancé and I scuff our heels on the gravel as we follow Liz into the cookery school.

​

“You’re so naughty,” I whisper in Max’s ear.

 

“Only because of you,” he murmurs back.

 

Liz turns and raises her brows, and we giggle again. “I know you got engaged last night, but I’ve never seen either of you act so silly. I’m the same with Iain when no one else is around.”

​

As soon as she turns, Max mouths to me, When no one else is around?

​

I cover my lips because we both know that Liz and Iain display more PDA than anyone we’ve ever met. As if to prove our point, as soon as we walk into the back of the cookery school, she makes a beeline for Iain, who’s announcing, “The future Mr and Mrs Max and Flora. I don’t know if you’ll take his name,” and pinches his bum.

 

Iain grunts, “Liz, you cheeky minx,” as she lingers and Max covers his eyes.

 

“Mum, could you not?” Amber grumbles as she holds one of the twins and Kalen holds the other. Cookie is running between people’s legs as Garett and Kath fill the table with breakfast delicacies.

 

Max’s chest and mine lift in unison as I smell freshly baked French toast, buttery croissants, smashed avocado, omelettes, juicy berries and tangy apples. Thankfully I can’t smell any bananas. The Clouds got the memo.

 

“Is Mum being gross again?” Ruby asks as she walks in. “By the way, Jem’s just arrived in the car park.”

 

Liz squeals, “Hide.”

 

Amber and Ruby roll their eyes. Cookie barks. Max murmurs, “Why?”

 

I quickly grab his hand and drag him behind the door as everyone quietly ducks down behind the table. I say everyone, but based on the kissing noises coming from the other side of the room, accompanied by Ruby and Amber’s grumbles, I think Iain and Liz are kissing.

 

“Doesn’t Jem have to get to the airport in an hour? Have we got time for this?” Kalen asks Garett noisily, and Garett replies, “You know this family loves a surprise party.”

 

“So this brunch isn’t for us?” Max asks, his lips dropping. 

 

“No,” I say, failing at whispering. “Last night while you were playing your first game of the season, Liz decided to give Jem a Good Luck on Your Trip to Ireland, Stay Out of Trouble and Conquer the World But Come Back Soon Party—working title.”

 

“But we only got engaged last night. Shouldn’t we have a party?”

 

I clamp my hand over Max’s mouth to stop him from laughing when I watch Liz crawling like a special forces soldier across the floor.

 

Amber lifts her head and hisses, “Mum, what are you doing?”

 

Liz looks up from the middle of the floor like a meercat. “Going commando.”

 

Max lifts his brows, and there’s a slap, like a high-five, no doubt between Ruby and Amber.

 

“She means commando crawling,” Iain explains. “She only goes commando on Saturdays.”

 

“This fucking family,” I mumble, amused, which sets Max laughing against my hand.

 

“But why are you commando crawling on the floor?” Kath asks. “You’re meant to be hiding.”

 

“I wanted Max to know that we still love him,” Liz replies.

 

Max eases my hand from his mouth and kisses my palm. “But I know that, Liz. I love you all too.”

Even though they’re super weird, he mouths at me.

 

“And you’re crawling because?” Ruby asks, lifting her head too.

 

“I didn’t want Jem to see me.”

 

“Too late,” Jem mutters. He stands in the doorway, tapping his foot as he watches Liz smile and jump up.

 

“Surprise, baby boy,” Liz screams.

 

The rest of us stand up and join in half-heartedly, except Iain, who shakes out his leg and complains about an old rugby injury.

 

Jem’s brow furrows as he takes in the food and all his family waving their arms. “Was this party supposed to be a surprise? I was at the hockey game while you were talking about it.”

 

“But we were whispering,” Liz replies.

 

He shakes his head and encourages everyone to the table. “Mum, your whisper is louder than most people’s normal conversation.”

 

Everyone nods along except Iain, who says, “You should hear when she screams. It’s like a hurricane.”

 

“How often does she scream?” Ruby asks.

 

The vomit-sounds she makes when Liz winks at Iain tell me she instantly regrets asking.

 

“You two don’t get to speak again,” Amber snaps, pointing at Liz and Iain. “Everyone sit down. We need to take Jem to the airport in fifty minutes.”

 

We all sit quickly, and as I look around the table, marvelling at each member of the family, I know I’m the luckiest person in the world. My eyes settle on Max, who stares back at me, his smile as broad as mine.

 

I never thought I’d find someone like him. The only sadness is that Bailey isn’t here, but he already had plans with his girlfriend. She’s giving a talk about her experiences of being neurodivergent to a charity that focuses on teenage mental health, and Bailey is joining her for moral support. I’m so fiercely proud of those two and offered to go along, but they insisted on doing it alone.

​

“I know my daughter rudely said I wasn’t allowed to talk anymore,” Liz announces, but I couldn’t let my baby boy—”

 

“Our baby boy,” Iain interjects.

 

She sniffs, and her voice wobbles as she says, “He’s a baby boy to all of us.”

 

“Bloody hell,” Jem mutters under his breath as Amber points at her watch and says, “Forty-five minutes, Mum.”

 

“But I need to say, quickly, how proud I am of Jem,” Liz continues. “After he dropped out of university and didn’t tell us and then made it so that Ruby nearly didn’t date the love of her life—" Jem makes the sound of a pained animal. "—he showed us how impressive he is. He's achieved so much at the restaurant and gained many skills. And although I don’t know why he’s moving away, because he could learn everything here…” She glances at him, her brow furrowed. “Is it for a girl? Because Judy Glumpton is still asking if you’re free for a date. I know Flora doesn’t want to be with you, but—"

 

I stand quickly because even I can’t mess up a goodbye speech as easily as Liz. “Jem, I’m really glad to call you my friend. We’re all going to miss you. You often make us laugh—"

 

“Do you remember that nosebleed when he asked Flora out?” Ruby whispers to Amber.

 

I babble on. I’ll quiet the whole Cloud family if I have to, to make sure Jem knows how loved he is. “But you show lots of care as well. And not everyone sees how lovely you can be.”

 

I wince at Kath because it turns out speeches aren’t my forte. She stands, taking over quickly.  “I’ve watched you grow up, Jem, and I can’t wait to see what you achieve when you move to Ireland. Your grandparents would be really proud of the man you’ve become.”

 

Before anyone else can say anything, Jem says, “Thank you for making this a special, if unnecessary, goodbye. I know I haven’t always been the best version of myself.” Liz glares at Amber and Ruby before they can make a dig. “And I’m really sorry to Max for how I behaved before, but I’m grateful for the support you’ve all given me. I can’t wait to bring back ideas from Ireland in nine months. But we’d better eat. I need to leave for the airport soon. Oh, and I’ve practised my baking, with Garett’s help.”

 

He pulls a plastic tub from his rucksack. “I know some people don’t like sweet things for breakfast, but here are some mini doughnuts as a thank you for all your support.”

 

“Let’s eat,” Amber shouts before anyone else can speak.

 

We’re ten minutes into the meal when a familiar face pokes her head through the door.

 

“Mel,” Kath says.

 

“Mel,” Liz says louder, “You made it.”

 

At Liz’s insistence, I messaged her when we were at Max’s hockey game, inviting her to brunch.

 

“Sorry I’m late.” When she doesn’t explain why, I collect her from the door before Liz can launch herself at her. She makes everyone feel welcome, but I suspect Mel wants to be a little more low-key than Liz would probably realise. “I haven’t got long but… Are they doughnuts?”

 

“Jem made them. He’s such a good, single, dateable man,” Liz says, until Iain tries to distract her.

 

“Do you want to sit next to…” I glance at the table, searching for an empty chair. The only space is between Jem and me. “Next to me.”

 

Jem shifts to the side to make room at the tightly packed table.

 

“Keep eating,” Jem encourages everyone. I think he’s trying to draw attention away from Mel, which surprises me. He’s a lot more aware of people than he’s given credit for.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t come last night. I was already running late after a really important conversation with my dad, and then I had a flat tyre. By the time I’d changed it and got back on the road, I was too late for the hockey game. Did you have a good night?”

 

“Max and I got engaged,” I say.

 

Mel squeals, apologises for not being there and demands to see the ring, which I flash in the way you only can when you’ve just got engaged. I’m waggling my hand so aggressively that Max takes my orange juice out of my other hand so I don’t spill it, or take him out with it.

 

“Well done, Max. It looks beautiful.”

 

My silver fox smiles proudly around an American-style pancake that Garett must have made in his honour.

 

“By the way, I have something to ask you. I’ll do it in private after brunch, if that’s okay,” I ask Mel, who nods.

 

“Twenty-five minutes,” Amber shouts to the entire table.

 

Everyone eats quickly, conscious that if they don’t, Amber will continue her time checks and Jem might miss his flight.

 

“You changed your own tyre?” Jem asks Mel. At her nod, he adds, “You’ll have to teach me how when I return from Ireland.”

 

“Okay,” she says. They keep discussing doughnuts and Ireland. Occasionally, I catch them talking about how her dad is giving her money to start a wedding-planning business after she finishes her evening business degree. I try to listen in, thinking about how I’m going to ask her to be my wedding planner, but get distracted when Max tells me about the congratulations he’s had from his teammates.

 

“Rudders says it’s just a matter of time before you realise he’s the one you should have picked, and then he showed me a video of him doing his exercises on the ice, aka fucking it, and how excited he was to get twenty likes on it. I didn’t have the heart to share that our engagement video has fifteen thousand likes.” My eyebrows pop. “I know. And Henry was really impressed with how well I did getting on my knees, and off them, and how little I creaked. It’s like I have a brand new body now.”

 

“You must keep up with the yoga,” I remind him.

 

His wink as he says, “And the massages,” makes me roll my eyes.

 

“But only from me.”

 

“No one's hands compare to yours, Flour.”

 

“Your lines, Max. How you won me over is beyond me,” I tease.

 

“You wanted me first. You were the one who made me want you.” His hand slips under my skirt, his rough hands warming my skin. “All that slutty sundress action and calling me Daddy Max was irresistible.”

 

I huff because he’s got a point. “Says the King of Sandwiches with his slutty glasses. Hurry up and finish your breakfast so I can pop a mint in your mouth and spend the rest of the day kissing my future husband.”

 

“Actually, I have other plans for us later.”

 

Before I can ask for details, he rushes to the kettle. “Anybody for tea?”

 

I nod my tea request, and Mel raises her hand to ask for one too, but Amber cuts us off. “No time.”

 

There’s a lot of goodbyes and hugs as Amber drags Jem out of the school, all the Clouds following closely as they’re going to drive Jem to the airport in convoy. Mel disappears to make a call, and Kath leaves for the restaurant to prep before it opens later.

 

As soon as we’re alone, Max holds out a mug of tea. “Sooooo,” he says, “What’s the rating?”

 

I sip it slowly, wincing, shaking my head as I watch his brow furrow. “Keep teasing me, and you’ll get the stick, Flour.”

 

“Promises, promises,” I retort.

 

He looks over my shoulder to make sure we’re still alone, then pulls a paddle shaped like a hockey stick, but with a short handle, from his rucksack. “Yes, promises. I said I’d chase you through the woods one day and then I’d spank you with my stick. How about we celebrate our engagement properly on the way home?”

 

I chuckle as I lift my hoodie and show that I’m wearing the cotton hockey jersey he gave me, with his name emblazoned on the back.

 

“This is why we’re perfect together,” I explain. “We’re just as kinky for each other. And by the way, the tea?” He nods. “It’s a ten. It will always be a ten because you made it, and you know how to make the perfect cup of tea.”

 

As he blushes, he fumbles for the roll of mints in his pocket. “Are you excited about asking Mel to be our wedding planner and your bridesmaid?”

 

I look over my shoulder, checking for Mel, and nod. “I still get teary when I remember how you asked Bailey to be your best man last night. I can’t imagine anything more perfect.”

 

“And it wouldn’t be possible without you. You made this happen.”

 

He takes me in his arms. “No, you made it possible. You’re the best dad Bailey could have asked for. I’m so proud of you. The way you care for him is like something out of a Hallmark Christmas movie. You’re amazing.” He holds me close, his lips brushing my ear. “Now kiss me quickly, Daddy Max.”

 

“You should know by now, I don’t do anything quickly, Flour. Love you.”

 

“Love you more.”​​

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Have you read the first book in the series, Go Cook Yourself, or the free series prequel, Ready or Knot? You can find out more about these books and the other books I write, via the link below.

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