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Her eyes were sparkling.

“So, what did you do with the rest?”

“I gave them away to my neighbors. There’s Lars next door. Normally, his body is his temple, but he made an exception. Then there is Mr. and Mrs. Lyles. They’re older. He probably shouldn’t be eating them, but he said at ninety, he isn’t going to have some doctor taking away the joys in his life.”

“Sounds like a smart man,” Mateo smiled.

“I was hoping today’s batch would come out perfect, but you were going to be the ultimate judge. By the look on your face, it seems like I came close.”

“You didn’t come close. These are beyond perfect. I think I’m going to have to start puncturing your tire once a week so I can come and rescue you, just so you’ll make these for me again.”

“I don’t think you’ll need to do something that drastic.”

“We’ll see,” he muttered.

She laughed. “I’m ready.”

He eyed her from head to toe. “You certainly are. I’m going to have quite a time keeping you all to myself.”

Lainey laughed again. Pretty. He was right, it did sound a little like music. “Keep talking me up like that and you’ll for sure get more cookies. But I was also thinking of making chocotorta.”

Mateo’s chin lifted and he stared at her.

Is she for real?

He was the one who was supposed to be doing things to pry information from her, not the other way around.

“No? You don’t like that dessert?”

“Oh. No. That’s not it. I love that dessert. I even remember getting it for my birthday. It was for special occasions.”

“Is that something else that your mother made for you?” She picked up her raincoat and he took it from her so he could help her put it on.

“Mom did make the chocotorta, but she said she didn’t do it as well as her mother did, so she found a bakery close to us in Wilmington.”

“Delaware?”

“Yeah, like I said. She was a silicone research scientist for DuPont.” It was always best to keep his cover as close to the truth as possible. And that was the truth.

“Hmmm. That sounds impressive,” she said as Mateo opened the door for her.

“It was, especially for a woman coming from a South American country in the late nineties.”

He waited for her to lock her door, then he walked with her to the elevator.

“You sound very proud of your mom.”

“I am.”

They made their way to the lobby, and he ushered her out the front door to the visitors' parking.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Lainey asked as he opened the passenger door.

“I would love to know all of your secrets,” Mateo said in a teasing tone, but deep down he was serious.

“I have been wanting to ride in this car as soon as I saw it. I love old muscle cars.”

“Then you’re in for a treat.” He shut her door, walked around to the driver’s side, and folded into the car. He watched as Lainey grinned when the car rumbled to life.