Gabe chuckled. “Come on, RJ. Let’s get cleaned up and grab a beer.”
After the two men disappeared into the house, Lori found it a little easier to breathe.
Which was stupid considering they were outside, surrounded by nothing but fresh air. She knew the reason but refused to acknowledge it.
“I still can’t believe our little girl will be here soon.” Abby rubbed her belly again, a soft smile curving her lips.
“That did go quickly.” Loni grinned. “Are you getting excited for your baby shower? It’s only two weeks away.”
Abby sat up. “Yeah. I know. I can’t wait to see the cake. You two did such an amazing job with the one for our gender reveal.”
Lyndsey sipped her drink. “That was the greatest Fourth of July cake I ever saw.”
“We had a blast making it,” Lori said with a grin.
“Ahh…I see what you did there.” Abby chuckled.
Despite the hours and hours of meticulous decorating Lori had put into the red, white, and blue baby eagle wearing a top hat, she’d enjoyed watching the top of the cake bust away to allow pink confetti to blast into the air.
“Yeah, that was lots of fun.” Loni grinned. “But there won’t be any explosives or special effects involved in your baby shower cake.”
They were always one of Lori’s favorites. Sculpting a baby was special, but this one was even more special because it was for her friend.
Just like the proposal cake for Gabe and Lyndsey. Making and decorating it, knowing her friend was on the receiving end gave it much more meaning. Excitement rushed through her veins in a wave of warmth. She wished they could skip dinner and go straight to dessert.
A half hour later, she amended that thought. Damn, the large platter of fish Gabe set in the middle of the table smelled amazing.
She reached for a helping at the same time as RJ.
Somehow, the guy had ended up seated next to her on the right. Mainly because Loni had scooted over a spot, which had left the poor guy no choice but to sit by her.
“Here, Lori, let me.” He loaded a helping of fish onto her plate before taking his own.
She stared at him a few extra seconds, while her mind registered the fact he’d spoken to her without prompting…and used her name.
It sounded way too good on his lips. So good that her pulse was still hiccupping.
“Thanks,” she said after regaining some mental function.
“Gabe’s a master griller.” He turned to her and grinned.
And there went her burgeoning grasp on mental function.
Needing a distraction, she shoved a forkful of fish into her mouth and sighed as it practically melted on her tongue.
After enjoying a few more bites, she nodded. “You’re right, RJ. Gabe is a master griller. This is delicious.”
His grin appeared again, and she spent the next ten minutes enjoying her food and actual conversation with RJ, all while enveloped in a warm fog.
“So, tell me, Rockford James, were your parents a fan of a popular television show in the seventies staring James Garner?”
He snorted. “Yep. They were my adoptive parents. And yeah, they named me after his character in that show. Of course with the names switched around.”
She grinned. “I think that’s cute. It suits you. So does Rocky.”
Holy wandering mouths.
Just shoot me now.
“I heard you and your sister made dessert,” RJ said, his gorgeous, dark eyes reaching clear to her soul.
“Yeah.” She set her fork down next to her empty plate. “We whipped up an end of summer cake. I tried to capture the colors of a Texas sunset in buttercream.”
It was more like the sunrise, though, thanks to the inspiration sitting next to her.
But he didn’t need to know that.
He grinned. “Then I bet it looks amazing.”
The unexpected softening of his expression and the way his gaze warmed sent a fluttering through her chest.
What was going on?
Why was he making an effort?
If Lori didn’t know better, she might be inclined to believe RJ was interested in her after all.
What changed today that hadn’t in the past two and a half months?
Not her.
Working to get a grip on that fluttering, she cocked her head and smiled. “Thanks.”
“Did someone say it was time for cake?” Abby shifted in her chair and rubbed her back, a smile spreading across her glowing face. “I always have room for a Champion cake.”
Lori’s laughter mixed with the others as she flicked a glance at Gabe to see if he was ready to get his proposal on. Poor guy. A nervous pallor stole across his skin, but he gave her a quick nod.
RJ caught the exchange and narrowed his eyes, but thankfully remained quiet.
Lori rose to her feet. “I’ll be right back. It’s kind of big, so we left it at the bakery. We weren’t sure if there was going to be any room in the fridge here.”
“I’ll go with you,” her sister said, standing up. “We’ll be right back.”
Lyndsey smiled. “I can’t wait to see it.”
She couldn’t wait for Lyndsey to see it, too.
Ten minutes later, they returned with the cake, and headed inside the house to remove the masterpiece from the box.
“You grab the cake, and I’ll get the knife,” Lori said, more than happy to let her sister carry the cake.
The thought of Loni’s vision suddenly acting up enough to cause her to lose her step and fall with the knife was a hell of a lot more concerning than her sister falling with the cake. Even if it had taken her three days to complete the sculptures.
At Gabe’s request, Lori had replicated all of his and Lyndsey’s dogs and cats out of modeling chocolate. Together, the pets held up a “Will you marry me?” sign with “I love you, Lyndsey” written across the sun setting in the background.
“This is so exciting.” Loni grinned, walking toward the door with the cake facing her so no one would get a look at it and spoil the surprise before her sister had the chance to place it in front of Lyndsey.
Lori grabbed a large knife from the block on the counter, then moved ahead to get the door for her sister. “I know. I can’t wait to see Lyndsey’s expression.”
With her pulse pumping with excitement, Lori maneuvered around her sister to set the knife out of the way on the table so she could pull her phone from her pocket and accessed her camera. This was a special moment that deserved to be taped.
She hit record a second before Loni placed the cake in front of Lyndsey…and Gabe stood before getting down on bended knee, jeweler’s box in hand.
Abby’s gasp echoed around the suddenly quiet patio, while tears filled Lyndsey’s eyes and her fingers shook as they flew to her face.
“Lyndsey Heston, I love you and your big, beautiful heart. I’d be the luckiest man alive if you’d add me to your menagerie of rescues and become my wife. Will you marry me?”
Despite the glowing, happy look on her friend’s face, she cocked her head, a spark of mischief gleaming in her eyes. “That depends.”
Gabe frowned. “On what?”
“Are you house-broken?”
A smile twitched his lips. “I’m Lyndsey-broken. Does that count?”
“Absolutely. And, yes.” Her friend grinned broadly, holding her hand out while Gabe shoved the ring on her finger. “I’ll marry you.”