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Gina returned with his dumplings and a to-go container for Del.
“You can put the cobbler on my tab,” Alex said, the aroma of tonight’s house special making his mouth water. If it tasted half as good as it smelled, his trip here tonight wouldn’t be a complete bust. “In fact, something tells me I should just go ahead and add it to go for me as well.”
“Good choice,” Gina said. “I’ll box it up when I pack up your leftovers.”
“Oh, I doubt I’ll need a doggy bag for this.”
Gina grinned. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“Thanks for that,” Del said, tipping her head to the carryout order. “So, how close did I get?”
Damn, there was no dancing around answers with this woman, was there?
“Close enough.”
“That’s what I thought.” She eased back in her chair, arms crossed. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
Stalling, Alex took a bite of his dinner and closed his eyes, savoring the perfectly balanced mixture of seasonings. Now he understood why it was a local favorite. It wasn’t often a restaurant could pull off a texture that wasn’t too thick or too runny but just right.
“Oh my God. This is—”
“The best you’ve ever had? Told you so.” She allowed him to finish another bite before smacking him in the arm. “Focus, Alex. What’s your next move?”
“With dinner?” He was teasing, of course. The dark look he got in response made him chuckle. “I don’t know, to be honest. My apology wasn’t very well received.”
“Mia isn’t always quick to forgive. So, maybe you need to do more than apologize.”
“Maybe. Got any suggestions?”
A devious grin stretched across her lips. “Sure do.”
If memory served, the younger Del had an ornery streak a mile wide. Some things apparently never changed. “Would these suggestions be Mia-approved?”
“Definitely not, which is why they’ll totally work.”
Alex laughed. “How can you be so sure? I mean, I’ve already screwed up with her once. If I’m going to put myself out there, I’d like to hope there’s at least some small chance of success this time around.”
“You seem like the kind of guy who goes big or goes home. So, we’re not going to waste time sending a bunch of random, vague texts to slowly rebuild your relationship.”
The more she talked, the more he liked her way of thinking. “We’re not?”
“Nope. We’re going to throw her into the pond, headfirst. Only, it’s nearly wintertime, which means she’s going to need a big warm blanket to help her thaw out. That part won’t be easy, but I promise you, it’ll be worth it.”
Alex took another bite of his dinner, liking the idea of being Mia’s big warm blanket. And if Delaney’s plan worked and all went well, it would most definitely be worth it. In fact, for Alex, it’d literally be a dream come true.
“You’re not worried that you might be throwing your poor sister into shark-infested waters?”
“No, because all the sharks around here know that whoever so much as leaves a scratch on my sister will face my wrath.” Del leaned forward, her gaze locked with his. “I know people who know how to make people disappear, capeesh?”
She tipped her head toward a table nearby where a group of heavily muscled firemen sat, devouring the Saturday special.
“Noted. You sure seem like you’ve got this all figured out.”
“I do. Of course, if I help you, Alex, you’re going to have to do something to help me in return.”
And there it was—the catch. He should have known she wasn’t just doing this out of the kindness of her sisterly heart.
“Which is?”
