Tessa texted,Too late. She lay back on the couch and closed her eyes, wondering what she would do in the morning with Paul Borelli, the prodigal son.
Chapter 9
French Toast
Tessawokeupwitha crick in her neck and her legs dangling off the couch. Sunlight streamed through the windows, and she experienced a disorienting few seconds when she didn’t know where she was. Then her mind quickly connected her fragmented thoughts. Diner apartment, strawberry pancakes, Paul. She lurched upright so quickly that black dots swam in her vision. The bedroom door was open.
Tessa combed her fingers through her messy hair, and she stood and smoothed her hands down her college T-shirt and joggers, both still dirty and wrinkled. Her mouth tasted like stale Cap’n Crunch, and when she breathed into her cupped palm, she grimaced. Maybe Paul was still asleep, and she could sneak into the bathroom, take a shower, and dress in something that didn’t look like she’d found it under the bed in a college dorm.
Tessa tiptoed toward the bedroom and peeked inside. The duvet had been straightened, looking as though no one had slept in the bed. Paul’s traveling bag was tucked against the wall.Great, Tessa thought.He’s already gone and seen me looking like a disaster on the couch.
She’d probably been drooling with her mouth hanging open wide enough to catch bullfrogs. Any decent man would have let the woman sleep in the bed. Clearly, Paul wasn’t decent. Not Paul, who’d been awake fortwenty-four hours.
She stomped her way through the bedroom, took a hot shower, and pulled on her last pair of clean slacks and a slate-blue blouse. Tessa slipped on a pair of flats and grabbed the house listings from the bedroom dresser. She’d make time to go by and see the ones she and Lily had chosen, and she hoped to receive an answer from Mrs. Steele about the Honeysuckle Hollow renovations.
When Tessa walked into the kitchen to brew a cup of coffee, she found a plate piled high with French toast made with fat rounded bread slices. A card sat tented on the table beside the plate. A small carafe of syrup and pats of butter on a small dish had been placed on the table, as well as utensils and an empty mug. Tessa reached for the card.
Dear Ms. Tessa,
Please accept my apologies for my brutish behavior last night. If it were a full moon, I would blame my werewolf-like state on it. Lack of sleep stole my manners. Thank you for allowing a weary traveler to rest in a proper bed. I hope you will enjoy one of my favorite childhood treats: French toast made with challah bread, compliments of my mom. Come downstairs and say hello before you start your day. We should be properly introduced.
Sincerely,
Paul “the Brute” Borelli
P.S. I am only somewhat loath to admit I ate the rest of your caramel creams. I’ll restock.
Tessa couldn’t stop her smile. Maybe Paul wasn’t such a jerk after all. She glanced at the coffee table. The pink bag of caramel creams was gone. She reread his words; it was by far the politest letter she’d ever received. On paper, he sounded incredibly charming—the complete opposite of last night’s rudeness.
She slid the plate of French toast into the microwave and warmed the pieces for a few seconds. He’d gotten breakfast for her. She allowed herself another smile, to relish the idea that a handsome man brought her breakfast. No one had ever cooked breakfast for her.Okay, so his mama cooked breakfast, but the thought is there, right? She poured syrup over a slice of toast and cut herself a bite.Pillowy perfection, she thought as she chewed. Tessa finished eating one whole piece and scarfed down another without a shred of guilt. Then she covered the plate with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator.
She rushed to the bathroom to check her hair and makeup. Then she fretted about what she was wearing until she realized she was being ridiculous. Still, she glanced one last time at her reflection, added a sweep of mascara to her lashes, and then locked up the apartment.
Scrambled’s booths and tables were packed with the early-morning breakfast crowd. Tessa pushed open the door and scanned the room. Laughter barreled out from the kitchen, wrapping around Tessa and tugging her forward. She caught a glimpse of Harry. She’d never seen his grin so wide and joyful, and his eyes were brighter than Tessa had ever seen. When Cecilia floated out of the kitchen smiling, Tessa knew Paul must be in the kitchen too.
Tessa’s palms felt sweaty, so she wiped them against her slacks. She licked her dry lips. Paul stepped into view from the kitchen pass-through and saw her. His crooked smile dimpled his cheek, and he leaned through the opening, resting his arms on the stainless-steel ledge. Tessa couldn’t stop her return smile or the warming in her cheeks. She lifted her hand in a small wave and tucked her hair behind her ears. Paul made a motion for her to come to the back just as Cecilia stepped in front of her.
“Paul came home,” Cecilia said immediately as she pulled Tessa into a surprise hug.
The air whooshed from Tessa’s lungs. “I know,” she said breathlessly. Cecilia smelled like rosemary, and electricity emitted from her as though she’d been plugged into a wall socket.
Cecilia pulled away, and two lines wrinkled between her dark eyebrows. “You do?”
“Yes, ma’am,” she said and nodded toward the kitchen. “Looks like he’s in the kitchen.”
Cecilia glanced over her shoulder and shook her head at Paul. She made a shooing motion with her hands, and he pulled his head back into the kitchen. “Come on, let me introduce you.”
She dragged Tessa behind her. Cecilia’s smile, displaying nearly all of her white teeth, was contagious. Energy radiated from her, and as she passed the tables in the dining room, ice rattled in glasses and bacon sizzled on plates. Cecilia pushed open the swinging kitchen door, and they found Harry and Paul laughing over a grill of frying hash browns.
“Tell me you didn’teatthe sea urchin,” Harry said, flipping the hash browns and pointing to a pan on the burner. “Start that omelet, please.”
Paul ladled beaten eggs into the hot pan and grabbed a spatula. “Dad, it would have been rude to say no. I didn’t have a choice. It was either eat it and see the forbidden caverns or say no and be shunned by the people. And I didn’t eat the whole sea urchin. Just the reproductive organs.” He shuddered.
Harry burst out laughing again. “Don’t tell your mother.”
“Don’t tell me what?” Cecilia asked.
Harry glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Good morning, Tessa. Two surprise kitchen guests. This is turning out to be a great day already.”
