“I promised Abby I’d go light on the grease. She rarely eats this way for breakfast.”
“What do you normally eat?” Blythe asked.
“Fruit and yogurt, or when I’m being decadent, oatmeal.”
“Ugh, why didn’t I know you were a health food junkie?” Blythe asked.
“Is that a deal-breaker?” Abby said with a smile, obviously not put off by Blythe’s comment.
“If you weren’t so damned beautiful, it might be.” Corny line maybe, but Blythe knew she’d pulled it off when Abby’s cheeks colored.
“Okay, Ab. Since you’re our guest, come load your plate first,” Ricki said, interrupting Blythe’s flirtation.
“Oh, you’re not going to do it for me?” Abby grinned.
Ricki grabbed a plate. “One breakfast plate coming up.”
“No!” Abby leaped to her feet. “You’ll fill it way too full.” She strode to the stove and grabbed the plate in Ricki’s hand. Ricki kept hold, not letting go right away.
“Geez, are you two playing tug-of-war?” Blythe dropped the toast onto a paper towel and put more bread into the toaster. “I’m gonna serve myself if you don’t get on with it.”
Ricki released the plate and said in a loud whisper, “Grab all the cheesiest bits.”
“Hey! Don’t be giving her any ideas.” Blythe picked up her own plate. Then she studied Abby, who still had a smile on her face. “How long have you two been up anyway?”
“Since around seven,” Abby said, taking a small scoop of eggs.
“Take more than that.” Ricki took the spoon and plopped a larger helping of eggs onto Abby’s plate.
Abby chuckled but didn’t protest.
Blythe glanced at the microwave clock. It was after nine. “Two hours? What have you been doing for two hours?”
“ReadingThe Color Purple,” Abby said as she put a piece of bacon on her plate. Ricki picked up three more with her fingers and tossed them on top of Abby’s lone piece of bacon.
Only one copy of the book sat on the kitchen table. “Together?”
“We were reading passages aloud,” Ricki responded.
“And Ricki’s notes,” Abby added. “Which was the real treat.”
“I’m telling you, you need to try it.” Ricki smiled at Abby. “It’ll be life-changing.”
“I take notes.” Abby put her hand on her hip and scowled. “I just can’t bring myself to write in the book itself.”
Blythe groaned and piled a heap of eggs on her plate. “You are not arguing about notetaking, are you?”
Abby laughed. “I guess we are.”
“You won’t know how much you like it until you try it,” Ricki said.
“Are we still talking about notetaking?” Blythe smirked. “Or are you talking about something else?”
Ricki’s cheeks turned bright red. It was almost too easy to embarrass her. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”
“Me? You’re the one propositioning my girlfriend with notetaking.” Blythe caught Abby’s grin out of the corner of her eye.
Abby put her hand on Blythe’s arm and smiled. “You don’t have to worry. She won’t lure me in with her wicked notetaking ways.”
