Page 27 of Castle's Cards

“Wow, you look absolutely incredible. I’ve never laid eyes on anyone as beautiful as you, Addy.”

Her eyes flit down to the bouquet I’m holding.

“Did you bring me flowers?” A small smile plays on her lips. I hold out the bouquet of roses.

“Roses. I wasn’t sure of what your favorite flower was, but the florist recommended these.”

“They are beautiful.”

Addy scurries to the kitchen. I watch as she looks in a cabinet, shifting things around until she pulls out a large drink pitcher and begins to fill it with water.

She must sense me watching her because she turns around and blushes.

“I don’t have a vase,” she says apologetically. “I’ve never been given flowers before.”

Sadness tugs at my heart at her admission. I can’t believe no one has ever given her flowers. I’ll remember to bring a vase next time I give Addy flowers.

When she’s fluffed the flowers up so they fill the pitcher, she puts it in the kitchen window that faces the parking lot and smiles.

“They look lovely.”

“Not as lovely as you,” I murmur, stepping closer to her.

I pull her close, kissing her first on the lips and then lightly on the neck. She pushes me away and when I look at her, I raise my brows in surprise.

“Izzy’s here.”

I nod. Of course. She doesn’t want to get anything started when we’re about to go to dinner with Izzy. That makes sense. Doesn’t it?

“Let’s go!” Izzy shouts as she bounds down the hall. I laugh and take Addy’s hand, smiling at her before we leave out the door. There’s something off about her expression, though. Like she’s bothered about something that she isn’t saying.

“I can’t believe I actually ate duck eggs. And I liked them!” Izzy proclaims as the waiter delivers three dessert madeleine’s to our table.

I chuckle, squeezing Addy’s hand across the table. She’s been uncharacteristically quiet throughout this entire dinner. Instead, Izzy has been filling the silence, chattering incessantly about school, her friends, the food and everything in between.

“The lamb was still better,” I wink. Izzy grins at me.

“Whatever. It’s not a competition. Addy, did you like your halibut?” Izzy turns to her sister. If she’s noticed anything unusual about her behavior, she hasn’t said anything about it. Which is interesting, considering Izzy doesn’t seem like the type of kid who has a problem saying anything that’s on her mind.

“It was great. I don’t know if it was worth the price, though.”

Izzy reaches for her madeleine and looks at me suspiciously.

“What is this? It looks like a giant nut.”

I study the tiny cake on my plate. Dusted with powdered sugar, it does look a bit like a salt covered walnut. I chuckle and pick it up.

“Try it. I think you’ll find that it’s quite delicious.”

I take a bite, savoring the flavor. I watch as Izzy shoves the whole thing in her mouth and blinks in surprise before chewing it slowly. I laugh at the expression on her face.

“You don’t like it?”

“Texture’s weird,” Izzy says, tiny flecks of sponge cake landing on the table.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Izzy,” Addy chimes in absently.

Izzy swallows and narrows her eyes at Addy.

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