Page 48 of When Fate Breaks
How did I get so lucky?
“The pleasure is mine, too, Blake,” Leah chimes in, fake batting her eyelashes to mimic Lori Beth. It goes completely over her head. “Could we eat your amazing looking food now? Please? Before I chew my arm off?”
“Yeah, go ahead,” Blake chuckles. “Dig in.”
“Well, aren’t you just the bee’s knees, Mr. Di Fazio?” Lori Beth says, brushing her hand across Blake’s chest before reaching for a plate.
I blink twice, attempting to understand the absolutely bizarre scene before me that I wish so badly Annie from a month in the past could see. “I– I’ll be right back. Going to put this up,” I say, holding up my dress bag. “Think y’all can keep him company for a minute?”
“No.”
“Absolutely.”
Leah and Lori Beth both speak at the same time. Leah laughs silently and flicks her head towards the kitchen door, telepathically letting me know they’ll be fine. I blow out a breath, heading for one of our many empty hall closets to store my dress. I hear Lori Beth’s voice in the distance as I go.
“So, Blake. These tattoos. Tell me about them. Tattoos have never been my cup of tea, but they just suit yousowell…”
I miss Blake's response, but just know that he handled the odd and somewhat inappropriate remark like a champ. I have the dress bag hung up and am closing the closet when I hear Lori Beth again.
“Oooo, I see. You just have sooo many. Could you ever choose a favorite?” she purrs. I resist the urge to gag. I’m back in the hallway closest to the kitchen now.
“Thatone?” she probes. “But it’s so small–”
The front door opens at the same time I reach the kitchen doorway. I turn to see Remy pushing inside, running a hand through his messy blonde hair.
“Babe,” I acknowledge. “Hey.”
“Hey, Apple Jacks,” Remy sighs.
I walk over to him as he sets down his briefcase on the bench.
“Did you not see my text message?”
“Text? No, sorry, babe. Been busy. Why–”
“Remy Timmy!” Lori Beth squeals.
Remy looks past me, his face lighting up when he sees his aunt. “Aunt Lori Beth! I didn’t know you were coming!”
“You would have if you checked my text–”
Remy moves right past me and accepts the bear hug Lori Beth has offered him up on the tip-toes of her hot pink stilettos. “Wow, hey,” he says. “It’s great to see you. Wow, it smells great. What did you make–”
Remy stops in his tracks when he reaches the kitchen. I follow behind him, seeing Blake crouched down, pulling another tray of baked bread from the oven. He makes eye contact with Remy, never breaking it as he sets the tray down on top of the stove and removes his oven mitt.
“Oh, it wasn’t me, darlin’,” Lori Beth responds. “It was y’all’s lovely friend Blake here. Did you know you’ve had a chef under your roof?”
Remy makes a sound resembling something of a scoff. “No, I had no idea Annie’s friend was so…comfy in the kitchen.”
Annie’s friend. Notourfriend. I didn’t miss the distinction. I press my fingers into my temples.
“He really is something, isn’t he?” Lori Beth continues. “Now, Blake, you must give me your lasagna recipe. What’s the secret? There’s something special in here. Somethingotherthan love,” she winks at him.
Blake tears his eyes from Remy, his lip twitching once before smiling at Lori Beth. “Yes ma’am. It’s actually alasagne, if you want to get technical. It’s probably the béchamel you’re tasting.”
“Oh my, what is that? Soundsveryfancy.”
“Not at all. Just a simple white sauce. Milk and herbs thickened with a roux.”
