Page 22 of Sweet Revenge

He moved around the kitchen gracefully, carefully carrying two plates with huge sandwiches on them. My eyes were wide when he sat across from me and slid the plate in my direction. “I don’t think I can eat all of that.”

He chuckled. “Just give it a shot.”

I watched him lift half of the sandwich to his mouth and take a large bite before I looked back down at my plate. I picked up one of the halves, lifted it to my mouth, and took a bite. The flavors burst in my mouth, and I closed my eyes while I chewed. It was amazing and definitely the best sandwich I’d ever eaten. I quickly swallowed and took another larger bite and continued working my way through the half faster than I would’ve thought possible.

I looked up to find Ritz watching me with a grin on his face. “You like it?”

I took a drink of the Gatorade and smiled. “It’s the best sandwich I’ve ever had.”

He nodded. “Good, then I can add it to the menu.”

I took another drink and used the napkin beside my plate to wipe my mouth. “What’s it like to work in a restaurant?”

Ritz finished chewing and swallowed, his eyes on me the whole time. “I love it. My mom was a cook for years before she opened her own catering company. I helped her after school and on the weekends.”

“She taught you to cook?”

“She did.” he answered proudly.

“Does she still have her company?”

His expression saddened. “No, she died a few years back of cancer.”

I felt the tears hit my eyes from his admission, and I lowered my head. “I’m sorry you lost her.”

He reached across the island and squeezed my hand. “Did you lose your mom, Maggie?”

I blinked back the tears that threatened whenever I thought about my mom. “She died from cancer too.”

“A bitch of a disease, isn’t it?”

I lifted my head and met his stare. “Yeah.”

“How old were you?”

“Fifteen.”

His expression saddened. “Who took care of you after you lost her?”

I shook my head. “We only had each other. I lived on my own.”

Something dark crossed his face before he spoke again. “Is that when you met Snake?”

“No. I didn’t meet Snake until just before my eighteenth birthday.”

I took a bite from the other half of my sandwich but chewed much slower, suddenly realizing how full I was from the first half.

“How old are you, Maggie?”

I took a drink before gently placing it back on the counter and wiping my mouth. “Umm…” I paused before continuing. “I’ll be twenty-five on August first.”

“Been on your own for ten years.” he said quietly.

My stare met his and held. I wish I was better at reading people so I’d know why his expression had changed so drastically. The silence dragged on for another minute before I heard footsteps and looked over to see Bear and Gunner walking through the open doorway.

Bear winked in my direction. “Hey, beautiful.”

I felt a blush work its way up my neck. “Hi, Bear.”

---