Page 39 of Crave Thy Neighbor

“But I just watched you put two packets of sugar in your coffee.”

“One and a half. It’s about all I can handle too.”

“So no sweets at all?”

She takes a sip of her coffee. “I didn’t say that.”

“You’re just selective about your sweets,” I guess.

“Yes.”

“Cake?”

She shrugs. “Nah.”

“Ice cream?”

“If I’m in the mood.”

“Brownies?”

“Eh. Not a fan, especially if they have nuts in them.”

“Obviously. That’s sacrilege.”

She grins. “I see we’ll get along just fine.”

“So, no cake, ice cream, or brownies.” I run a hand over my freshly shaved face. “Whatdoyou like, then?”

“You really want to know?”

“Yes.”

She leans across the table like she’s getting ready to tell me all the lost secrets of the world. “It’s kind of specific.”

I match her movement, eager to hear what she has to say.

“Hit me with it.”

“Christmas Trees.”

“Christmas trees?”

She nods. “Yep. Those Little Debbie cakes that come out around Christmastime.”

“Aren’t those the same as Zebra Cakes?”

She gasps. “Blasphemous! You bite your tongue!”

“But—”

“No.” She holds her hand up. “Don’t you dare try to defile the legacy of my trees by equating them toZebra Cakes.”

She curls her lips as she saysZebra Cakes, and I do my best not to laugh.

This is clearly a hot-button issue for her.

“My apologies,” I say, taking a swallow of my coffee so she can’t see my smile. “Do you stockpile them so you can have them throughout the year?”

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