Page 240 of The Bluffing Game

He slips his hand into hers. “You can help me pick which dog I’m going to get. I think I want a big dog, but then maybe I want a small dog, and maybe I want a black one, but maybe I want a brown one or a white one or a green one.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a green dog,” Sage says.

“Can I ask you where the flour is, Dalton?” She looks at me and then around the large marble kitchen. “I have no idea where anything is.”

“Sure. I’ll grab it for you.” I walk over to the pantry and step inside. “What else do you need? I’ll grab it while I’m in here.”

“Milk and eggs and chocolate chips. Of course, the milk and eggs will be in the fridge.”

I look back at her. “Let me see if we’ve got some chocolate chips. I’m almost positive we do from the last time Toby made chocolate chip cookies.”

“I want chocolate chip cookies as well,” Toby screams. “Right now.”

“Not this morning, Toby.” Sage bursts out laughing.

“Okay, Sage.”

I’m happily surprised that he doesn’t throw a tantrum. I finally find the flour and a small bag of chocolate chips, bring them out, and place them on the countertop.

“I suppose you need a bowl and a frying pan.”

“All the good stuff, please,” Sage says, a wry smile on her face. “Do you guys cook breakfast a lot?”

“No,” Toby says softly. “Daddy will make me cereal, but not even the delicious cereal. He says I have to eat Cheerios, and I don’t like Cheerios. They don’t taste good. I like Frosted Flakes and Fruity Pebbles, and sometimes, Auntie Lucia lets me have them.” He places his hand over his mouth and giggles. “Oops, she told me not to say that.”

“You see what I’m dealing with here, Sage? A sister who doesn’t listen to me.”

“Well, I have a feeling she probably learned from you, Dalton.”

“What are you trying to say?” I tease her. “That I don’t listen?”

“I think we both know you don’t listen,” she says.

“Ooh, let me help.” Toby picks up the flour, and it goes flying everywhere—onto the floor, onto Sage, onto the countertop. “Wow,” Toby says, looking up nervously at Sage. “Oops.”

“It’s okay. Your daddy will clean it up for us.”

“Me?” I make a face.

Toby bursts out laughing. “Daddy has to clean up. Daddy has to clean up.”

“I guess I’ll get the vacuum cleaner later. Who knows how much mess you two will make?”

“We won’t make a mess, will we? At least not too much more of a mess.” She ruffles the top of his hair. “Do you want to tell me how many chocolate chips you want?”

“I want all of them.”

“I don’t think you can have all of them, Toby.”

“Yes, I can. I can eat every single chocolate chip in the world, even if I become a chocolate chip myself, which Daddy says will happen if I keep eating them.”

“Oh, really. Is that so, Daddy?” Sage says, and the words make me want to grab her and pull her into my arms.

Sage raises an eyebrow at me, and I grace her with a wicked smile in return.

“Well, you know, there are things that are good for you, and things that are bad for you. Chocolate chips are not good for you. Other things,” I say, “are much better for you.”

“Sage, can I tell you something?” Toby says, tugging on her hand.