Risking the Shot (Stick Side #4) - Amy Aislin Page 0,89

in high school.”

Dakota’s eyebrows flew up. “Little?”

“It’s nothing,” Tay said again, speaking over him. “Just something I fiddle with in my spare time.”

It was definitely more than that if Tay was getting ready to post the first book for everyone to see, but he’d closed up under his sisters’ questions, braced for rejection or ridicule. Dakota didn’t blame him. Tay had been so surprised when he’d expressed sincere interest not just in his art, but in him. He’d been unwittingly—and, most likely, accidentally—trained by Anna and Stella to believe no one cared about what he had to say.

Watching how careful Anna and Stella were with Tay, though, it was so obvious to Dakota that they were dying for more from him. Sure, their relationship hadn’t been the best growing up; they were older now, though, and Anna and Stella, like Tay, had grown up and matured and seemed to be attempting to make amends.

Tay couldn’t see that, too used to how things had been. Dakota tried sending his sisters a mental you’re going to have to do better than that message. It must’ve worked, because Anna said, “Can we see it?”

“Oh, um.” Tay gripped his water glass, running a nail through the condensation. “It’s not really ready yet. And we don’t have time, right?” He turned to Stella. “Don’t you have to get back to work soon?”

Her smile was frustrated and sad. “Right. So.” She pulled a notebook out of a purse the size of a highway billboard. “Here’s what we still have to do for Mom’s surprise party.”

Dakota let them talk around him, attention mostly on Tay, even when their lunch eventually came. Tay was looser with his words, less reserved when the conversational topic was off himself. They checked items off Stella’s to-do list, made notes next to others, confirmed details, and generally spent an hour finalizing everything.

“Okay.” Stella pushed her empty plate away and brought the notebook closer. “Last item is the cake. Tay?”

Tay elbowed him. “Kota’s on it.”

Anna polished off her superfood bowl. “You’re a baker?”

“Cake decorator,” Dakota clarified. “Tay said your mom’s a firefighter, so here’s what I was thinking.” Out of his coat pocket, he pulled a sketch he’d worked on last night during Tay’s game. “Let me know what you think.”

He’d drawn a three-layer cake: a white and red cake on the bottom with an ax on the side, topped with a second layer with their mom’s fire station emblem surrounded by flames, and the third layer was silver with a fire hydrant and hose. On top of that third layer was a small firefighter helmet. A ladder leaned against the height of the cake.

“Wow.” Stella ripped the paper out of Anna’s hands. “You can really do this?”

“Totally,” Tay jumped in. “You should see his cakes. They’re amazing. Here.” He pulled out his phone and brought up a photo of the golf cake. “Look at this.”

“Ooh,” the sisters said.

“Do you have a website?” Stella asked. “We order a cake at the office once a month to celebrate the birthdays that month. This is way better than the grocery store ones we’ve been getting.”

“Once Upon a Time Cakes,” Tay said. “Look it up. They’ve got a new website.” To Dakota, “I haven’t forgotten that I owe you a logo.” He wiped his fingers on a napkin and stood. “Be right back. I need to wash my hands.” His burger had been the size of his face and messy to eat.

“Do you have a business partner?” Anna dug a wallet out of her coat pocket. “Tay said they.”

“My cousin. He does the baking; I do the decorating.”

“And Tay’s drawing you a new logo?”

“Yeah.” Dakota rubbed his jaw. “Ours is outdated.”

The server came by to grab their empty plates. “Can I get you guys anything else?”

“Just the bill,” Stella said, already donning her scarf.

“One or separate?”

“One,” Anna said.

“Separate,” Dakota said at the same time.

“One,” Anna confirmed with a quiet laugh. “My treat.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Shh.” Stella glared at him. “Don’t argue. What’s wrong with you?”

She sounded so much like Tay that it made Dakota laugh.

Tay returned as Anna was paying the bill, and then she and Stella were shrugging into their coats. Dakota stood with Tay to see them off.

“Dakota.” To his surprise, Stella hugged him. “It was so nice to meet you. Sorry we couldn’t talk more, but I’ve got to get back to the office for a meeting.”

“And I’ve got errands to run before my shift at the hospital,” Anna said. She