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Caroline turned to face Lucas and said a soft, under her breath thanks that he was in a much better mood than the night before. “Or maybe it’s because when I’m around you I don’t get the sleep that I need at night and end up shoving my foot into my throat.”
Nadia looked between them like she was watching an invisible tennis match. “Why didn’t you get enough sleep last night?”
Ready to wave it off, Caroline was shocked when Lucas volunteered a tasty little tidbit.
“That’s because I drove over to talk to Caroline after you were asleep last night.”
“Dad? How did you… I mean, you can’t just go knocking at people’s front doors late at night!”
He shrugged. “Something I wasn’t taking into consideration when I did it.” Lucas moved past her to stand beside his daughter. He put an arm around her shoulder. “Forgive me?”
Caroline managed to hold back her laughter when Nadia drew back and gestured at her. “Dad, you should be apologizing to Caroline! I mean, Miss Franzen.”
Instinctually, Caroline opened her mouth to correct Nadia, but instead, she looked at Lucas.
“What?”
His incredulous question made her bristle and still, she wanted to laugh even more.
Caroline huffed at his static expression. “I don’t know if you want me to let her call me by my first name or if you have something else you’re more comfortable with.”
When he smiled in response, she wasn’t sure if he meant it.
“You’re deferring to me?”
The laughing tone in his voice grated on her nerves, a little.
“She’s your daughter. And she’s a minor. I’ll defer to you for,” she looked at Nadia, “how many years until you’re eighteen?”
Nadia grinned at her. “Three.”
Lucas’ eye brows lifted together.
“Three and change.” Caroline nodded. “Okay then, what would you recommend, Chef? First name or Miss?”
Lucas took his time thinking about it. “Caroline will be fine to me as long as the situation is personal. If you’re in a kitchen or somewhere else where it would make a difference, then you can adjust.”
Lucas watched the two lock gazes and then nod with a smile.
He was in trouble.
“Caroline? Would you like to come in?”
He saw her looking at the open front door behind him and nodded.
“Thank you. I wanted to come over and talk to you about what you said to me last night. I believe I was half asleep when you rambled on a bit, so now that the sun is up, I feel more competent to grasp whatever you’re going to throw at me.”
Nadia led the way in her usual energetic way, leaving himself and Caroline to lag behind.
As they walked, Lucas leaned forward and murmured under his breath. “Thank you for not telling her that I was an absolute monster last night.”
He felt her steps slow for a moment, so he dropped his speed as well as he came up beside her.
“Is that what you were?” Caroline looked sideways at him. “I was just too tired to understand.”
He chuckled under his breath, but she kept talking.
“I’m serious, Lucas. I stumbled back into bed after you left, but I don’t think I really grasped what you wanted me to do.”
