“What are you looking for?” Liam asked, hovering over where I sat on the floor of the back section of the bakery kitchen, surrounded by pots, pans, and baking molds. Everything pulled out from every cupboard within reach.

“The big purple three ring binder. The one with my collection of holiday recipes.”

“How would it be in the cupboards?”

“I don’t know, but I can’t find it anywhere.”

“When did you last see it?”

“Solstice?” I couldn’t remember, other than jotting down a pie recipe and adding it to the book before Christmas. Life had gotten pretty busy since then. Working in a bakery over the holiday season meant long hours and lots of running around.

“I’ll help you look if you help me fill and clear out the evening rush,” Liam offered.

I glanced up over the counter toward the front and saw a line backed out the door. “Fuck,” I cursed and jolted to my feet. “Sorry.”

“You’re fine,” Liam soothed as he passed by to grab a rack of cupcakes to refill the case. Two years in and the bakery had become a go-to destination for folks in the state. They’d drive up to our tiny town, order a couple dozen cupcakes, scones, or a heap of bread, then stop at the tea shop for a cup of something sweet for the drive home. All the activity meant our tiny town and Liam’s pack was growing.

Okay, my pack too, since I was omega mate to the alpha.

I headed to the front to greet people and snap on gloves and a hairnet. “Evening everyone! Thank you for stopping in.” I gave the words a vague push of power. The building frustration and tension of waiting in line vanished as everyone smiled back and waved. My presence could soothe even a feral beast as long as I myself was calm.

Ari appeared, dressed in a long skirt and oversized sweater that I knew was Korissa’s; their hair pulled back in two bright red pigtails, braided with little jeweled clips, and wearing a she/her pin.

“Can I help?” they asked. Ari, as a primordial being born from a glut of fae magic, didn’t have a set gender, and they slid back and forth effortlessly, one day to the next. Often straddling the line of what gender meant at all. It made sense, as gender was a mortal thing, defined by society in a thousand ways, and yet still had no real meaning outside group constructs. Not everyone liked it, nor did they have to, but both Liam and I were super protective of our kid, and determined to let them understand themselves as much as possible without the world dragging them down.

“Can you cut up some cupcakes and hand out samples?” Liam asked.

“Yes,” Ari agreed. They set up a tray and began to quarter the cupcakes Liam set aside for them as I filled the case. Today their physical appearance, as well as appearing feminine, looked more along the line of a preteen. Somedays they matched my age, and I struggled with that more than with the gender changes. We’d had Ari almost two years, and learned a lot along the way. They were far from a normal child, or a child at all, but I loved them as though they were my child. How could a creature capable of god-like power ever be a child? And yet they were mine.

Toby served as backup to the register, and two other consoles with iPads were busy. Liam took over filling the case, and I stepped up to box and bag orders.

“Are you taking Valentine preorders?” One of the locals asked. Cammy served as a social worker at a nearby veteran’s hospital, and often visited her list of vets with baked goods.

“We can,” I said. “The menu isn’t set yet. But we have a few specific cakes.” If I could find my holiday recipe book. January was usually a light month in sales as folks tried to limit their sugar intake, but Korissa had become an internet darling with videos about the amazing food and tea her two dads offered, so the added attention meant we hadn’t had downtime to set up the holiday menu, order supplies, and make samples.

“You’ll have some special cupcakes for the holiday, right?” Cammy asked.

“Of course,” Liam answered. If I could find my book…

I took her order for two dozen Valentine’s cupcakes, adding a half dozen gluten free, and a dozen cookies to the order, then handed off the slip to Toby to ring it up. With the first Valentine order taken, others added their own preorders. My heart leapt into my throat with anxiety as I didn’t know what we’d be serving yet.

“It will be fine,” Liam whispered to me. His lips brushed by my ear in a careful kiss. “They will love everything we make.”

Ari wandered through the crowd with a tray of cupcake bites, everyone smiling and nodding, thanking them. Kiran opened the door, with Nicky behind him, both waving to their third, Toby, who looked up with a smile as they entered.

“Hey, Peanut,” Kiran greeted Ari.

Ari beamed at Kiran. He had quickly become their favorite uncle, part because Wesley was still missing, and part because he doted on Ari, gifts of pretty flowers, colorful bugs, and lessons in magic. As long as Ari didn’t pick up on his grumpiness, I let them be. Liam watched them closer, worried about moral lessons, but Kiran had Nicky and Toby to balance his sometimes reckless behavior.

“Will you be ordering a special cake for Valentine’s Day?” Ari asked.

“He loves cake,” Nicky answered.

“Do we need an occasion for cake?” Kiran asked, his gaze on the filled bake case. Kiran could plow through a dozen cupcakes on his own, though he preferred the fruit flavored ones to the heavier chocolate or sugary cakes.

“Daddy says Valentine’s is a day to give the people you love sweet things to remind them you love them,” Ari said.

Liam glanced at me, and I shrugged. “They asked. I didn’t make the holiday up, and am not a fan. I tried to keep it simple.” And how did I explain to the magical creature that I was trying to raise that the holiday was meant to be romantic? “I’m not good at this being a dad thing.”

“Hmm,” Liam said, disagreeing without actually saying it. “We don’t need a holiday to give the people we love anything,” Liam said. “But more occasions to eat cake is never a bad thing.”

Toby laughed as he continued to ring up customers, and I filled boxes. “We have lemon cupcakes and strawberry cakes today. I made sure of it.” He always requested fruit flavored cakes on the days he worked. Ever aware of Kiran’s cravings. Nicky preferred carrot cake or any of the cookies but those were always a staple in the bake case.

Ari handed out more slices of cupcakes and wandered back through the crowd. “Anyone want to preorder for Valentine’s Day?” They asked. “Show the ones you love how special they are with a tasty treat.” I winced as customers flocked to Ari and they pulled a little note pad out of their apron.

“It will be fine,” Liam said again. We filled orders while I smiled at everyone to hide the panic of not being prepared for the coming holiday. I needed to find that damn book.