“I’m sorry. She can be rotten sometimes.”
I lift a shoulder. “It’s no big deal.”
Odette gives me a look at my favorite saying, a coy smile on her lips. “Come on. Dinner’s ready.”
I grab her outstretched hand, letting her pull me toward the kitchen.
But just as I round the corner, I can’t help but look back at the crumpled-up piece of paper ... or think about how badly I want to pick it up.
“This might be the greatest meal I’ve ever had, and I am fucking sad that I can’t eat another bite.”
Odette smiles, clearly quite proud of herself. She should be. I’ve never had spaghetti this good before. And her garlic bread? Fuck, I could eat that with every meal.
“I’m glad you think so. Next time, I’ll make Italian sausage affogato. It’s my favorite.”
“Next time,” I echo, already dreaming of it.
She sips her wine, then spins her glass between her fingers.
Pork and Beans run around the kitchen floor like they’ve been doing since we sat down. We tried to get them to separate and chill, but it’s like they were meant to be together, not wanting to let the other out of their sight.
“Do you know what I just realized?” Odette says. “You get up at what—five thirty every morning?”
“Around there. Why?”
“Then why’d you have me show up so early that first morning we worked on the farm together?” She gasps. “Oh my gosh. You didn’t think I was going to show up.”
“Nope.” I pop a piece of bread into my mouth even though I swore I couldn’t eat another bite. It’s just too damn good. “And you almost didn’t, so I was almost right.”
“Almost doesn’t mean crap and you know it. YouhopedI wouldn’t show up, didn’t you?”
“Well, you are kind of distracting.”
She raises her brows. “Oh?”
I roll my eyes. “Please. Don’t act like you didn’t know what you were doing. Showing up to the barn every day with those tiny shorts. Which I get. It’s hot as hell out. But, fuck, it was brutal as hell watching you and not being able to touch you.”
She smiles. “You had a crush on me.”
“I did not,” I refute, though it’s pointless. My red cheeks give me away. “I’m a grown man. I don’t have crushes.”
“Except for on your younger sister’shotbest friend.”
Just like that, all the lightheartedness is sucked from the room.
It was the one reminder we didn’t need tonight—that we’re hiding this from Izzy.
Odette slings back the rest of her wine, and I take a long pull from my cider, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“You know—”
“Ezra said—”
We start talking and stop at the same time.
We both laugh lightly. Politely.Awkwardly.
I don’t like awkward, not with her.
