Daddy went back to get his food, telling me to stay right there he was going to make sure I didn’t make any more mess,calling my face pretty, and then more quietly, something about making more laundry for myself.
The soup had a light spice to it that I really enjoyed, mixed with a sweetness that cut through whatever veggies I thought I might be tasting. I didn’t really consider tomatoes to be a vegetable—or fruit, whatever the argument about that was—because ketchup was delicious.
Back at the table, Daddy tucked a large napkin into my T-shirt collar and wiped my face. “I can make you another grilled cheese if you’re still hungry,” he said, seeing how quickly I’d devoured the half of it. “But then you won’t have room for dessert.”
My mouth opened wide. “There’s dessert?”
“I own a bakery; there’s always dessert,” he said. “It feels good saying that. I own a bakery.”
“I thought you meant the whole, ‘there’s always dessert.’” I giggled. It did feel good saying that part, so he was definitely right. “And I always have room for dessert, but I couldn’t eat another grilled cheese. In fact, and you might think less of me for this, but there was so much cheese. Maybe too much.”
“Too much?” he asked, placing a hand across his heart. “Well, that is... probably true. I always put too much cheese in stuff.”
As I continued with the second half of the grilled cheese, dipping it into the soup, I needed to know more about this collection ofMurder, She WroteDVDs and tapes. “Why do you have so many?” I asked, nodding to the stack behind him.
“Oh, right. Those. Well, the reason I was able to buy this place and move here was through some inheritance. It’s also the reason why I have a lot of boxes. I was left a lot of keepsakes and stuff. Things my grandma had in storage, maybe things she knew would remind me of her. The DVDs are newer. I’m not sure when she got them because I always remember justwatching those scratched up VHS tapes. The TV was hers as well. And there’s a box with blankets and toys she’d knitted and crocheted. It’s a lot of stuff I haven’t seen in years, and I’m still trying to work my way through them.”
I reached out across the table, taking his hand. “There’s no rush, and I’m sorry for taking all of them out now. It’s probably something you wanted to do.”
He laughed. “Oh no, you did me a solid, little one,” he said. “I knew what was in there, so it would probably all have just stayed in that box.”
“I love Angela Lansbury,” I told him. “The gif of her eating popcorn and looking out of her binoculars will forever be iconic.”
“If you had more time, I would’ve suggested we see if that TV still works and we could watch an episode,” he said.
I regretted having to work knowing the offer to relax with him was on the cards. “Another day, I’ll bite your hands to take that offer.”
“No biting necessary, unless of course, I can bite you back.” He smirked, and pulling his hand away from mine, he took the napkin from his side of the table and put it to my face. “Your lips are stained.” He wiped my mouth a little.
Smacking my lips and pushing them out a little, I still couldn’t see except for the slightest hint of orange. “Yours will be too if you actually dunked your food and got a little messy with it.”
“If I was messy as well, then how could I be a good Daddy and lead by example?”
It came naturally to him, playing the part of Daddy. Thinking of things I’d forgotten to expect from a Daddy, it was a shock almost to know he cared. “I think I know a way you can also get stained lips like me, then,” I said, puckering them.
“You’ll get a kiss once you’ve cleaned that bowl, and before you try it, I don’t want you lifting it and trying with yourtongue. I don’t know how you’ll explain a ring of orange around your face at work.”
He’d read my mind because when I heardclean the bowl, I was immediately thinking about picking it up like it was a hot drink, opening my mouth wide, and letting the soup find its new home in the bottom of my stomach.
This all felt natural with him. It was a real pinch-me moment. I’d wished to find a connection with someone like this, effortless and fun, no rushed intimacy... except that heavy make-out sesh in the kitchen when the whipped cream can was jerked hard like it was a big—oops!
I liked getting to know Henry, knowing where he came from, his family, and all his ideas for the bakery. I knew he was going to be permanent fixture in Pineberry. He just gelled with the town.
“Now, since we’re dating,” he said, delicately tearing and revealing the large cheese pull. “Do I get better positioning at the end of summer festival?”
The answer in my heart wasyes, absolutely, but the real answer was. “Everyone gets equal positioning; there’s no place that’s better than the others. Everyone goes to everyone’s stalls, and it’s a real community like that.”
“Such a diplomatic answer,” he said, collecting soup from the side of his bowl with the sandwich. “But are you going to direct people to me?”
“I’m already directing people to you,” I admitted. “I’ve been telling people about your bakery for weeks. Ever since you arrived and I saw how hot you were. I started telling people then. Although, back then I was trying to figure out which team you played for.” I wiggled my brows.
“You know the answer to that now,” he said.
“And now I’m telling people they need to come for the food instead of the eye candy,” I said. That wasn’t new. Ihad been telling people about the different baked items Daddy Henry had been letting me sample.
Under the table we played a little footsie while we finished off lunch. I probably could’ve gone for a second grilled cheese given how much soup was left in my bowl, and I would’ve devoured that just as quick, mopping up as much soup as possible with it as well.
Dessert was welcomed, although everyone knew littles had a second stomach for dessert, so I think I could’ve managed with additional grilled cheese, even if they were stuffed with all that cheese.
