Standing in the kitchen of The Fitzroy Cake Company, I put the finishing touches on the batch of cupcakes in front of me with a flourish. Swirling the last dab of rainbow buttercream icing, I put down the piping bag and sighed.

“Are these ready to go out?” Melissa asked. She was the first employee I’d ever hired, and so far was just as keen as I was.

“Yep. Load them into the display.”

“They look amazing,” she said, sliding the tray off the counter before disappearing out front.

“Am I interrupting?” a deep voice rumbled behind me.

Spinning on my heel, my gaze collided with Mark’s, and I grinned at the sight of him. My entire body zinged, and an image of what we’d done on the bench—which I’d disinfected—came to mind.

Since our confrontation at The Underground a week ago, things had settled. Well, the best they could with the shop’s opening looming. We were much more open with each other, his comfort levels had increased tenfold, and we were on the up-and-up. Those walls he’d built after his return from America were beginning to be dismantled, and the real man was shining through. The changed man.

His experiences had shaped him more than he’d realized, and I really fucking loved what was underneath. It wasn’t just in reference to his sexy as hell sculpted body but the heart he’d denied having his whole life. The heart that beat with mine. Hell, I was turning into a complete sap.

We’d been through a lot of emotional turmoil since the fire, and even though our story was unconventional, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Things happened exactly as they needed to. We’d both needed a hell of a kick up the ass to get us moving. It kind of paralleled my current zombielike state, if that was even comparable.

“Mark!” I exclaimed, opening my arms as he approached.

Pulling me into his embrace, he chuckled. “You look sexy in that little apron.”

“Shut up, I look like shit. I’ve been up half the night baking, and we were back here at six a.m.‬ I’m pretty sure there’s icing in my hair.”‬‬‬‬‬

“So? You look pretty fucking hot if you ask me,” he retorted. “Hey, did you know there’s a line outside?”

I leaned back with a frown. “There’s a what?”

“Man, you are dedicated to your work.” He shook his head with a playful grin. “I bet you haven’t even looked up even for one second.”

“Not really. I want this to be perfect…” Extracting myself from his arms, I moved over to the door and peeked through the opening. Melissa was placing the rainbow cakes I’d just made into the display case while Stephan and Mallory, the front of house staff I’d hired, were tidying up the counter and arranging the last of the decorations for the opening. Beyond them was the outside world—a place I’d forgotten existed in the last few days—and it was equal parts alarming and exhilarating.

People were lined up along Brunswick Street, filling the entire length of the window. If they went any further, I had no idea, but it didn’t matter. There were people waiting for the store to open so they could taste my cakes. I began to wiggle on the spot, shifting my weight from one foot to the other like I had ants in my pants.

“They go right down the street,” Mark said. “Have you got enough cakes?”

“Oh, fuck!” I cursed. “I made a schedule and have inventory, but… I don’t know… Oh, fuck!”

“Calm down,” he said, grasping my shoulders and turning me around. “Enjoy this moment, Callie. They’re here for you and your cakes. This is your dream, remember?”

I sighed, melting into his touch. “You’re right. Mark, I…”

“I’m so fucking proud of you.” He cupped my face with his good hand and gently cradled my back with his cast. The two girls I had helping me in the kitchen rushed around us, giggling as Mark and I kissed.

“I’m here! I’m here!” We turned as Macy appeared through the back door, shucking off her coat and looking completely frazzled. “The tram was stuck behind a wall of traffic. Then I see the fucking line outside! Holy Fuck!” She froze when she saw Mark, and her lip curled. “Still not a fan.”

Mark tensed. “Let me see if I can help out front.” He moved through the door and into the shop, leaving my overzealous housemate and me in the kitchen.

“Leave him be,” I said. “We’re a work in progress. I made my choice.”

“By dumping Hector Vanderhall?”

“I told you the other day,” I said, putting my hands on my hips, “I didn’t turn the job down because of Mark. I turned it down because I didn’t want it. This is what I want my life to be.” I gestured to the kitchen and glanced at Mark, who was lingering just through the door. “This.”

“I really thought you would’ve dropped him,” Macy said, clearly aware he was right behind her. “Not run off to some criminal establishment.”

“Macy,” I scolded. “I explained it to you.”

“How pushing everyone away was easier than actually, you know, living?” She rolled her eyes. “You can’t push a rock uphill.”

“I am a resistant asshole,” Mark said with a smirk.

“And just so you know,” she declared, turning to face him, “if you hurt her again, you had better watch your back.”

He raised his eyebrows and glanced at me. “You’ve got good taste, Winslow.”

“Is he being patronizing?” Macy asked, glancing at me. “Because I can’t tell if the brain is working in connection with the brawn or if there’s one there at all.”

“He’s being sincere, Mace.”

“You’ll like me one day,” he added before stepping around her so he could get to me. Sliding his arm around my waist, he pulled me close. “I was going to wait until later to tell you, but I got the call yesterday.”

My mouth fell open. “You did?”

“Yeah. As of next month, I’ll be working at Bodyworks Gym over on Smith Street.” I threw my arms around him and planted a wet kiss on his cheek. “I’ll miss the money from The Underground, though.”

“Mark!”

“Joking, joking… I think…” He laughed, and the look in his eyes had all the right parts trembling. “The tradeoff is worth it.”

“Two minutes until ten,” Stephan called out from the front of the shop. “Callie, do you want to do the honors?”

I squeaked and ran my fingers through my hair, then took off my apron. “How do I look?”

“Perfect,” Mark said.

“Go get ’em,” Macy added. “We’ll be right here.”

Skipping out into the shop, I beamed at the sight of the people waiting. They perked up as I unlocked the door and threw it open.

“Welcome!” I called out as people began filing into the shop. “I’m Callie, the owner of The Fitzroy Cake Company. If you would like to gather around, I have a little opening ceremony I would like to share before our first sale.” People were smiling and hanging on my words as I directed them to the far corner of the shop front. “May I present the famous Twister cake. You may have seen it online or displayed in the window this past week.”

The assembled crowd gushed and clapped as I held out my hand. A moment later, Mark appeared with my instrument of destruction. An aluminum baseball bat.

“I made this cake in a moment of heartbreak,” I went on. “But I’m here to tell you my heart isn’t broken anymore. What this cake represents is a part of my life that I will never ever return to because trusting myself and the man who saved my life is more important to me than any stepping-stone. That’s why, as a symbol of new beginnings, I’m about to introduce this bat to that cake. You may want to take a step back.”

There were gasps and claps as I brandished my weapon of choice. Meeting Mark’s gaze, he nodded. At that moment, my heart swelled, my head spun, and I knew. I knew it would be him. Always.

I swung with all my strength, and the bat collided with the mountain of chocolate sponge, marzipan, fairy floss, and boysenberry jam filling. It splattered, making the assembled crowd shriek in delight. Luckily for me, I’d made the outer shell of the Twister heartbreak cake thin enough for the effect I was hoping for.

“Smash it!” Mark called out from behind me.

“Yeah!” Macy added. “Put your back into it!”

I hit it again, and someone shrieked in delight. “I caught a cow!”

It hit it again and again until there was nothing left but a pile of mush. Man, that was a real stress reliever.

Turning, I smiled widely and ran my finger over the cake splatter on the bat. “I now declare The Fitzroy Cake Company open for business!”

Claps and cheers washed over me, and I basked in the feeling, hoping and wishing it would never end. The warm and fuzzy sensation of pure joy and love. I’d made it. Scratch that. Mark and I…we’d made it.

“Hey,” I murmured, tugging on his arm. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”

“Sure.” He blinked, clearly confused.

“I’m not sure how I’m meant to do this considering I haven’t said it before, but I’m pretty confident it’s all about the moment. Striking while the iron is hot because I’m ready. I want to live my life. This is all I’ve ever wanted. I don’t need any of that other shit. The line of signature bakeware nonsense. This is enough.”

“Callie, what are you getting at?” He glanced at the bustling shop as cake after cake flew off the shelves and were packed into boxes.

“I love you, Mark,” I blurted.

He stared at me, his eyes widening, and I began to fret I’d laid it on too thick, too fast.

A long moment passed, and then his lips curved into a smile. A real, genuine smile.

“I love you, too.”