Page 34 of RomeAntically Challenged
In return, she got a giggle and a snort from Team Ride or Pie. Their message was clear: She’d awoken the beast—she was on her own.
“Yes, my mom’s dumpling soup is amazing.”
The older woman’s eyes narrowed. “From a can?”
Annie stood, bringing herself to forehead level. Meaning her eyes met the nurse’s forehead. Annie had an inch and a half on the woman, easy. “Never.”
“No bouillon allowed.”
Her friends watched as if this were the final match at Wimbledon.
“From scratch. In fact, neighbors feign the flu just so my mom will bring them some of her soup.”
Nurse Tran glowered. “My recipe is six generations old.”
“My mom’s dumpling soup has been in the family since, uh, the parting of the Red Sea.”
She knew the response had thrown the woman slightly off-kilter but, to Annie’s amazement, Nurse Tran rallied quickly. “Friday night. Six p.m. Hai Linh will give you the address.”
“Hai Linh, that’s me.” Lynn waved her hand.
“See you then.” And because Annie was raised with manners about speaking to her elders, she added, “Thanks,Báci.”
The nurse stopped at the door and turned, piercing Annie with a look that had her shivering. “Hoan.”
“Excuse me?” Annie asked, certain the woman had just told her to screw off or something.
“You should always know the name of the person who will annihilate you. Mine is Hoan.” With that, Hoan Tran left the Fortress of Solitude.
No one said a word as her threat settled.
Lynn finally broke the silence. “I didn’t know your mom cooks dumpling soup.”
“Matzo balls are little dumplings floating in broth. How different can it be?”
Chapter 10
The sun was bright, the sky was blue, and Emmitt found himself humming as he strolled up to Rome High School. In a few minutes, the bell would sound and he would be reunited with his baby girl.
He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she spotted him. Granted, as he walked past the line of cars, each waiting for its respective kid, he felt a little like the idiot who strolled up to the drive-through window on foot.
He’d considered going home to get his car, but since he was already near the high school, he didn’t see the point. Plus, until his vision was a little more 20/20 and a little less water-in-the-goggles, Emmitt was going to be huffing it a lot more.
Today, being on foot would work to his benefit. What better way to catch up with his kiddo than a walk home on a sunny day? He’d ask her about school. She’d tell him first about the mischief she and Owen had gotten into on their late start morning, while it was still a fresh story.
The bell rang and kids spilled out the front doors and down the steps. Emmitt waited for Paisley at the edge of the lawn so she could easily spot him. But it was Emmitt who did the spotting. He had to do a double take to make sure it was his kid, but her long blond curls confirmed that the teen in the second-skin jeans and knee-high boots talking to a guy, who looked as if he sweet-talked girls out of knee-high boots between passing periods, was indeed his daughter.
Emmitt knew approximately forty-eight ways to kill a man with knee-high boots, and he was about to demonstrate his top five when Paisley spotted him.
“Dad?” she asked, uncertain. Then her eyes went wide, lighting with something that warmed Emmitt all the way through. “Dad! You’re home!”
Yes, I am, he thought, looking at her bright smile.
This, right here, was home. The moment Paisley walked down the steps, her bouncing curls coming his way, everything spun back to right. The explosion, the story, even the headache faded into the background.
Whenever he was gone, all he could think about was coming home to Paisley. And yet, whenever he was home, he worried that he was upsetting the delicate balance of her life. Emmitt never had many options growing up. Paisley had so many she worked hard keeping everyone happy—including him.
There were a lot of things he wanted to be for his daughter. A burden was never one.
