“Biscuits? Homemade biscuits?”
“My first culinary masterpiece.”
I release her so she can check the oven, and that’s when I realize her phone has gone back to playing soft music. Jazz or blues.
Something instrumental and melodic and gentle.
It fits the morning.
She pops a half dozen thick, fluffy, perfectly browned biscuits out of the oven, then gestures to the coffee pot. “Help yourself.”
Ah.
Right.
Her one failure in life. Making coffee.
I should’ve been up earlier to fix this myself.
“I’ve had your coffee,” I remind her.
She smiles and rolls her eyes as she grabs another skillet. “How many eggs would you like in your omelet?”
“Three, please.”
I help myself to the coffee despite giving her crap, and it’s night and day different from what she made on Monday.
“You make this?”
“Lucky told me they stocked coffee here. He didn’t tell me it expired before they all inherited the cabin and they each think the others drink it, so they all bring their own when they stay here. I got some beans at Bee & Nugget the other day too.”
“Walking a fine line there, taking free housing but spending money for nonessentials at the coffee shop.”
“Someone left a big tip, so I decided to splurge and support a local shop.” She gestures to the eggs and cheeses on the counter beside the oven. “And Cyril delivered groceries this morning, so no one knows it was me. He has the rest of today off, by the way. I told him I wouldn’t be leaving the cabin.”
“That mean I’m hired?”
“It means you’re trustworthy and knowledgeable about my particular situation and he can take the weekend off.”
I smirk at her. “Don’t hire people you sleep with?”
She smirks back. “Don’t usually hire people who blackmail me. But you’re kinda cute, so I guess I can overlook a few bad decisions.”
“Kinda cute?”
“In a grumpy lumberjack kind of way.”
“Iamgood with…wood.”
She visibly shivers, and her cheeks take on a pink hue.
But I don’t think she’s embarrassed.
I think she’s getting warm.
“Yes, you are,” she murmurs.
“Maybe if you’re a good girl, you can play with my wood again.”
