That's How it Happens

25. Plotting with Sprinkles

April pinched the apron between two fingers like it was a biohazard and slipped it over her head with a grimace.

Ainsley watched, amused.

She should've been working. Or wedding planning. Or doing literally anything productive. Instead, she retreated to the one place Liv and her mother wouldn't be caught dead in: the kitchen.

April would've preferred a spa day or lounging by the pool with a drink that matched her nails. But Ainsley wasn't having it. She was clearly hiding – from something, or someone – and April, ever the detective, was determined to find out what.

She didn't love the setting. She didn't love flour. She definitely didn't love cooking. But if it got her answers, she'd suffer through it. Dramatically, of course.

Ainsley raised an eyebrow as April poked at a pile of flour like it was compost. Neither of them knew what they were doing, but the reel Ainsley had watched made it look easy.

"You're off the hook," Ainsley said.

April sighed in visible relief and peeled off the apron like it had insulted her lineage. She circled the island and perched on a stool, inspecting her flour-dusted nails with horror.

Ainsley was elbow-deep in a bowl of flour when Leo walked in – like he hadn't been rehearsing his entrance for the past ten minutes. He stopped short at the sight of April. Turned. Paused. Cursed under his breath. Turned again.

He sneered at her. She waggled her fingers, delighted.

Ainsley didn't look up.

Leo cleared his throat. April rested her chin on her fist, watching like it was her favorite sitcom.

Still nothing.

Ainsley pummeled the flour. It was dry. Leo had watched his mom make cookies from scratch, and this was... not that.

"Are you baking or punishing the flour?" he asked. "I didn't know you baked."

"She doesn't," April chimed in, batting her lashes as Ainsley shot her a glare.

"Can you go anywhere else?"

"No," April said on a sigh to Leo's irritation.

Ainsley stirred harder.

Leo leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. Then he wouldn't go anywhere either. He glanced at April. "We should talk."

"Nope."

"Ains."

"Nope."

April snorted. Leo snapped his attention to her.

"Get out."

Ainsley growled in frustration. "She was here first. What do you want?"

Leo looked between them, trying to decode whatever April already knew. He hadn't seen anything on the forum. Yet.

"You can't avoid me forever," he said.

"Watch me."

She brushed past him to grab the sugar, treating him like part of the wall. He followed, ignoring April – mostly.

'I just think –"

"You think too much," Ainsley cut in.

"I did something that maybe... came off wrong," he said slowly, eyes flicking toward April.

She paused. Just for a second. Then dumped the sugar in the bowl like it had personally offended her.

"Twice," he added, quieter.