Damien sighed—long and resigned. “Please don’t burn the house down.”
“Come now,” I said, lifting my mug. “It’s an egg, not candy.”
He set his phone on the table. “Really? We were having such a good morning.”
“What?” I asked, all innocence.
“You know exactly what.”
Ava snorted loudly enough to startle the smoke alarm. “I meant to tell you. The birds were all over the patio this morning. Drinking out of the wine glasses.”
Damien pinched the bridge of his nose. “Ava…”
“I think I saw one trip,” she said solemnly.
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did. Wings everywhere.”
Damien pressed his forehead to the table. “Unbelievable.”
“You mean the one with the long tail?” I asked.
“Birds don’t have ta—”
Ava whipped toward me. “You saw it, too?”
I bit back a laugh. “Oh yeah. Tragic.”
Damien looked between us like we’d formed a two-woman strike team. A soft chuckle drifted from the stove.
“She’s a quick one, Damien,” Ava said, tossing me a wink. “You should bring her to dinner tonight. Rosie would love to meet her.”
The blood drained from my face.
“I agree wholeheartedly,” he said—then threw me a lifeline. “But it’s too early for that.”
“No, it isn’t.” Ava scoffed, waving him off as she served our plates. “You two are little lovebirds. Just like our drunk crow friend.”
My chuckle died when I saw my plate. The toast resembled charred building material, the egg a small crime scene, and… mustard greens?
Damien took a heroic bite. “Thank you, Ava. Delicious, as always.”
“Anytime, hun,” she said, drifting away. “And let me know if you change your mind. I’ll text your mom.”
“I have her number, too, Ava.”
“Yeah, but you never use it,” she quipped, already walking down the hall.
“She’s a liar!” Damien yelled after her. “I call her at least once a day—sometimes twice!”
“So you hate your mom, huh?” I deadpanned.
“I love my mom,” he exclaimed. Offended. “You know that.”
I did know that. One of the few truths I never questioned.
I smiled as he discreetly covered his ruined breakfast with a napkin.
