But even as I’m reaching for something to say, something that will help the shy retreat, she pushes her bowl away and picks up a slice of bread.
Something I know she likes because I’ve heard her wax poetic to the girls about the healing properties of sourdough bread with “the perfect, crunchy, chewy crust” many times over.
I just didn’t know that she loved it enough to out-eat me.
It’s impressive.
So I’m smiling when she says, “Tell me about Blake.”
My smile widens.
“You love him.”
“I do.” I nod. “He’s hilarious and smart and a”—I wink at her—“pain in my ass. But he’s my pain in the ass and he always has my back.” I push away my own empty bowl and snag one of the few remaining pieces of bread. “I trust him to tell me when I’m being a dumbass and know that he’ll help me get my head straight.”
“I love that for you.”
“Me too,” I say quietly. “He’s all the best parts of me and none of the bad.”
Her head tilts to the side again, ponytail swinging. “What are the bad parts?”
“You expect me to give you that ammunition?”
She laughs. “Yes, I do.”
Hell, if I wouldn’t give it to her.
But before I can, she stands up and takes our empty bowls to the sink.
“I can get that,” I say, following her and snagging the dishes out of her hands.
“I—”
“You cooked. I’ll wash up.”
“I dumped things in a crockpot, that’s hardly cooking.”
“Stubborn.” I tug at the end of her ponytail.
“I’m not the one who’s being stubborn,” she says as I move to the sink.
“Why don’t you tell me about that?” I nod toward the pile of papers on the corner of the island.
She grabs the rest of the dirty dishes, drops them into the sink, then turns and leans back against the counter as I start washing our bowls. “Papers to grade.”
“That’s a big stack.”
Her mouth twitches.
“What?”
“There’s a joke there, is all.” She smirks. “Too much time around hockey players.”
“Rude.”
“Maybe.” Her smirk widens. “Or maybe, rude will be asking you what it is the guys give you shit about.” She winks. “You did promise to dish after I spilled my guts about my boss.”
“You’re right,” I say as I put the bowls in the dishwasher. “I did say that.”
