Page 68 of Cherry Moon

Once the sponges were baked and cooled, I added my homemade cherry jam, made with the fruit from our tree.

Next, I worked on the topping. Busted out the icing sugar, lemon juice, and flaky almonds. Got it thick and glossy and awesome.

And the jewel in the crown were the cherries. Sparkly gemstones fresh from the tree, really giving it that glorious finishing touch.

“So damn pretty,” I said, stepping back to admire it.

“Remember who you are.”

I’d been thinking about that and had to thank the tenshi for it. Yeah, they meant in the warrior context, but it helped me in a different way.

This is who I was. A baker who’d played his part in one apocalyptic drama, the current me was different. A brother, a lover, no longer a recluse, and giving none of his life up.

“Ain’t that right, my bakewell babe?” I told the cake.

G was in the bedroom, dealing with those bidders. He thought they’d be furious with him for leaving them on hold, but it only upped their activity.

Six grand for those two books in the end. Each.

Whoa.

“Right, then. Let the countdown begin.”

Cake done.

Only two more sleeps until we ate it.

I glanced at the closed bedroom door.

Only two more sleeps until we declared our love louder than ever before.

Such a lucky baking wizard.

To calm my nerves, I finally made those cookies.

Perfection, of course. Elevated by a big cup of tea.

I had devoured three by the time G joined me.

He had five of the ten remaining, singing my praises.

“Ah, stop it. You’ll make me blush.”

“You’re adorable when you blush.”

I rewarded him with a make out session on the sofa for that.

The seventh night of the Cherry Moon, everything was bathed in the most incredible ruby light. I watched it from my bedroom window, the whole house still smelling of our wedding cake.

I’d baked a cherry pie this morning just because I wanted to, and to celebrate there being no rain.

Yay!

I leant on my cane for some support, my leg and ankle better but not quite there yet. Never mind. Neither would sully this perfect night.

It was good to have a head full of wedding stuff again. Don’t get me wrong, everything else waited on the fringes, but for these past few days, things settled down into a happier beat away from the bullshit.

This was really happening.