Page 29 of Merry with a Brewmaster
VIENNA: Don’t think I don’t have plenty of things to tell Poppy about you
JACE: All right—all right—fine
JACE: So you guys hooked up
VIENNA: And I freaked out
JACE: What did he do?
VIENNA: Mostly went along with my crazy
JACE: Guess you need to decide what you want to do
VIENNA: This is not helpful
JACE: Neither is having to deal with two women who are trying to test my life expectancy
VIENNA: That’s a bummer for sure—especially considering you’re not getting sex from me
JACE: I’m going to bed
VIENNA: Thanks for loving my crazy
JACE: Always
15
VIENNA
DECEMBER
“Daddy,” Haven whines as she stares at her father, “I wantwafflesfor dinner.”
“But I already took chicken out. We can make waffles tomorrow.”
“I think I heard something about waffles,” I say conspiratorially, earning a glare from Wells and a beaming smile from Haven.
“Vienna,” he says in warning, and he’s just too damn cute for his own good. It had been weeks since the incident on the couch, and both of us were acting like it had never happened. It was strange, but things had been better than normal and I hadn’t questioned it.
“How about a compromise?”
“Like what?” Haven says skeptically.
“What about chickenandwaffles?”
“What?” Haven screeches, a horrified expression on her face. “Together? That’s gross!”
I gasp and lay a hand over my heart as I grab her hand. “Are you kidding? You’ve never had it?” She giggles and I turn my mock outrage on Wells. “You’ve never made her chickenand waffles? I can’t believe you would deprive this poor girl like that.”
Wells’s head is tipped up to the ceiling, his lips twitching as he tries to fight his smile. “It’s never come up.”
“That is a punishable crime in Tennessee,” I hiss, shaking Haven gently by the shoulders.
“Fine, you win,” Wells concedes, holding his hand out in surrender. “Now what?”
“To the kitchen!” Haven and I yell in unison, making Wells laugh and shake his head.
Running to the pantry, Haven grabs our matching unicorn-printed aprons and hands me mine before getting her stool and setting it in front of the island before going to wash her hands.
