“Hey, screw you. I make great coffee!” he said, glaring at Wilder. “Now.”
I snorted. “He makesadequatecoffee.”
“Still an improvement,” Wilder said, grinning. Chase narrowed his eyes at him and scowled. It was reassuring to know it wasn’t just me he was rude to.
Wait. Did that mean he didn’t hate me as much as he made out?
By the time we’d finished dessert, Gracie was sagging against Wilder’s chest. “Time to get that little girl home,” Mom said softly.
Wilder nodded. “Thank you for today.” He reached back and pulled a battered wallet out of his pocket. “What do I owe you?”
“Don’t be silly,” Mom said. “I was happy to help.”
Wilder glanced down at Gracie, who was snuggled up against his chest. “Are you sure?”
Mom reached out and patted Wilder’s arm. “My kids were young when their father passed, and I still remember what it was like raising these two on my own. It’s tough, and some days are tougher than others. So when someone offers to help? You take it and say thank you.”
Wilder blinked hard, then nodded. “Thank you.”
“And you bring that girl of yours back here when she needs a trim.”
“Trim?” Wilder repeated, his brow creasing. “I thought you fixed it?”
“For now,” Mom said. “But you know it’ll need regular cuts while it grows back.”
“Uh,” Wilder said, his expression suggesting that no, he hadn’t known that.
Mom just laughed softly.
“Can we go home, Daddy?” Gracie mumbled. “I want to show Avery my new hair.”
There was another round of thank yous and goodbyes, and I couldn’t help my gaze finding Chase’s. He glowered at me, then dipped his chin in a nod and murmured, “Thanks.”
“See you tomorrow, Chase,” I said.
“Yeah.” His gaze darted up again, and for a second his expression looked almost open, almost vulnerable. Then he wrinkled his nose, turned his glare back on, and said, “See you tomorrow.”
The next morning,a little before six thirty, Chase knocked on the front door of Gobble de Goose, and I went and unlocked it to let him in.
“It’s early,” I said. “That wasn’t a criticism, just an observation.”
He shrugged off his jacket, swearing when the zip caught. “Yeah, I thought I’d come in and study my coffee sheets. Want me to make you one?”
Warmth spread through me. “Sure. And the first batch of cinnamon rolls are almost done, if you haven’t had breakfast yet.”
The look he gave me was customarily wary. “Uh, okay.” Then he dug into the pocket of his jacket. “Gracie made your mom a card.”
I took the card, smiling at the drawing of, presumably, Gracie on the front. “Is this the before or after drawing of her hair?”
“Fuck if I know,” Chase said with a shrug.
Inside the card, in big, uneven letters, it said: THANK YOU LINDSAY. I LOVE YOU!!!
I went in the back, and Chase followed to stow his backpack and jacket on the shelf outside the bathroom. I watched him outof the corner of my eye as he put his apron on and tied it, liking the way it hugged his hips and the ties framed the top of his ass.
Then I remembered I was supposed to be in the kitchen, so I hurried inside before he caught me looking.
“Behind!” Tyler called, and I stepped out of his way. He set the tray down on the table and stretched. “Chase is in early today.”
