Flavor.
The place had too much flavor for her.
“That makes it perfect then.” He seemed fine talking about her crazy, so as I moved around the kitchen, I stayed focused on that. “What was she doing yesterday? Her bitching made no sense.”
Letting out a small laugh, Teddy bent over and rested his head on the table as I got out everything I would need to make pancakes. “She was meeting one girl for lunch and another for a coffee date later, and somehow they both figured it out and lost their shit.”
Ah.
“I thought it was something like that.” She was insane if she thought that would work. “This school isn’t tiny but it’s way too small to get away with being that kind of player. The gossip grapevine works too well if you listen to it at all.”
Making another tired-sounding laugh, Teddy wiggled in what I thought was him trying to nod his head. “Yeah, I didn’t think it was a good idea, but I’ve given up pointing that out. I think she likes making bad decisions.”
“Some people just can’t make good ones at the very least.” I had a variety of relatives that fell into that category, which might be why his friend made me irrationally frustrated. “You will make better decisions than that, though.”
As I started measuring out the batter slightly haphazardly since they didn’t seem to have measuring cups, I ignored how still he’d gone. Surprise wasn’t a safeword and I could almost hear his brain starting to whirl.
It took a bit longer than I expected, but after a few more seconds his head popped up. “How did you get in? Why are you here?”
Well, it wasn’t a terrible place to start.
“I took your keys last night.” I thought that would’ve been obvious. “I put them on the table by the front door…and as for why I’m here…we needed to talk when you were grown-up…and I promised you breakfast.”
He blinked a few times as his gaze shifted to actually seeing me instead of just staring into space. “Pancakes?”
“Yes.” Keeping my answers simple seemed like the best idea at the moment, so I left it there.
“I like pancakes.”
His answer proved I was right about keeping it simple, but didn’t give me much to go on either.
“I’m glad.” Nodding toward the stove where I had a pan heating up, I frowned at it. “That one will do for now, but we need to get you a larger pan if you want pancakes on a regular basis.”
Teddy frowned and looked around. “I didn’t know we had one.”
That was ridiculous.
“Whose stuff is in here?” Because it wasn’t his.
“I don’t know.” After a few blinks and a shake of his head that made him look like a puppy, he realized that wasn’t enough information. “I was told they had plenty of stuff I could use when I first moved in, but it turned out the guys who were living here didn’t know who it belonged to either.”
That was ridiculous.
“Did the place come fully furnished?” If it had, they’d been scammed by their landlord because it was all crap.
Thankfully, Chipmunk shook his head. “Just beds and a few pieces like the couch in the living room. Nothing else.”
“It must’ve been left by previous tenants, but if you want real meals, we’ve got to pick up a few things.” As I tested the pan to see if it was hot enough, I glanced over at him before I made the first pancake. “Want to explain why you don’t seem to cook anything?”
He had a full kitchen for fuck’s sake.
“Not really.” Pouting, he shrugged as I started getting out the syrup and butter I’d bought yesterday. “It’s nicer to have someone cook for me and Olivia likes feeding people so she’s always bringing me stuff from work.”
God.
“She works at the soup restaurant?” My wince or maybe the pitch of my voice made him laugh. “Most of that food is inedible and you know it.”
He didn’t admit it out loud, but his shrug said a lot.
