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‘Scone. Sounding like stone.’

Amrita stared at him for a few seconds before shaking her head and digging the knife into the jam. ‘Nope. I’m not doing this. I’m not getting into an argument about how to pronounce the name of this delicious cake, biscuit, pastry thing when I could just enjoy eating it instead!’

‘Smart woman,’ Sylvie agreed. ‘Aiden’s bakes are too good to argue over… unless it’s who gets the last one!’

‘As if,’ Aiden scoffed. ‘This might be my first Cherry Blossom–themed one, but it’s hardly my first Hudsbury picnic. I made dozens.’

‘Probably needed. These are delicious.’

‘He’s brilliant, isn’t he?’ Mia smiled proudly at Aiden. ‘Even if he won’t tell me what he’s planning for our wedding cake.’

‘Well, you’ve still not told me much about the dress!’ he teased back, and Amrita could feel the love between them.

‘Is the groom supposed to know about the bridal outfit ahead of time?’ Amrita asked. ‘My cousin would have pitched a fit if her husband had seen her outfit ahead of the wedding ceremony.’

‘No, he is definitely not!’ Mia grinned. ‘But it’s fun to tease him.’

‘Which is why you don’t know about the cake!’ Aiden kissed the tip of Mia’s nose. ‘I get to have my secrets too.’

‘But others know.’

‘Only because I’ve been practising at the bakery and needed taste testers. Ones who aren’t you.’

‘And what’s the reason none of us know about any of the other plans?’ Katie grumbled into her drink, rolling her eyes. ‘At this rate, the wedding cake might be the only thing we actually do have.’

‘Are things going that badly?’ Jamie asked.

‘There have been one or two complications,’ Mia admitted, pulling a face.

‘But it will work out.’ Aiden smiled. ‘One way or the other.’

‘You know, it really would be amazing to get married somewhere like here…’

‘I already asked.’ Aiden shrugged. ‘There’s too much work needed to bring the place back up to code. It was a hard no from Elara.’

* * *

‘Did you have fun?’ Jamie smiled as he opened the car door for Amrita.

‘I really did. The blossoms were beautiful, the food was delicious, and your friends are lovely.’

‘Yeah, it’s been good getting back here. To be honest, I don’t think I realised how much I missed this when I was away.’

‘Family is important.’ Amrita smiled. ‘Even if it’s not biological.’

‘Very true.’ Jamie smiled back and put the car into gear and drove the couple of miles back to Hudsbury, not even trying to keep the silly grin off his face. It had been a truly wonderful afternoon, and seeing Amrita laughing and joking with Mia and Katie like she’d known them for years too had locked something in place for him as firmly as the way she triggered his magic did – she was family too.

In some ways it still felt far too early to be thinking that – let alone to say it to her. There was still so much he needed to learn about her and so much she was still learning about him – not least of all the magic that he had to find a way to explain to her. He’d have to find a way to make the magic let him tell her, because holding it back seemed wrong on so, so many levels. Especially when he was starting to think – to hope – the next engagement might be theirs.

It was soon – far too soon – but nothing, and no one, had ever felt more right to him.

‘You’re quiet?’ she asked.

‘Just thinking.’

‘Good things I hope?’

‘Very.’