One Hundred Mistakes (Aspen Cove #16) - Kelly Collins Page 0,1

beast and a she when all is calm.” She reached over and grabbed Deanna’s hand, pulling her forward and setting her palm on the top of her stomach. Seconds later, a wave of movement happened. “We don’t know the sex. There are very few surprises in life, and this will be one of them.”

Katie returned with a cup of coffee and a brownie oozing caramel. “Tell me what you think. Don’t hold back. It’s a turtle brownie. I know it’s not anything groundbreaking because other bakeries make them, but this is my first try.” She took her seat and waited for Deanna to take a bite.

She pulled the warm confection to her lips, the same lips Merrick kissed. When she tasted it, she knew she’d been transported from her temporary hell to sweet heaven.

“Oh. My. God, I’ll take a half dozen of these. I’ve got a date with Merrick and came here for dessert, so these are perfect.”

Both women cocked their heads.

“Mountain of a man, Merrick? Deputy Sheriff Merrick, who is as sweet as those brownies?” Katie asked.

With a roll of her eyes, Deanna swallowed and attempted to explain. She gave them the short and dirty version that went from her one-night stand with Red to her unexplainable date tonight with Merrick.

“He had drunk sex with you and then ghosted you?” Sage asked.

“I wouldn’t call it drunk sex. I was in the studio one night while he was putting down some tracks. He had a bottle of wine and offered me a glass.” The next part was embarrassing. “I can drink a Russian under the table if we’re downing vodka, but give me one glass of wine, and I’m done.”

“It’s the tannins,” Sage said. “I know lots of people who can drink hard liquor but give them a little fermented grape juice, and they’re dancing on the tables.”

Deanna hung her head. “Or screwing on the hood of his car.” She let out a groan. “Worst decision ever.”

“That bad, huh?” Katie reached over and picked a piece of brownie off Deanna’s plate.

“No, it was good. I didn’t see stars or anything, but that was because the ridge of the hood was digging into my back.”

“You were actually on the hood?” Sage closed her eyes as if she were trying to imagine it. “Wouldn’t he have to be Merrick tall for that to work?”

She was right. Merrick was tall. Deanna had to drag him down to kiss him.

“It was more of an against the car scenario, and maybe it was the front grill that was so uncomfortable.”

“The man has no class.” Katie stretched her lips into a thin line. “First time, and it was against a car? You don’t need him. He’s not a keeper.” She tapped her finger on her lips. “He’s a catch and release.”

“You don’t understand. I really like him. I’ve known him for a long time.” Why she felt the need to defend Red, she didn’t know. Was she defending him or herself for making poor choices? If he wasn’t so bad, then that meant her decision-making skills weren’t awful either. Why did she feel the need to lie to herself? Right now, Red was the worst of the worst, but she still liked him. There was no accounting for taste.

Sage got up and walked around the counter to grab an oat bran muffin. They were another staple in the bakery’s daily offerings. She held it up. “A girl needs her bran. Did you know that pregnancy totally messes up your digestive system?” She took a bite and talked around it. “I knew it, but I didn’t think it would happen to me.” She took her seat. “Let’s get back to Red. Is he really the guy you want?”

She considered the question because they had a history, and she knew him better than any man. Knew his quirks, like how he played the opening riff to Another One Bites the Dust before each session. He preferred blueberry muffins to cranberry orange and liked cheap red wine, which was why she got a headache, or maybe it was because she was so frustrated with him on the regular that he’d given her an aneurysm.

He didn’t know she heard him tell the band they were a mistake because she’d marched out of the studio after lobbing a muffin at his head. But the sound guy had the room on speaker, and she took in every hurtful word when he said they had too much wine and made several poor choices.

Since