Page 70 of Craving Francesca

“Where’s Cian?” I asked as we rounded the corner.

“He’ll be here. He was working late today to get something finished.”

“Loser,” I joked. I found Lou sitting on the floor surrounded by a massive mess. “What the hell happened?”

“These directions suck,” she bitched. “I should’ve just asked for the floor model.”

“I thought Bas was going to help you build it.” I knelt down and took the instruction manual from her.

“He canceled.”

“What an asshole,” I said flatly, making her smile.

“Do you know what he had to do tonight?” Myla asked as she started unpacking groceries above us.

“He didn’t say.” Lou pushed herself up, stepping gingerly around the metal pieces and wrapping. “But I figured it must be important since he canceled last minute.”

The two of them puttered around the kitchen getting stuff ready while I built Lou’s barbecue for her. I wasn’t sure why she’d had such a hard time with it since it only took me about twenty minutes to fully assemble it. I’d always loved puzzles. It was probably part of the reason I liked refinishing things. You had to take them all apart and then put them back together again. It was satisfying.

“Done,” I announced. “Where’s the propane tank?”

“The what?” she asked in confusion.

“The tank.” I gestured at the bottom of the barbecue. “It needs propane to work.”

“Oh, shit,” Lou said with a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. “Whoops.”

Myla cackled.

I snorted.

Then we were all laughing at the unusable barbecue sitting in the center of our kitchen.

“Well, it’s pretty,” Myla said, wheezing.

“Shiny,” Lou agreed.

We laughed harder. Brody found us draped over the counters, Lou with her arms wrapped as far as she could get them around her new lawn ornament.

“Nice,” he said, smiling as he walked into the kitchen. “Any reason Lou’s huggin’ a barbecue?”

“Lawn ornament,” Lou corrected, sending us into fits of giggles again.

He looked around at us in confusion, still smiling.

I gasped, trying to calm my breathing. “Einstein forgot to buy a propane tank. Can you take her to get one?”

“I can do it,” Lou argued defensively.

“What size do you need?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

“I’ll just check the instructions,” she countered, slapping them off the counter.

“I’m on the bike,” Brody said. “We’ll have to take one of yours.”

“Mine,” Lou said with a sigh, dropping the instructions back down. “Let me grab my shoes.”

“I’m going to shower,” I announced, picking my bag off the floor where I’d dropped it.

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