“You bake?”
He tucked his chin against his fist and watched a nearby table. “The only trouble is I don’t especially like eating the foods I make.”
“That bad?” I chuckled softly. “Maybe you should bake what youdolike to eat, Mr. Rain.”
“I never could master macaroons. Anyhow, there’s no joy when you’re the only one who can appreciate the food. I’d rather cook for another.”
A young woman with the palest hair entered the room. Her long skirt and baggy sweater caught my attention because it didn’t match a woman of her natural beauty.
Atticus followed my gaze. “Do you know her?”
“She and her brother tried joining our pack. I assumed they had given up on this town by now. Where in the world could they be staying?”
Atticus gazed at the tiny flame that flickered in front of him. “Storybook has many secrets. Most people here are hiding from one thing or another.”
“And what are you hiding from, Mr. Rain?”
He laughed softly. “Certainly not responsibility.”
I steered my gaze back to Serena and spotted her sitting at a corner table with her brother Ian. He was doing all the talking, and it reminded me of their brief time with us.Poor thing.To be stuck with such an unstable wolf was a terrible fate.
“Are you curious what they’re saying?” Atticus canted his head. “I don’t make it a habit to pry, but their conversation is banal.”
I gave him an admonishing look, wondering how many times he had listened in on our private conversations. “It’s incredibly rude to eavesdrop.”
“I can’t help it any more than you can help seeing her from across the room.”
“I thought you could mute out certain sounds.”
“Normally I would, but given the circumstances, I need to stay alert to my surroundings.”
It was tempting to go up and say hello, but I didn’t want to draw attention to myself on such a busy evening. Aside from that, the doleful look in her eyes conveyed that she wasn’t up for a friendly visit.
When my pancakes arrived, I pulled in a deep breath of the mouthwatering aroma. They were perfectly stacked—fresh strawberries sliced on top and around the side, and two pats of butter melting over everything.
“This is wonderful!”
Atticus watched me intently. “Nothing but the best.”
The server presented me with two miniature syrup bottles. “This one is maple, and this one is a strawberry syrup to complement the meal.”
I reached for the maple. “Thank you so much.”
While she added powdered sugar to my pancakes, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to eat the sausage first or save it for last. Afterplacing rolled-up napkins containing our silverware on the table, she made a swift exit.
Atticus gave me a pensive look. “Is everything to your satisfaction? If not, we’ll make the correction.”
“Once it’s in my tummy, I’ll let you know.”
With that, I carved into the fluffy pancakes and savored the first bite. The syrup was delicious and fresh, the strawberries juicy and ripe. These past months had been so trying that I’d forgotten how nice it was to be pampered.
“I like watching you eat,” he remarked.
That should’ve made me self-conscious, but I was too hungry to care.
Atticus laced his fingers together. “If you have any meal requests, I’ll make sure it’s stocked in my home. I can’t profess to being the best cook, but?—”
“You plan on cooking?” I bubbled with laughter at the thought of a Vampire in charge of my meals. “That means you’ll have to fill your cabinets with real food. Do you even have a kitchen in your home?”
