A California Christmas (Silver Springs #7) - Brenda Novak Page 0,60

stay, too, at least through the holidays, at which point they’d both have to get back to their regular lives. Sure, she’d been recognized at the Blue Suede Shoe and in such a sensational way that word of her presence was bound to spread and spread quickly. But she’d expected the locals to become aware of the fact that she was in town eventually.

So how would that change things?

She’d face some judgment, criticism and curiosity while working at the cookie store. But at least she had a job here, was making some money, and she had a safe place to come home to at night. What would she do in LA? Sit around and feel sorry for herself? Obsess over Ethan being able to retain his job despite what he’d done to her?

A loud clang and some other noises, coming from below, trickled up to her. Someone was in the kitchen.

It had to be Aiyana. Emery had been staying in the house long enough to know the younger boys would sleep in as late as Aiyana allowed them to. And Dallas deserved to sleep, after getting banged up in that fight.

Determined to help with the wedding before she had to go to work, Emery kicked off the covers and climbed out of bed. She had to shower before heading to the store, but she didn’t want to do that now in case Aiyana needed her to do something strenuous.

After she brushed her teeth, she pulled her hair into a ponytail, donned some sweats and hurried down to see what might be on the agenda.

“You’re up early,” Aiyana commented when Emery joined her in the kitchen.

“I have to be at work at one but I was hoping there was something I could do this morning to help you get ready for the wedding. It’s the last weekend before the big event. You must be overwhelmed.”

“Oh, I’m not taking the wedding too seriously,” she said as she rinsed the beaters of the electric mixer. “I’d like it to be a nice event, of course, but I’m too old to obsess about the details. Cal loves me, and I love him. That’s what’s important. If I forget something or the food or music doesn’t turn out exactly so, hopefully our guests will understand.” She gestured at a bowl filled with batter. “You ready for breakfast? I’m making buttermilk pancakes.”

After becoming an adult and working hard to take care of herself, it felt wonderful to be able to stay with someone like Aiyana, who was so nurturing. It wasn’t as if her own mother could offer her a soft place to land during this difficult time. “Looks delicious. Thanks. Would you like me to set the table or do something else to help with the meal?”

“If you could get them on the griddle for me, that’d be great. I’ll go roust out the boys. It’s harder to get them up than you might expect.”

Emery buttered the griddle Aiyana had already plugged in and chuckled as she listened to the ruckus going on upstairs.

“Right now,” she heard Aiyana say. Then either Liam or Bentley responded, with a big measure of complaint, “It’s Sunday! Why do we have to get up so early?” And she said, “Because we have work to do.”

Emery was being so careful to pour the batter such that the pancakes wouldn’t fuse together that she didn’t hear Dallas enter the room behind her.

“Morning,” he said.

She whirled around, holding the spatula she planned to use to turn the pancakes. “Oh! You startled me. Good morning.”

Her pulse picked up, but she knew it wasn’t from being surprised. Just having him so close did that. As much as her mind insisted on continuing to call him a friend, her body had no hesitancy claiming him as a lover.

He was wearing a pair of jeans that fit so well she couldn’t help noticing, and a plain gray sweatshirt. “Sleep good?” he asked as he went over to pour himself some coffee.

The air felt pregnant with all the things they were attempting to ignore. Last night had been... Memorable. That was probably the best way she could describe it. They were good together in that way. There was a palpable energy sparking between them even now, but she wasn’t about to address what’d happened. She was going to pick up and move on, exactly as she had after Thursday. “I did. You?”

He didn’t answer, but he smiled as he sat down with his cup, and Emery used