“Seriously cool. Do they taste good?”
Would I bring them to someone’s house if they didn’t? “I guess you’ll have to taste them and see.”
“Cookies aren’t my thing. But Max loves them. I think they’re his favorite.”
“Really?” I should have known that. He never bothers with the fancy pastries at the bakery. But he’s had so many different cookies already.
“Oh yeah. Here, let me carry that.” He takes the cookies from my hands, and we walk back to the library. “Fiona brought cookies. Wanna try one?”
Um, what?
“Sure.” Max walks over and takes one from the container that Gabe opened. “Oh, Leftovers. These are the best.”
“Really?” Gabe snatches one.
“Wait, I thought you didn’t like cookies.”
Gabe shrugs. “I don’t love them, but I’ll make an exception for you.”
Huh?
“Max, Fiona wants to go to the game. Do you have an open spot in your box?”
What? No. Why did Gabe say that? Max doesn’t want me to be there.
“Sure. I have plenty of room for you and Daria to join us.”
That was thoughtful of Max to invite Daria when Gabe just completely ignored her. “I don’t know—”
Daria pokes her head out from behind one of the bookcases and emphatically signs,“YES!”
“I guess we’re going.” That means I’m going to be trapped in a little room with Max for hours.
Hope jumps up, clapping a little. “That means you two are coming. We’ll have so much fun.”
Woohoo…not.
“Why don’t we bring these cookies to the dessert table before there aren’t any left?” Hope, thankfully, gives me an out.
***
“Dash is such a cute baby.” Temperance is bouncing him on her hip. “He looks just like Max when he was a baby. Except his curls are darker.”
Emilia walks up. “Why haven’t I gotten a chance to cuddle this little guy?” She walks up and plucks him out of Temperance’s arms.
It’s a good thing Dash is a people person, or we’d be dealing with a fussy baby the number of times he’s been passed around tonight.
“I’m glad to finally see you at a family dinner. Took you long enough.” Emilia gives me a pointed look. “If all it took was Hope to ask you, I would have sent her over years ago.”
How do I respond to that?
The baby smiles up at Emilia and blows bubbles at her with what’s left of his after-dinner snack.
“Well, aren’t you a smart little boy. Fiona, you should keep this one.” She tickles Dash’s belly.
“That’s not how it works.” Though the little guy is growing on me.
“It could be if you want it to.” She sets the Dash down on the table and helps him wiggle. “Isn’t that right, little man?”
