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“I can’t imagine you two working together in a kitchen without killing each other. Lou and I can barely make an apple pie without a catastrophic explosion happening. I mean, who puts a full crust on the pie? It’s a crumble top every day of the week,” Victoria says as she throws her hands in the air and of course knocks her wine glass, which I manage to catch before it hits the table. “Oh shit, thanks. You could come in handy in my life.”
“Oh yes, definitely what I was put on this earth to do, clean up your messes,” I mumble and smile as she keeps going.
“Shit, well then, you’re going to be busy.” She kisses me on the lips, and not missing a beat, goes back to her conversation about pie.
“I’m right, aren’t I, Flynn? Tell me you’re a crumble boy.” Her attention shifts to him, waiting for his reply to back her up.
A few wines have brought out the confidence in Elouise, and she and Victoria just bounce off each other. It makes me happy I brought her out for the day. I think it’s just what Victoria needed.
“There is no way he is a crumble boy, he is a pastry man all the way. Thick and hard, that’s how the dessert is supposed to be served.” While the girls are talking pie, it’s the first time, I’ve seen Flynn lost for words.
Before he can even answer, Victoria replies for him, “Yes, with cream and ice cream, which just tops off the taste of the crumble.”
Forrest looks away, trying to hold it together. Remington is already laughing as he calls the girls out to what they are totally oblivious of.
“We are still talking about pie here, aren’t we?” Rem tries to get out between gasping for breath while laughing.
Flynn is still silent, and I can’t help but grab my phone and snap a picture. No one will want to forget the day he was struck speechless.
“Wait, what?” Two words that Victoria seems to say frequently. “We are talking about apple pie. What did you think we were talking about?” She looks around the room, and I can see on her face when she starts to get it, as she sees the guys now losing their shit and obviously replays her words back over in her head.
Elouise is now blushing and giggling too.
“Ughh, who are the young ones in this room. Get your heads out of the gutter.” But Victoria is now laughing too.
My relationship with my friends is strong and there are plenty of great times, but I didn’t realize this was what I was missing. Having the girls here just adds a whole new dimension. Victoria is opening my eyes to a whole new world that I have been avoiding, and each day I start to wonder why just a bit more.
“So, share with the class, Flynn, is your pie pastry all dry, crusty, and flaky?” I tease, unable to help but join in.
“Fuck off, you tosser!” he says, pulling himself back to his usual self. “My pie pastry is smooth, hard, and creamy. Melts in your mouth and every customer’s fantasy. My pie has been described as an orgasmic dessert more than once before.” Leaning back on his chair, he lifts his hands, clasping them behind his head.
“You had to go there, didn’t you,” Forrest groans next to him.
“Hey, Nic’s girlfriend started it. You can’t blame me for joining the conversation,” Flynn says, trying to justify himself, but nobody is buying it.
I shake my head. “And thanks to Flynn, I don’t feel like dessert now. Girls, please excuse us, we have some work to do, and we will see if we can erase the visions of Flynn’spastryfrom our minds and we can have sweets then.” I stand and pull out Victoria’s chair for her as she starts to stand.
Flynn’s about to speak, but I glare at him. “Don’t say another word.” And thank God, he listens for once.
“Go be all bossy and important, we can clear these.” Victoria starts to stack plates.
“Leave them, beautiful. I’ll deal with it later, just relax.” I don’t know what is going on with me today. I never thought I would call her any term of endearment in front of anyone, but it just feels natural.
From the twinkle in her eye, I can see she is happy to hear it too.
“Don’t be silly, we aren’t useless, are we, Lou. Just don’t tell me these plates are five hundred years old or something like that.”
“Like it will make any difference,” Eloise says. “I’ve gone through a whole dinner set since I moved out into my own place, with you coming to visit” She is trying to keep her face straight so we think she is joking, but I actually believe she is serious.
“No, they are only a hundred years old and a limited edition with gold edging that is not made anymore. No need to worry.” Watching Victoria’s eyes nearly pop out of her head was worth every bit of my joke.
Flynn tuts. “You are full of shit, Nic, these are the same plates I bought at Harrods when we set up my apartment after coming home from Australia. How cruel you are.” Trying to make himself look good, Flynn just takes a few plates off the table and starts walking toward the kitchen.
“Bastard,” Victoria chides me. “Now get out, all of you, and leave the two of us to talk about you while you are gone.”
I lean down and kiss her on the top of the head. I don’t doubt that all our ears will be burning.
“You heard the lady,” Rem says. “It’s her polite way of telling us to fuck off and work. Anyone would think she has already been hanging around Nic or something.” He stands, and we all head toward the office where he left his bag as soon as he walked in. I have a full office set up here, but Rem never goes anywhere without his computer. I don’t know much about technology, but he is my head of security, so I never question anything he does or says. That’s what I pay him for, and it’s why I trust him and Broderick with my life and the lives of everyone around me.
