Page 18 of A Pizza My Heart

“Wren Daniels!”

Simon comes rushing out from behind the counter, making his way to Randy’s table and apologizing profusely to the old man.

“I am so sorry about my child, Randy. I swear she gets it from her mother.”

Randy grabs the onion ring off the floor. “Mind if I chuck it back?”

“Be my guest,” Simon says, holding his hand out.

I’ve never seen a grown-ass man throw an onion ring so hard in my life, and Wren’s too stunned to duck, the fried vegetable smacking her right in the chest.

“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!” Randy stands and pumps his fists in the air.

The rest of the customers in Slice cheer as he takes a bow.

“Damn, I missed this place,” I say with a smirk.

Simon and Randy exchange high fives, and then the man who was practically a second father to me makes his way over to our table.

He looks down at his daughter, half annoyed and half amused. “You’re wearing me out, kid,” he says to her. “Foster, son, you still coming by tomorrow to help with the gutters?”

I nod. “Sure am, sir.”

“Quit it with the sir shit. You know I hate that. Makes me feel old…er.”

Wren looks between the two of us, her annoyance obvious.

“Youknew he was back too?” she accuses her father.

“Of course I did. Your adopted kid doesn’t move back from California without you knowing about it.”

She swings her accusatory heated glower my way.

“Sorry,” I mutter.

“As excited as we all are Foster’s back, we need you on the floor, Wren. The dinner rush starts in an hour and we have some prep work to do, especially since your brother called in…again.”

Simon frowns, and I remind myself to have a chat with Winston about leaving his dad and sister hanging when I get back to his place tonight.

“Can I finish off my onion rings real quick?”

She gives him that look of hers that always works, and I watch as his stern dad mode wears thin.

“Sure thing, kiddo. See you in five.”

Simon claps me on the shoulder and heads back behind the counter, already barking orders at the other staff.

“I can’t believe everyone knew but me.”

“It was a surprise?”

“Why is that a question?”

“Because it’s one hundred percent bullshit.”

She laughs at my frankness. “Fair enough.”

“You really should be getting back to work. I know the boss, and he’s a bit of a hard-ass…”

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