Page 68 of Outnumbered

“Tiramisu,” Caleb answered.

Riddick shook his head. “No, it’s not.”

Caleb scowled. “What? That’s always been your favorite dessert.”

“No, I like truffles,” Riddick said. “You always get it confused.”

“Oh,” Caleb said, drawing the word out. “You’re right.”

Riddick rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’m sure I got my favorite dessert right.”

Several of the guys laughed.

“Branson’s favorite is … strawberry cobbler, right?” I remembered making it once for him.

He nodded. “Yep.” He turned to Triston next to him and asked, “What about you?”

Triston shrugged. “I like most things sweet, like Ember.” He winked at me and I felt my face heat up.

“Caleb’s is brownies,” Fox said.

Caleb scoffed. “No, it’s not, Dad.”

“What?” Fox gasped. “Since when?”

“Just because I like brownies doesn’t mean it’s my favorite.”

“Red velvet cake,” Deryn said.

Caleb shook his head. “Nope, wrong again.”

“Lemon bars?” Rhys said, but it was definitely a question.

Caleb sighed. “My own parents don’t know my favorite dessert. Wow. I’m hurt.”

“Carrot cake,” Jolie said.

Caleb pointed at her. “Mom for the win!”

My nose scrunched at the thought of carrot cake. “Ew.”

Caleb frowned at me. “What? You don’t like carrot cake?”

I shook my head. “No, it’s gross.”

He smiled and said, “I’m pretty sure rabbits like carrot.”

My eyes narrowed and I said, “Carrots are delicious, but they don’t belong in sweets.”

“I think you just hurt the soul of every rabbit in existence with that statement,” Caleb teased.

“What is your favorite present to ever receive?” Triston asked Branson.

Branson frowned as he thought about it a minute. “My nana made me a blanket one year, she guessed I was going to get big since I was a bear, so she made it extra big. It kept me warm and was super soft.”

A handmade blanket? How sweet! The closest thing I got was the trinkets Beatrice brought me.

“I think mine was the video game console my dad bought for us to play games together,” Triston said. “We spent many Saturday mornings playing games. What about you, Riddick?”

---