Dani finishes and carries the plates to the table, setting one down in front of me.
“I know it’s not perfect, but at least it’s edible.”
“It smells good,” I commend.
Her cheeks pinken. “Thanks. Hopefully it tastes good. That’s the real test.”
She watches me hesitantly and I know she’s waiting for me to try it.
I take a bite of bacon and while it’s certainly a tad on the burnt side I won’t complain. She continues to watch me, nibbling on her bottom lip with nerves and anticipation. Spearing the fork into the omelet, I wiggle it around and pull off a decent sized bite.
“Hurry up,” she begs.
I press my lips together to not laugh at her.
Lifting the bite to my mouth, I wrap my lips around the fork as she watches everything I do with a careful eye.
Chewing, I swallow, vigilant to not make any kind of facial expression indicating my love or distaste.
“Lachlan,” she whines. “How’d I do?”
Breaking out into a smile, I say, “It’s delicious, babe.”
“Oh, thank God.” She exhales a sigh of relief. “You had me worried there for a second.” I take another bite and she finally digs into her meal, humming with satisfaction. “This is yummy. Go me.”
“You’re doing great,” I assure her. “Don’t doubt yourself so much.”
She gives a small shrug. “It’s kind of hard having so many years sucking at it and a brother who’s equally as horrible. Plus, it’s a lot easier to pick up the phone and order in. But there’s something to be said about the satisfaction of preparing your own meal.”
I pick up the glass of OJ, tipping it to my lips. “What do you want to learn next?”
She bites her lip in thought. “Hmm, that lasagna you make is delicious—how about that?” Before I can answer she also adds, “And this summer I want you to teach me how to grill.”
“Whatever you want.”
Seeing her happy is all that matters.
She beams. At her feet Tally meows and she looks down at her eager cat. “I’m not sharing my eggs with you, you fiend. Shoo.” She waves Tally away, but the cat merely lays down by her feet.
I snicker. “But you feed bacon to Zeppelin?”
She looks over at the giant dog, her bottom lip slightly pouted. “He gives me those big puppy eyes and I can’t resist.”
After breakfast, we clean the dishes together, getting more water on each other in jest than on the dishes. But hey, we get the job done.
Dani pulls her damp shirt away from her chest, shaking her head. “I need to go change. I’m supposed to Facetime Ansel in twenty minutes.”
I pointedly stare at her bare legs and underwear peeking out, my dick twitching in response. “Yeah, pants might be a good idea.”
She giggles, swatting my arm playfully. I watch her run upstairs to the bedroom while I wipe down the table. With everything straightened and in order I head up to shower, finding Dani seated at the desk in the corner of the room, phone propped up while she chats with her friend.
Walking up behind her, I bend down so I’m in frame. Smiling, I say, “Hello, Ansel.”
“Hey, Mr. Taylor.” He flinches, giving me a sheepish smile. “Sorry, Lachlan. This is weird.”
I wave a dismissive hand, though pain settles in my chest at the reminder of my former position as Dani’s guidance counselor. Ansel’s too. Things might be strange, especially when it comes to others, but we’re navigating it.
“How’s Paris treating you?” I ask, steering the conversation in another direction.
The smile on Ansel’s face reminds me of the one I know I wear when I think of or speak about Dani. He’s in love with that city, and where he belongs.
“It’s wonderful. Dani, you need to come back for a visit. You come too, Lachlan.”
“I would love to come back some day.”
Dani smiles up at me and I can’t help but return it. I love the idea of us in Paris together.
“We’ll definitely come visit someday.” Kissing Dani’s cheek, I stand to my full height, getting cut off from the frame of the phone. “You guys have a nice chat.”
Closing the bathroom door behind me I shower and go about my morning routine.
When I’m done, I find Dani sitting on the edge of the king size bed already dressed for the day in dark wash jeans and a long-sleeve black shirt.
“What’s up?” I ask, noticing the way she’s nibbling her lip, her nose scrunched in thought. Reaching for the closet door, I hesitate looking over my shoulder at her. “Everything is okay, right?”
She nods. “Sage asked if we wanted to go sledding with him and Sasha, but…”
“But?” I prompt, grabbing a pair of boxer-briefs from one of the drawers.
“He’s always such a dick to you.” She blows out a gust of air. “I know where he’s coming from, I get it, believe me I do, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t get exhausting. I’m an adult. I can choose who I love. For God’s sake he’s dating my friend.” She throws out her arms as I tug on my jeans. “I love my brother, and I want to hang out and do things with him, but I’m so tired of the way he treats you.”
“I can handle your brother.”
Sage has every right to harbor anger toward me. I know how things look from his perspective, like I took advantage of his sister, but that’s not the case at all. I feel like he’s come a long way since Dani I got together officially, but I think it’s to be expected for him to have moments where he probably wishes he could punch me through a wall.
She gets up from the bed, crossing the few feet to where I stand and wraps her arms around me, resting her chin on my bare chest. The shirt I pulled from a hanger to wear hangs limply in my hand as I wind my arms around her.
“You shouldn’t have to handle my brother.” She blinks her big hazel eyes up at me.
“I don’t mind. Sage is a good guy. He’s just looking out for you.”
“So, I should tell him yes to sledding then?”
I nod. “Let him know we’re in.”
Dani and I both took this entire week off, and part of next, to enjoy the holidays not only with each other, but with family. Sadly, I won’t be seeing mine this year since they’re staying in Arkansas, but there’s always Facetime.
“Okay.” She pulls away, plucking her phone off the bedspread. “But if you see me shove my brother down a hill today just pretend you didn’t.”
I chuckle. “What hill?”
She looks up from her phone, a smile spreading over her face. “Exactly.”
“Weed!” Sage calls when he sees his sister and me walking toward the snow-covered hill that more than just the four of us decided would be a good idea to sled on. There are so many people walking up it and sliding down that I feel like we might be asking for an accident, but what’s life without risk? “Lach-ness,” he adds in a grumpier tone.
“Hey, Sage,” I chuckle, amused by his nickname for me.
Dani punches him in the stomach. “Be nice.”
“How was that not nice?”
She rolls her eyes at her brother, reaching for my gloved hand. Beside Sage, his girlfriend, and Dani’s friend, Sasha, lets out an exasperated sigh. “You said you’d be on your best behavior. We’re supposed to be having fun.”