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Lie.

“You?” She cocks her head, studying me for barely a second before her eyes narrow. “No, you didn't.” She shakes her head. “I know you, Grumpy. I can tell.”

Of course she can.

She hands me a mug just as Dex and Lexy walk into the kitchen, both of them looking like they're still halfway asleep.

“Jet lag is a bitch!” Lexy grumbles.

Dex immediately reaches for her, pulling her into his arms before kissing the top of her head. “Come here, Tinker.”

We all watch as she melts into him and they stare at each other like the rest of us disappeared from the fucking room.

I look away and find Nora.

The shine in her eyes tells me exactly where her mind went.

D.

The way he used to hold her. Kiss her. Look at her like that.

And here I am thinking about her.

Fuck me.

“I made the egg yolks with sugar!” Nora suddenly exclaims, turning toward the counter, and I catch the quick blink before she wipes whatever was there from her face.

“You okay?”

She looks up at me.

Those dark eyes have never been able to hide much from me.

She nods. “I'm okay, Grumpy.”

Her smile is small, but it's sincere.

I nod toward the bowl. “Can't wait to taste it.”

Her whole fucking face lights up.

And right then I don't care if there's horse shit in that bowl. If eating it puts that look on her face, I'll eat the whole damn thing.

I glance over at Dex and Lexy.

Neither of them has a fucking poker face. Dex is staring at the bowl like Nora just told him she mixed rat poison into it, and Lexy looks ready to come up with an excuse.

Nora turns back toward Chiara.

I catch their attention and mouth two words.

Taste it.

Lexy's eyes widen, so I pull out my phone.

Jude: She stopped cooking when D died. YOU EAT WHATEVER SHE PREPARES.

My brother's phone vibrates on the counter. He reads the message, looks at me and then back at the bowl.