Page 29 of Sugarlips
Even saying that word regarding Chloe felt weird.
Neil shrugged and packed away the leftovers into Tupperware. “I can’t say I’m not surprised. You two seem so opposite. But she makes you laugh. Which, let’s face it—anyone who can make your sourpuss smile is someone worth beingfriendswith.”
I ignored the pointed way he said friends. In response, I got a huffy sigh from my big brother. “Look, it’s almost nine and dark outside. Your condo parking lot only has one little light in the center. Mom would kick your ass if you didn’t walk her to her car.”
He was right about that. Mom valued chivalry and manners above most things.
I set the dry plate in the cabinet above the stove. “You sure you’re okay with this food truck thing?”
Neil shrugged. “It’s not really my place to be okay with it. I’m just… surprised. You never really mentioned it.”
“I guess the share stick was never passed to me.”And you never asked, I thought, immediately cringing at the accusation in my head. It wasn’t Neil’s fault I didn’t feel comfortable bringing it up. In a family of five, it was sometimes hard to be heard above the noise. Neil was the famous one. Even if he wasn’t home a whole lot, he got the attention, not me. Addy was the loudest—the squeaky wheel of the family, and especially between us twins, she was the boisterous one. And then there was Finny… the baby of the family. He was quirky and fun. Cute. Sporty. Everyone loved him.
Neil smiled—or at least, his mouth turned upwards. It wasn’t quite the smile he’d had these last few months, but it was something. “If it’s your dream, I’m excited for you. Let me know if you want any help baking or prepping before I leave for Budapest.”
“You’d do that?”
He nodded. “Of course. If it’s important to you, it’s important to me. But if you’re going to be spending some of your time outside Beefcakes on the food truck, we should probably start interviewing people to help at the bakery in my absence.”
“And beyond,” I added. “With your stunt facility and the food truck, we’re going to need the help even after you come home.”
The bathroom door shut from down the hall, and Neil jerked his chin in the direction of the sound, whispering, “Go.”
I shuffled down the hall, catching Chloe as she exited the bathroom, shaking water off her hands. She grinned that infectious smile of hers, and warmth radiated down my body.
“Thanks again for dinner,” she said.
I opened the front door, holding it for her, ignoring the tingling sensation that surged up my arm where her knuckle brushed against mine. “Any time. I’ll walk you to your car.”
“I think you mean my truck.”
“You’re… you’re driving that home?”
She nodded, holding up a set of tarnished keys between her pinched fingers.
I blinked. She wasn’t serious, was she? “Is it even safe to drive?”
She rolled her eyes. “I drove ithere. How do you think it arrived? Magic?”
“I—I guess I didn’t really think about it. Do the lights even work?”
She shrugged, seeming completely unworried by this death can on wheels. “Probably.”
My mouth gaped open. “You didn’t evencheckwhen you bought it? Earlier tonight, when you said you had somesort oflook at it… was that a lie?”
“Of course not! I’m not a total idiot. I wouldn’t buy a vehicle without someone checking under the hood.”
“Who looked it over? Jake? Riley?” They owned the auto body shop in town, and if they gave it the thumbs up, I had no doubts it would be safe to drive.
“Mack,” Chloe stated simply, as if I should know who the hell that was.
“Who?”
“Tanja’s, um,friend.”
I blinked, staring at her completely flummoxed. “Is he a mechanic?”
“He’s… an enthusiast.”
