Adulting Requires Cheesecake (Book 4, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 38 - Dinner

LUKE

Rebecca and Joy wave at me from the door of the bakery. After unlocking it, I give them both a hug.

"How was your day?" I ask Rebecca after kissing her.

"Busy. The vacation period seems to make people insecure about their clothes. It's good business to help them choose what they will wear during their holidays, but it's frustrating to listen to people with perfect bodies complain about being fat. I'm glad it's the weekend."

"I never knew people needed help with that. Vacation clothes for me were whatever was clean. And what about you, Joy? How was camp?"

"It was good. I made you this." She rummages through her backpack and shows me a bracelet made with painted macaroni pieces.

"I love it! Can you put it on me?"

Joy gives me a bright smile as she places the bracelet, that is too big for my wrist, on and tells me about her day. We found a summer camp for children with special needs of every kind and were impressed by their carefulness and hygiene around food. This is the fifth day Joy has attended and so far, her digestive system has not been compromised by the food.

"Are we having dinner here?" Rebecca asks when she sees some covered trays on the back counter. "Can we? Any leftovers will do as long as I don't have to cook."

"Yeah, I have something planned for dinner. Even made for you," I say to Joy. "A chocolate cake with raspberry jam."

My little girl gives me a thankful hug and then gets a coloring sheet and crayons from her bag and heads to a table.

"The realtor came by today." I grab an envelope I left on the top of the display. "Here are some house options based on our wishes. I had a look already and they are all suitable."

Rebecca opens the envelope and looks through the papers. "They are all so beautiful, but expensive."

"We can afford any of them. This place is doing well, and I even paid one of my credit lines already. Did you see this one?" I point at a photo on a page. "That room would be perfect for Joy and it has a great backyard where we can put a trampoline. We can even make a plant nursery for you."

"You must really love us. I only told you about the nursery in light conversation."

"I love you both very much and I listen to everything you say. Is it difficult to believe?" I caress her cheek and she smiles.

"My luck is what I find difficult to believe. A good man, who can have any woman he wants, chooses one with a dodgy past and a daughter."

"The past can stay in the past. You are the right woman for me and Joy is a wonderful bonus. Since you have accepted to marry me, I can only hope you think I'm the right man for you." I wink at her and she laughs.

"More than right. You mean everything to me. To us. She would tell anyone who cares to listen about you. Her teachers were wondering what happened because suddenly she started talking about her dad and they know from her file that I was a single mom. We are both so proud that you are in our lives." She places her hands on my hips and kisses me.

"Even when I'm a baker?"

"Even when you have what I believe is raspberry jam on your earlobe," she chuckles.

I grab a napkin, clean my earlobe and wonder how that got there.

"It's probably in my hair, too." I laugh. "Erin also came by to get lunch and I asked her if they held receptions at the club. She was thrilled with our news and said that yes, the upstairs gallery is fit for a morning reception like we want. She emailed me some things that I forwarded to you."