Page 9 of Bennett

Before Laurel could properly glare at the coffee pot for its silent judgment, the kitchen door swung open, and Aunt Annie strolled in, casting her a knowing look.

“I know that face,” Annie said, reaching for a mug with her good hand. “That’s theI just got bested and don’t like it one bitface.”

Laurel scoffed, pouring her aunt some coffee. “Please. I wasn’t bested. And besides, I’m completely unbothered.”

Annie snorted. “Uh-huh. And I make low-fat biscuits.”

Fat chance.

Laurel sighed, setting the coffee pot back down. “I’m here to help you, not get distracted by a human Wikipedia page with biceps.”

“Mmhmm.” Annie smirked, taking a sip of her coffee. “And how’s that going so far?”

“Helping you or avoiding distractions?”

Annie winked, her blue eyes twinkling. “Both.”

“Pleading the Fifth.” She smiled. “Let’s talk about something important, like how are you feeling today?”

A dramatic sigh left her aunt’s lips as she waved her bandaged hand in the air. “Oh, you know. Practically on my deathbed. Helpless. Frail. Forced to suffer in silence.”

Laurel snorted. “Right. Because nothing says ‘frail’ like running around a diner, one-handed, refusing to let me do my job.”

“But you are,” Annie said. “You’re doing great, sweetheart. Best decision I made was calling you.”

She crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. “Yeah, well, you didn’t exactly give me a choice. You called me after you scheduled your surgery, told me you needed me here, then conveniently hung up before I could protest.”

As if she would’ve.

Annie grinned. “I learned from the best. Your daddy’s the same way. Always made up your mind for you before you even realized it.”

Something Laurel knew all too well.

She snorted. “He gets that from you, you know.”

Annie sipped her coffee. “I am the older sibling. It’s my job to be bossy.”

Laurel gave her a pointed look. “You didn’t tell me at first that this was just Round One. You made it sound like one surgery and you’d be good as new.”

“Technically true,” Annie said, waving her bandaged hand. “One at a time. This one heals, and then I get the other wrist done.”

An intentional oversight, for sure.

“Which means I’m stuck here longer than I thought,” she said with a straight face, trying to act like it was a bad thing, which it wasn’t. Laurel always loved her visits here, and her aunt was fully aware.

Annie smirked. “Bless your heart.”

Laughing, she snatched up a dish towel and threw it at her. “That’s not how you use that phrase, and you know it.”

Annie just laughed, catching the towel with her good hand and tossing it onto the counter. “You’ll survive, sweetheart. It’s just Harland. Not like it’s a punishment.”

“True. And you know I was kidding, right?” She grinned. “Harland is nice.”

Maybe a littletoowelcoming, a little too easy to settle into. And that? That was dangerous. Laurel’s entire life was supposed to be in Austin, even if she didn’t love it. Even if catering wasn’t her dream.

Now books? Yeah, they held her heart.

“Absolutely.” Her aunt winked. “I’m glad you’re here. Thanks for helping me.”

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