Page 82 of Knot a Bad Idea

Donovan and I can start again, this time with no secrets.

I’ll tell him how I feel, and how I don’t need him to save me.

I just need him to be him.

I want to hang out in the studio with Liam, Hunter, and Donovan, and just watch them create.

I want to teach them to bake cookies in their kitchen while my friends visit.

I’m ready to tell Donovan that I want a life with the three of them.

The sun is setting by the time I head downstairs, and the warm scent of vanilla and cinnamon assaults my nose.

Hunter and Liam are in the kitchen with flour, eggs, and sugar gathered on the large marble island.

My eyes widen at the sight. “What are you guys doing?”

Hunter has flour in his hair and a white smudge on his nose. “Hey, baby. We were going to surprise you.” He tries to walk over to me and give me a hug, but I yelp and move away from his flour-covered hands. He laughs while Liam scowls at him.

“We weretryingto make chocolate chip brownies,” Liam answers, annoyed. “But I forgot Hunter lacks basic math skills.”

A baking sheet sits on top of the stove, and I peek over at it.

“You certainly baked…something,” I say, eyeing the brown sludge in the tray. “To be fair, it smells good.”

“Yeah, well, it was supposed to appear edible, not justsmelledible.” I could swear Liam pouts as I walk up to him and kiss his cheek. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into a hug, and I sigh in his embrace as his calming eucalyptus scent washes over me.

“Are you feeling okay?” he whispers in my ear. “You’ve been asleep all day.”

“I am now,” I murmur. “How could I not be, when I have your…what did you call them again?”

Hunter laughs behind me. “Brownies, babe. They actually taste good, believe me.”

I turn to him then, his spicy aroma mixing with Liam’s earthy one. “This was sweet,” I say, grinning. “I appreciate the effort.”

“We made you dinner, too,” Hunter adds. “Actually, the three of us did. It’s in the fridge now, so we can heat it up whenever you’re ready.”

I roll my eyes and laugh. “So domesticated,” I murmur. “You know you don’t have to do this for me, right?”

But there’s a glint of playfulness in Hunter’s eyes. “I’m hard as hell cooking for you,” he says. “Believe me, I’m very aware I don’t have to do it.”

Liam clears his throat, letting out an awkward cough as I bite back a smile. “That’s…strange,” I say.

Hunter shrugs. “I am what I am, baby.”

I giggle, unable to contain my delight.

I feel lighter after I’ve made my decision to speak to Donovan and give him my answer, but so far, it’s only Hunter and Liam downstairs.

“Where’s Donovan?” I frown. “You said he helped you cook earlier, right? Where is he?”

Liam scowls. “I’m not sure,” he murmurs. “And frankly, I don’t care at the moment.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Did something happen?”

Hunter shoots me a look and shrugs. “Probably just Donovan being Donovan,” he says, but Liam shakes his head.

“We had a disagreement,” he says simply. “I think he’s taking the time to cool off.”