Page 58 of Callahan

“You should try them. I got an order, that’s plenty. Besides, they’re not as good the next day.”

“They smell good.”

She didn’t say anything more to me, and called to Brian, “Bri, do you want me to fix your plate?”

“A plate? Can’t I just eat out of the container?”

“God, you’re such a bachelor! No! You’re going to eat off a plate like a civilized human being.”

“Hey, I’m trying to save you from doing dishes.”

Rolling her eyes, she replied, “Yes, putting a plate in the dishwasher will be such a burden.”

I had an overwhelming desire to kiss that sassy mouth of hers.

This friend thing was gonna be hard. And that’s if she’d even let us be friends.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lainey

The three of us fell into a comfortable conversation while we ate dinner in my living room, and I found it wasn’t hard to put aside my grudge toward Adam.

Brian sat in the chair, Adam on the couch, and I sat on the other side of the coffee table on the floor next to Conor, who was asleep on his blanket after Brian had gently rocked him until he conked out.

“Is your sister still working in the ER?” Brian asked as he went into the kitchen for seconds.

“Yeah. I mean, as far as I know. I haven’t talked to her since last week, but she didn’t mention anything then. Why?”

“I was surprised we didn’t see her when Adam went to the ER yesterday. It seems every time I’m at the hospital, she’s there.”

“I know she works a lot, probably not as much as you, since she does get a few days off each week. But I think she averages like fifty to sixty hours a week.”

“Hopefully once Adam starts, I’ll be able to get a few days off, too.”

I turned to Adam. “Whenareyou starting?”

“Well, provided I pass my background check, ten days after the doctor clears me to travel. I’m going to go to Massachusetts to get my Bronco from my parents’ pole barn and my boxes out of their basement.”

I couldn’t help but grin when I asked, “Are you worried they’re going to find something during your background check?”

He didn’t hesitate to reply, “Not even a little. I’ve never had so much as a parking ticket. And last I checked, my credit score was seven-eighty.”

“I’m assuming that’s good?”

He blinked, like he was waiting to see if I said I was kidding or something before he responded.

Finally, he asked. “What did you say your degree was in?”

“I don’t have one, yet. I was supposed to graduate last month, but I took my final semester off to have a baby and buy a bakery. When I finally do get my degree, it will be in accounting.”

“And you’re not sure if a seven-eighty credit score is good?”

I pressed my lips together to try to keep from smiling to no avail.

Adam caught on.

“Oh, you’re screwing with me.”

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