“Decaf.”
“Whatever.”
I scuffed my shoe on the floor between the entrance hall and living room, waiting for the inevitable and not being disappointed when two pairs of similar dark eyes landed on me.
“Hello there, Cinnamon Roll. What’s with you not partaking in normal conversation?”
I smirked, barking one syllable of laughter before placing the dessert on the bar leading to the kitchen. “What’s with you and all the shades of purple?” I motioned to her color-coordinated shorts and top.
“It’s my favorite color.” She shrugged, returning my smirk, and then winced as her father tightened his hand on her arm.
“Let me help.” I all but pushed Summer out of the way, knowing her slight frame was no match for her dad’s larger one. “How are you feeling, Mr. Winston?”
The older man grumbled, shrugging out of my grip twice until Summer gave an audible sigh, and he relaxed into my hold, allowing me to lead him into the living room.
“My mother sent over dessert,” I said, getting Cam settled into the recliner. He grimaced, closing his eyes and pressing his hand to his chest.
“It’s not poisoned, is it, Maverick?”
“Not unless you’re at risk for diabetes, sir. She said you had an operation.”
“Yes, I did, as you can damn well see, Son. It’s a good thing my oldest daughter is finally divorced from her loser of a husband, right? So I’m not stuck in this house all by my lonesome.”
“Really, Dad?” Summer said, standing in front of him with her hands on her hips.
“What? It’s not like the boy is trying to get in your pants.”
“That’s it,” she said, throwing her arms in the air and grabbing a heart-shaped pillow from the couch. She tossed the pillow to her dad and then stomped to the kitchen. “I must be in purgatory. That’s what this is. Some unending nightmare filled with diet food and insults.”
I grabbed the dessert and followed her ranting, listening as Cam turned on the television and muttered about coffee.
“Sorry about letting myself in, but I didn’t want these to go to waste. I’m Maverick Hansen.” I stretched my hand toward her as she turned and crossed her arms. “And I promise nothing about this dish is diet.”
“Good to know, Cinnamon Roll. I’m Summer. Summer Winston. Well, Summer Jordan, but give it another month, and it will be Winston again.”
She shook my offered hand, letting go a millisecond after we touched. Then she turned to the container, sighing before putting it in the fridge and starting a pot of coffee. I rubbed the back of my neck, glancing at the high kitchen cabinets as she stood on her tiptoes and opened the cabinet above the coffee maker.
“Fucking biscuits,” she hissed as the knob snapped off and landed on the counter before bouncing onto the floor. I retrieved the knob and handed it to her, but she waved me away, grabbing a dry-erase marker from the counter and scribbling onto the side of the fridge.
“Add it to the list,” she murmured, tossing the marker back where it was and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Seems like you have your hands full.”
“It looks like it, doesn’t it? I’d like to think I have complete control.”
“Right. Control.”
“Listen, buster. Don’t swagger over here with your sugary dessert and judge me on the state of this condo. I’m aware that several things need to be fixed and thought now would be a good time to make the entire place more accessible for him.”
“I’m not judging you,” I said, holding my hands out in what I hoped was a placating, non-threatening gesture. “My brothers and I did the same thing next door a few years back at our mom’s place. We wanted to ensure she’d be able to stay there as long as possible, you know?”
“Yeah. That was my idea here as well,” she answered, sounding tired and defeated. Her head dropped to her chest, and her fists clenched before she shook herself and turned to me, desperately trying to make her grimace look like a smile.
“Okay.” I let the word hang in the air, the silence only broken by the television in the next room.
“Well, tell me what you’re thinking? We started by installing thicker railings on the stairs and then lowering the cabinets in the kitchen. Then we made sure the lights, television, and air conditioning were connected to a smart panel. After that, I think we did a railing around the porch and back deck. On top of a closet and bathroom remodel as well.”
She tilted her head and crossed her arms, leaning against the counter as the scent of dark-roasted coffee filled the space.
