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“Whatever you need, we’ve got you,” Isaac said.
“I know. Thanks, guys.” Joel shuffled several papers together. “And actually, there is one thing you can do. Before everyone disappears, I need contest forms.” He pulled one sheet free and tapped it against the table. “Gabe, that includes you.”
“I’ll fill it in this morning.” Gabe got to his feet and gathered two empty mugs from the neighboring table.
“Karina got hers to me yesterday,” Joel added.
Gabe stopped halfway to the counter and looked back. “She did?”
Nate lowered the remains of his second cinnamon bear. “Here we go.”
“What?” Gabe set the mugs down on the table a little harder than he intended.
“You know what.” Nate brushed the crumbs from his fingertips onto his plate. “You were perfectly normal until Joel mentioned Karina.”
“I am still perfectly normal.” Gabe picked up a cloth and wiped away a scattering of sugar from the table.
“So what are you baking for the competition?” Evan asked.
Isaac settled farther back in his chair. “Pumpkin pie?”
“Of course pumpkin pie,” Gabe scoffed.
Why are we going there this fine fall morning? Gabe’s bear moaned and covered his head with his paws.
Evan took another drink of coffee. “You do know there are other things you could enter.”
“So does Karina,” Gabe retorted.
Wes glanced up from Joel’s papers. “But neither of you will.”
“No.” Gabe looked at him. He wasn’t sure why that needed explaining.
Joel was smiling now, and most of the tension had left his face. “Just fill in the form.” He slid a form across the table. “Could you do me a favor this year?”
Gabe hooked the cloth over his shoulder. “What?”
“Fill in the form without using the comments box to complain about last year’s judging.” Joel raised an eyebrow at Gabe.
“I wasn’t going to,” Gabe insisted.
You so were, Gabe’s bear teased.
“You did last year,” Joel said.
“Did your mom tell you that?” Nate asked with a chuckle.
“Oh yeah,” Joel said with a grin as he plucked a sheet of paper from the stack. “My mom has given me a list of form-filling troublemakers.”
“She has not!” Gabe made a grab for the sheet.
“Ah!” Joel held it out of his reach. “Don’t mess with the list.”
“Because if you do, Joel will have to tell his mom,” Evan teased.
“So what did you complain about?” Isaac asked.
Nate looked across at Gabe. “Because Karina beat you?”
