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“You’re going to love her.” Mandy finished her juice and crossed her eyes. “Are you ready? I’m starving.”
“Um, I need to change. This isn’t good for the chill or the errands.” Winking, she added, “Give me five minutes and we can feed you.”
“I’ll wash my glass and adore your kitty while I wait.”
Zoe walked into the bedroom and quickly changed into jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers. Dragging a brush through her hair, she shrugged into her jacket and called it done.
The father and daughter were ready to hustle her out the door the moment she appeared. Nate put them both in his truck and wasted no time getting them to their favorite diner.
She watched in awe as the pair put away massive amounts of food. “Breakfast is a big meal for you?”
“I haven’t eaten in like twelve hours…” Mandy offered before taking another bite of pancakes. The happiness on her face made Zoe grin. When she was done chewing, she added, “We should make you dinner. Dad does steaks and pork chops really great. I can microwave potatoes if they come in those pouches.”
Crossing her arms on the table, Zoe quirked her brow. “How about if I get what I need to make you dinner? To thank you for yesterday?”
Chewing in slow motion, Mandy looked practically on the verge of tears. “You mean it?” Zoe nodded. “I’d eat every bite.”
Looking at Nate, she did what she could to crush down her blush at the way he stared at her. “You planned to grocery shop?”
“We’ll do whatever you want as long as we can tag along.” He took a sip of his coffee. “You don’t have to cook, Zoe.”
“I want to.”
“Then speed through those pancakes, Mandy! I need to walk about two miles to work off these calories. I ate two full stacks and we’re not going to talk about the amount of bacon.”
Nodding seriously, his daughter replied, “I hope, one day, to be able to match you, Father. It is my greatest wish to out-calorie you.”
Zoe snorted. “I love the way you are together.”
Mandy rubbed her hands together. “Excellent. Our plan is working!” Pointing up at her dad, she said, “We must convince her to take pity on our lonely existence.”
“Agreed.” Sighing dramatically, he shook his head. “We’re so lost, so lonely. Surely, she’ll adopt a couple of worthy strays like us.”
Laughing, Zoe said, “You two are laying it on a little thick.”
“Dial it back. Noted.” Mandy ate her last bite and shoved at her dad. “Go pay. Let’s do more stuff with Zoe.”
They ended up spending almost two hours in the local market. Zoe had to shop for her house, they needed to shop for theirs, and she had an ingredient list in mind for dinner.
Mandy and Nate were hysterical in the store. They played games together when no other shoppers were on the same aisle. At one point, she believed they were playing hide-n-seek in the produce department.
It was silly, nice. Like the way her own father had been with Zoe and her sisters. She appreciated that a man like Nate didn’t take himself too seriously. With his looks and build, it would have been easy.
Skidding to a stop in front of Zoe, Mandy signed, “Wanna go riding?”
“Sure,” she replied without hesitation. “I’ll grab my boots when we drop off the groceries.”
Time with them was never boring and went by quickly. By the time she prepped food for dinner, the two of them were starving again. They offered to help so she gave them each little tasks.
Mandy took down pretty dishes. “Grandma got us these and we never use them. She said everyone should have one set of proper plates. She was raised really prissy. We laugh about it sometimes because Dad and No-No are her total opposites.”
When they were seated around the refinished old farmer’s table with plates of chicken-fried steak, white gravy, slow-fried potatoes, fresh green beans with bacon, and cornbread, the father and daughter could barely contain themselves.
They ate with expressions of true joy on their faces. Zoe imagined there was a lot of moaning going on between chewing. Both weren’t shy about eating seconds.
When they couldn’t eat another bite, Nate sat back and patted his belly. “Best meal I’ve had in a long time. Thank you, Zoe.”
“My mouth wants more. My stomach threatens to explode.” Mandy put her face in her hand. “So good.”
