Page 18 of Three Pucking Words
Clearing my throat, I pat my stomach. “That was delicious, Syl. Wish I didn’t go for that second piece of cheesecake, but it was great. I couldn’t eat another bite if I tried.”
The woman across from me beams. “I wish I could take credit for the cheesecake, but that’s from our favorite bakery. Have you been to Treats by Marie? If not, you have to go. They have a great assortment of options. Right, Honor?”
My attention shifts from Sylvia to her stepdaughter. “Do you have any favorites?”
Honor plays with the edge of her napkin. “If you like cannoli, they have the best. But you can’t beat any of their stuff.”
I’ve never been a fan of cannoli, or any sweet treats other than ice cream, but I don’t tell her that. “What about cookies? I have to fight my kid for the dough when we make homemade chocolate chip cookies.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Youbake?”
My lips tilt up on one side. “Sure do. Gemma and I love to switch it up. Cupcakes. Cookies. Banana bread. Not to brag, but I make a killer banana bread.”
“Are you the type to put nuts in it to keep is healthy or chocolate chips to make it good?” she questions.
I chuckle. “Who says you can’t have both?”
All she does is shrug, but there’s a small, secretive smile twitching the corners of her lips up that she tries, and fails, to hide.
Sylvia stands, beginning to collect the dessert plates from in front of us. “Devin and I will go clean up. You two stay and chat.”
She puts her palm on Coach’s shoulder expectantly. With a subtle clear of his throat, he scrapes his chair back and dips his head at me before turning to offer a tentative smile to his daughter.
When Honor and I are alone, we’re quiet.
Something tells me she’s not all that interested in hearing about my bread recipe, so I don’t bother bringing that back up. And since she offered limited input during the dinner, I try coming up with a topic that seems safe.
But before I can figure one out, Honor starts laughing quietly to herself.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
Her eyes go to the hallway that leads to the kitchen. “I think they’re up to something.”
I follow her gaze in interest before turning back to her. “Like what?”
She quirks a brow. “You haven’t noticed that they keep leaving us alone together? Pushing us to converse. Get to know one another.”
I’ll admit, that’s a bit strange but—“Wait. Do you think they’re trying to set us up?”
That gets Honor to snicker as she leans back in her chair. “No.Definitelynot.”
Why does that sound like an impossibility to her? Worse, why does it irritate me that she finds the thought so funny? “Is that so weird?”
Honor crosses her arms over her chest. “It isn’t because they want us to date, Bodhi. My dad isn’t the stereotypical overprotective father type, but he wouldn’t exactly encourage any matchmaking in my life right now.”
I almost ask her why, but I stop myself. “So what doyouthink they’re up to?”
“They want me to have a friend,” she answers simply, but there’s a sadness to her voice that weighs down her lips. “And before you think I’m totally pathetic, Idohave friends. I just think they’re trying to convince me to stay by getting me more reasons to.”
“I don’t think you’re pathetic. They say it’s about quality over quantity when it comes to most things in life.”
She stares at me, her brows knitted together for a second. “You really mean that, huh?”
Why would I lie to her? “I do.”
“Even though they made you sit through an awkward dinner just so I had someone they think I like?” she questions, eying me to gauge my reaction.
“This isn’t my first awkward dinner,” I reassure her. “Consider me a seasoned pro.”
