He chuckled and held me around the waist. “No. She wanted to wait for Uncle Frisco to make the cookies, so I gave her crayons and paper and she’s drawing. Mike texted, and they’ll be here within the hour.”
“We’d better finish those cookies, then.”
Torre’s face was a comical mixture of doubt and surprise. “Are you sure? She’ll probably be okay just drawing.”
But I wouldn’t be. Not anymore.
“And waste all that cookie dough?” With his hand in mine, we walked down the stairs. “Polpetto, let’s bake your cookies. Your parents are on the way here to take you home.”
She scrambled to her feet. “I wish I could stay here. I had fun with you today.”
I turned a smug smile on Torre. “Even children love me.”
“Go make some cookies.” Torre pushed me. “I have stuff to do for the blog.”
“Not a problem.” I took Tina’s hand and put her on the same stool she’d sat on for the pasta-making. “I have everything under control.”
As long as Presley delivered what I needed.
Chapter Four
I’d never lied to Frisco.
Until now.
But I had my reasons, and I knew he’d forgive me.
Frisco and Tina spent the rest of the afternoon baking—not only Christmas cookies, but he made a tiramisu, my favorite dessert. I anticipated eating it after dinner.
Mike and Val both came upstairs with Mikey Junior, who’d been diagnosed with an allergy. The baby was a pudgy ball of smiles and reached out his arms for me to give him a hug. Mike held him like a little football, and I had to smile.
“So we’ll see you in two days at Mom’s, right?”
I hoped Mike and Val knew their parts in my plan and would be convincing. A master himself, Frisco could smell bullshit a mile away, and it wouldn’t be easy to pull something over on him.
“Yeah. But I need another favor from you.”
Frisco’s brows drew up sharply. “Uhhhh, okay, we watched the girl, but I draw the line at a baby.” He gazed at the gurgling MJ with trepidation. “I don’t do diapers. I am not into that scene. At all.”
I almost choked and kicked his foot. “Stop that. What’s the favor?”
“I’ve got someone who booked the restaurant for a special event. And I was wondering…” Mike ducked his head. “I know it’s really short notice, but could you do the serving? I need someone I can trust. It’s for a close friend, and I don’t want it to get screwed up.”
“When is it?”
His guilty expression deepened. “Tomorrow night?”
“What?” Frisco choked out. “The day before Christmas Eve?”
“I don’t recall asking you.” Mike grunted. “And the day before Christmas Eve isn’t a holiday as far as I know. Plus it’s Monday. We’re usually closed, so it’s not like I’m losing money by shutting the place down.”
I shot Frisco a look. “What’s the big deal? I don’t mind. We don’t have any plans.”
“I don’t know, I just thought we’d be having a quiet evening at home.”
Confused by his furrowed brow, I tried to make a joke about it. “Well, now you get to live it up without me for the night.”
“I don’t recall saying I wanted to live it up,” he muttered. He walked away to where Val stood by the window, and they put their heads together and started talking.
