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“I’m sorry, my little tot, but I have no idea what chemical elements do what. Aside from H2O.” I wince because I should have returned to college like I wanted once we moved out here. I just didn’t get the chance. Maybe someday.
“It’s okay, Lottie,” he says and stuffs his hands into his pockets. “We can’t all be boy geniuses.”
Snorting out a laugh, I steer him toward the diner. “Well, you are a genius and a boy.”
“Why are we going to the diner?” He frowns.
“Meeting at five.” I ruffle his hair, then frown. “Where is your hat?”
A blush creeps up his face as he frowns. “Simon stole it.”
I grind my teeth because this isn’t the first time that’s happened. “I’ll ask Jani about it later.”
“No, don’t.” Milo sighs as I take my hat off my head and tug it over his red ears. “Simon will just take it from me again.”
“That’s not okay, Milo. You have to understand that,” I whisper, wondering how to handle this situation. The big sister in me wants to go off on the boy, while the guardian in me wants to have a cordial conversation with Jani, though it’ll end up with me yelling at her.
He shrugs a shoulder. “Simon doesn’t have many hats to keep him warm, or he never wears them, I’m not sure which. I think he just needed a hat.”
“That is a possibility,” I say, because I know Jani. She is flighty on the best of days. “I’m still going to ask her about it.”
“Fine.” Milo groans, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Meetings aren’t usually on Tuesdays.”
“Well,” I drawl as The Tulip rises before us. “Remember Sal?” I ask. Milo just nods and peers up at me with his inquisitive blue eyes. “He died, so I think this will be about my job.” One I hopefully still have.
“How did he die?” Milo asks the one question I don’t know how to answer. We’ve always sworn to be honest, but how do I tell him he was murdered?
Luckily I don’t have to, because Tatum comes barreling out the front door as our feet hit the wraparound porch. “There’s my nemesis,” she exclaims and pulls out a freaking sword from her bag.
I have a small moment of panic that it’s real before I notice it’s rubber.
Milo giggles—full-on giggles—as Tatum hands him a matching one, and they duel on The Tulip’s front porch. Hearing him laugh is a beautiful thing. It makes my heart lighter and makes me feel like I’m not screwing him up.
“Ladies,” a deep, masculine voice interrupts us from behind.
Turning around, I find Desmond on the sidewalk with one brow raised to his hairline. Wearing the same gray knit cap and a long black wool coat with his hands in his pockets, he eyes us like we are children who need scolding.
“Mr. Black.” I greet him with a cautious smile while Tatum and Milo hide their swords behind their backs. “The Tulip is closed. I’m not sure when we will open, but we should know more later.”
He bites back a smile by rolling his pouty bottom lip inward. “I know,” he says while stepping up on the porch and reaching for the door. He pauses, then leans toward me. “It’s my restaurant.”
I did not see that coming.
Blinking at the man like a fool, my mouth opens and closes. “What?”
“Come on in.” He jerks his head at the door before seeing Milo. “I think there is some ice cream in the freezer. Would you like a sundae while we have our meeting?”
“Yes.” Milo darts ahead, rushing through the door. I swear there are skid marks where his feet left the porch.
“I should have asked if that was okay with you.” Desmond turns to me with his heavy-lidded stare.
“Yeah.” I sigh. At least it’s hours before bedtime. “You’ll have to feed him dinner to balance out all that sugar.” Behind me, Tatum releases a soft laugh. In front of me, Desmond’s lips tick up before he gets himself under control.
I apparently flirted with my boss this entire time.
“Done.” He leans back and holds the door open for us.
I rush inside with my proverbial tail between my legs and face flushing burgundy. Clutching Milo’s backpack to my chest, I head for the booth where Harlow and Autumn sit with their heads bent toward each other.
