Page 36 of Midnight Whispers
He blushed when Cass walked in.
Cass winked. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
Zinnie’s gaze went from Riley to Cass. Her eyebrows raised.
Cass met Zinnie’s gaze. “Iven and I need a favor.”
“In the form of…”
“Housing two kids and their guardian brother.”
Zinnie frowned. “Danny?”
Cass nodded. “Iven will tell you about it.”
Zinnie turned to Riley again and held out the envelope.
Riley took it. Zinnie wrote his name on it and a dollar amount. “That’s your cut from the muffins. They were a huge hit. So much so the diner wants to sell them.”
Riley sucked in a breath. “Are you serious?”
“I don’t know where you found time to learn how to bake, but you’re good at it.”
“When mom wasn’t drunk, she was a good baker. It was few and far between, but I was a fast learner.” In his mother’s drunk stupor, she sometimes had managed to give him pointers. Riley peeked inside the envelope. He widened his eyes. “This is a lot, Zinnie.”
“You earned it.” Zinnie waved her hand as she left the room. “I’m not arguing about it, Riley Palmer.”
Riley wondered if he should double his recipe. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she yelled from the hall.
Riley stuffed the envelope in his apron. “I can buy a backpack and a college sweater.”
“Or you can ask Iven for the money and save that.” Cass came further into the room.
Riley shook his head. He didn’t see the need to ask his dad for money when he’d just earned some on his own. Besides that, his dad paid for everything else. Riley had no bills beyond puttinggas in his car to get to school. And he was an adult. He’d taken care of himself and his mother until the day she died.
It was nice to make money again. Doing it by baking was beyond surreal. It was the one thing his mom had done well. And the one positive thing she’d passed down to Riley. It was also something he did for fun. It helped with stress.
And he was grateful for Zinnie’s awesome kitchen.
Cass cupped his cheek. “How are you doing?”
“You mean since I freaked out and ditched you.” Riley winced. Thinking about it made him a little ashamed, but also wanting to know if Cass had rejected him, because maybe his reaction wasn’t unfounded.
Cass nodded. “I want you. More than anything. It’s just not safe. Not with the pack alpha acting weird.”
Riley averted his gaze.
Cass kissed him. It was just a peck, but it made Riley’s heart sing. Riley stepped closer. “When will you finish here?”
“Around six o’clock. Why?” Riley liked the way Cass smelled. Maybe it was his laundry detergent or the soap he’d showered with that morning. Cass smelled like pine.
“So we can start over.”
“Start over, as in…”
