Bristol snickers and sits back in her chair. “Why are you tryin’ to rile her up if y’all hate each other so much?”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I look anywhere but at my sister. “I don’t hate her.” Bristol raises a brow. “Yeah, okay, Iwas pissed about what she said about the garage, but the rest is ancient history, mostly, and I think if I can just get her alone for a minute I could explain.”
“And apologize,” my sister says pointedly, and I nod.
“And apologize. But there’s no doubt it’s going to take some finesse.”
“I love that you’re using my daughter for this little adventure.”
“First of all,” I say defensively, “I’ll take her anywhere. It just doesn’t hurt that women love a guy who’s wrapped around his niece’s finger.”
“Uh-huh. And if you took Chip with you, that’d be like a double whammy.”
“I can’t look like I’m trying too hard.”
My sister chuckles and throws her pen at me. It hits me in the chest and bounces to the floor. “You’re ridiculous.”
“What? I was a stupid kid back then and?—”
“Don’t say stupid,” Navy says seriously, her little hands on her hips. “That’s a bad word, right, Mama?”
“That’s right, Navy Baby.”
My niece preens at her mother and then turns a scowl on me. Booping her nose, I don an equally serious expression as I squat down in front of her. “I’m sorry. I was not very nice to a girl when I was a little older than you.”
“That’s a bad choice.” She nods solemnly, so much older than her almost four years.
“It was a bad choice, and even though it’s been a long time, I want her to be my friend again.”
Bristol snorts but I ignore her. No doubt she can see right through my expressed desire to just be Cora’sfriend.
But that is a problem for later.
So much later.
No doubt a whole lot of groveling would be involved, and damn if I wouldn’t love every second of showing Cora Delaney just how sorry I am. And maybe give me time to figure out what’s different about her besides the fact that she’s a badass businesswoman and stubborn as hell.
“Is she nice?” Navy asks, her little brows knitting together.
“She is.”
“She like cookies?” Navy asks hopefully, eyeing the ones on the counter that she and I had sliced from a tube and placed on the sheet to bake. They were a far cry from what Cora was no doubt serving.
“I’m sure she does. She owns the Taste of Magnolia and?—”
Navy squeals and grabs my face and squeezes it between her little palms. “The big fwowers! I like thesmoothies.” She elongates the doubleoin smoothies, her smile stretched wide across her adorable face.
It doesn’t escape my notice that my niece knowsexactlywho Cora is or that my sister is suddenlyreallyinterested in the work in front of her.
Traitor.
“So is that a yes to helping me win back my…friend?”
“Yes!” Navy jumps up and down, her curls bouncing right along with her.
“All right, go grab your shoes.” She takes off down the hall, and I turn to look at my sister. “What can I bring you back?”
“Oh, hmm,” she says, pretending to mull it over. “I’m not sure what they have there.” Picking up the forgotten pen from the floor, I throw it back at her and she laughs. “The fish tacos with the pineapple salsa, and get a pint of the watermelon sorbet.”
