“Coffee?” Dorian blinked like his brain was resetting like the computer I kept avoiding. “Donuts?”
“Calories are calories.” At least I was pretty sure someone on the radio had said that lately. “And I’m not dumb enough to give him caffeine. He’s got enough energy that decaf will be fine.”
Had I broken him?
His mouth just kept opening and closing.
“Alpha. You’ve got brownies.” The pup’s confidence and timing were amazing. “That’ll work. They’re big but we still might need two for breakfast.”
“Browniesand decaf?”
Maybe Dorian was working again?
“I’m getting the real stuff but I’m pretty sure someone dropped off instant decaf for some reason. The fates only know why someone thought that was a good idea.” Hmm. “Could that be the same person who bought all the weird health food? Do you know how disgusting canned asparagus is?”
He blinked and his inner computer started whirling again.
Why was that what got his brain going again?
“I’ll remember not to buy that, but don’t worry, it wasn’t on my list.” Dorian looked down at himself like he was expecting to see the list, but that probably wasn’t what he was thinking. “I’ll stick with more reasonable vegetables.”
“What’s an asparagus?” Emeric looked genuinely confused as he came out of the kitchen. “Is that like those cado things? Did you know those are expensive?”
“Avocados.” Dorian seemed to correct him without thinking about it. “I’ll check out the prices for those here. Oh, I don’t think they’re related, but they actually have similar textures, so maybe they are?”
Hmm.
Had the math teacher turned up his nose at vegetables?
They couldn’t be related, so was it an issue with them being kind of mushy?
“What do you think about broccoli?” Dorian’s immediate change of topic said I might’ve been right. “There are lots of good things that can go in a salad too.”
Emeric was a master at taking the opportunities he was given. “Can I come with you so you can show me? We mostly ategreen beans and what do you call it…oh iceberg lettuce. Lettuce has the weirdest name.”
Even I knew those weren’t the most nutritionally dense options to feed a kid, but Dorian’s eyes got wide before he got his expression under control. “There are actually a lot of different types of lettuce and leafy greens that can be the base of a salad.”
Giving Dorian a confused frown that might’ve been genuine, Emeric seemed to think about what the easily riled-up math teacher said. “What good things go on a salad? I guess carrots aren’t bad.”
I could almost hear Dorian’s brain whirling. “Steak.”
Oh, smart man.
That was kind of sexy.
“Steak?” Emeric perked up at that word. “What else? Will you show me at the store? We can go first thing if you don’t want me to eat the brownies. I can make brownies. I’ve done that. Those always have eggs in them, though. So they might be breakfast food. What do you think, Alpha?”
That Dorian had lost.
It was amazing to see, mostly because I wasn’t sure he understood how it’d happened. “I’m pretty sure chocolate is a bean, but don’t quote me on that. We might need to look that up.”
For some reason that had Dorian perking up again. “Do you have a phone you can look that up on?”
Oh…good question for a variety of reasons.
Emeric shook his head, but kept chattering excitedly. “No, that wasn’t allowed. But once I pledged the pack I’d be an adultand I could have one. I snuck my dad’s, though, so I know how to clear my browser history and everything.”
I could almost see the horror that was flashing through Dorian’s mind, but he kept it off his face. “You are very smart, but we’ll stop by the store on the way to get groceries in the morning and get you a phone. That’ll make me feel a lot safer.”
