Page 71 of Crazy Rich Cajuns

Maria dipped her spoon again, taking a bigger scoop.“I haven’t had sweet grits since I was a kid.”She took a bite and closed her eyes briefly.Then she focused on Kennedy.“Myothergrandmother made them this way.She died when I was only eight.”

Kennedy smiled.“I love when food can take you back to a good memory.”

Maria nodded.She looked like she was going to say something else, but instead she just took another bite and then dug into her eggs and bacon.

The three of them ate and finished off a pot of coffee with very light conversation about not much at all.They all seemed tired, but it was also a strange combination of people who didn’t know each other that well.At least not have-breakfast-together well.Kennedy got the impression that Charles was much more a friend of Preston’s and only knew Maria superficially.

When they were finished, Kennedy started cleaning up.

“You don’t have to do that.The kitchen staff will be in to do lunch,” Maria told her.

Kennedy shook her head.“I was raised in a bar and restaurant.If someone comes in for the next meal shift and there are dirty dishes in the sink, there is hell to pay.My grandma might just fly up here and slap me if I leave a mess.”

Maria clearly wasn’t sure what to say to that.

Kennedy turned her attention to scrubbing the skillet.

Finally, Maria said, “Are you and Bennett serious?”

Kennedy looked over at the other woman.Wow.What a question.From his mom, no less.The mother that she’d told about her gazebo-blow-job plan.Strangely, Kennedy wasn’t quick to answer.Just last night she’d told Charles that she and Bennett were just messing around.Twenty-four hours ago, she’d have easily said that they were just flirting.Now… Well, she could only be honest.

“Your son is amazing.”

Maria looked surprised by Kennedy’s answer.“Yes, he is.”

“And I want him to be happy.Really, truly happy.Long-term.”She meant every word of that, too.

“And that will all happen with you?”Maria asked.

“I think that’s possible,” Kennedy said, realizing it for herself for the first time.

“Only possible?Not for sure?”Maria pressed.

Kennedy met her eyes.“The more I figure out, the surer I get.”

“The more you figure out about Bennett?”

Yes.But, not just him.Maybe it was getting out of Autre and her circle of family and friends.Getting outside her comfort zone where things were easy and routine and she didn’t have to think about things very hard.

Or maybe it was the things she was learning about Bennett.Butthosethings didn’t seem surprising.She hadn’t known the details and seeing Bennett inhiscomfort zone had made her look at him more clearly, maybe, but she wasn’t shocked that Bennett was a fighter who did the right things for the right reasons.

So yeah, she was feeling differently about her and Bennett, and it wasn’t because Bennett Baxter was surprising her.Shewas surprising her.

Kennedy shook her head.“The more I figure out about me.”

Maria narrowed her eyes.“You’re figuring some things out while you’re here?”

“I am.”

“Soyouare serious abouthim?”

“I am serious about Bennett being everything he can be.I’m serious about that for myself, too.And if we can do that together, then yeah.”

“I see.”Maria seemed to be thinking about that.

“Kennedy!”

They both turned toward the new female voice.Jo had joined them.Along with Tawny and Sarah.They were all in bathing suits and carrying towels with sunglasses propped on top of their heads.

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