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“Oh, yeah. Birthplace of Pepsi, forgot about that. Is Coke illegal? What happens if someone orders one? Do they even have Coke in New Bern?”
“You should try it and see.” Nothing would happen. They would just give him a Coke, but he didn’t need to know that. “You ready? Who’s driving?”
“Yeah, Duke’s been out. I’m leaving him inside with the AC since it’s going to get hot. The neighbor kid will come let him out at lunchtime.” He grabbed two water bottles and handed her one. “I’m driving.”
She rolled her eyes. Of course he was. Good thing Luna was doing much better at only peeing when and where she was supposed to. She hadn’t had an “accident” in almost a week. Hopefully, her potty-training regression was over.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
They spent the morning going from house to house, doing the same thing they’d done with his other homes. When they finally stopped for lunch, Kate was starving. He opened the door to a cute little bistro-type place and, after getting their food, sat opposite one another in a booth near the back.
“Okay, so I know you like order and neatness. What don’t you like? What are some of your pet peeves?” he asked.
“Hm. Do you want an alphabetized list or worst to least offensive?”
“How did I know there would be a plethora?”
“Snarky comments is high on the list,” she said, and he laughed. “Also, when people are rude or late or can’t admit when they’re wrong or don’t know something…”
“Agreed. Those are annoying to almost everyone though. What else?”
“Cocky is annoying.” She looked right at him when she said it. “As are condescending know-it-alls.”
“Why do I get the feeling those are aimed at me?” he said with a grin.
“Huh? I have no idea,” she said. “Also, poor grammar, the word moist. Putting an x in especially or, worse, a b in supposedly? I mean, when a grown-ass adult says supposebly, I about lose my mind. Also, the misuse and overuse of the word literally. Shall I go on?” She smiled sweetly.
“This is good stuff. I’m taking notes. What else?”
“Well, there is one thing you should understand about me. I hate, absolutely hate, abhor, no, loathe.” She dragged out the word. “Small paper clips.”
He laughed out loud. “Oh, thank God. I thought you were going to say blue eyes or excellent drivers or something else I have no control over. May I ask why the vehement hatred of small paper clips?”
“They’re worthless,” she said. “They don’t hold anything together and just get in the way.”
“Okay, good to know.”
“What about you? What do you hate?”
“Oh, um. Well, not much. Liars. People who say they’re going to do something and then don’t. Shoddy work. Small dogs and people who baby talk to their small dogs.” He looked at her and laughed at her how-dare-you expression. “Prissiness and perfectionism. Oh, and tomatoes. I really hate tomatoes.”
“Seriously? That’s weird. What about marinara sauce?” She purposely ignored the small dog and prissiness comments. He was just trying to rile her up, and she wouldn’t take the bait.
“That, I love. But the tomatoes are cooked and all mushed up, so they don’t seem like tomatoes.”
“You have a point. So, on paper, we should bug the crap out of each other.”
“On paper, yes. But for some reason, you seem more cute and quirky to me than annoying.”
“Hm,” she said. “Cockiness aside, at least you can put a sentence together properly.”
“Some people mistake confidence for cockiness, you know?”
“There’s a fine line,” she said. “I can tell when it’s been crossed.”
Adam glanced at the door, and a flash of panic shot across his face.
“Oh, no.” He ducked his head and put his hand over his eyes.
