Page 25 of Cursed Luck
“What would you like for dinner?” Junior asked, his attention on Edward.
Edward shrugged. “I guess I’d be down for some pizza. My mind’s been on this, so I guess I didn’t even think about eating until you just woke my stomach up.”
Debbie grabbed star and heart cookie cutters. “I have others in there, but now that I know what you want them for, I think these two will work the best.”
He nodded. “I’ve watched like ten different videos. It didn’t seem all that hard to do, but then I got home and—”
“Say no more. I’m glad you called,” Debbie told him and pressed the side of her face against his arm. “Go ahead and start cutting slices of apples and skewer them and the strawberries after you remove the green stems. I’ll start figuring out the best way to get this ball in there so we can start putting it all together.”
“You’re the best,” he muttered as he picked up the apple cutter.
Junior set his plate next to the sink. “That’s what I’m always telling her.”
“Make yourself useful, baby. Grab one the other knives and cut off the outside of the pineapple for us. If I’d known, I would have brought over our pineapple core remover. Definitely buy one of them if you plan on eating pineapple often.”
Edward smiled as Debbie chattered. Her excitement over the project made any guilt he felt for calling her over melt away.
By the time the pizza delivery man buzzed his arrival thirty minutes later, Junior had cut all the melons into slices, Debbie had secured the foam into the makeshift vase, and Edward had skewered all the apples, strawberries, and grapes.
Junior looked up as he stabbed a slice of watermelon with the star cookie cutter. “I’ll go get it!”
The moment he stepped out of the apartment, Debbie asked, “Have you seen her recently?”
Edward debated on playing dumb for a second. “No, I haven’t.”
“How badly did you mess up that you’re going through all this trouble?”
He moved into Junior’s spot and began cutting star shapes out of the melon. “Enough that she told me ‘screw you’ and kicked me out of her shop.”
Debbie winced. “Must run in the family.”
Edward paused and waited to see if she would say more.
“Did you know, the first time Junior met my mom, he said, ‘I bet you were pretty like Debbie when you were her age!’”
Edward paused and faced her. “He didn’t…”
She nodded. “Oh, he most definitely did. My mom hated him for the first year.”
Edward chuckled. “I can’t imagine why.”
“No matter how many times you screw up, don’t give up. Keep on trying, and for what it’s worth, I’m thrilled you’ve found her. Now make her yours.”
Chapter 12
Mia was exhausted. Her business had doubled in the last two weeks, and she was seeing more repeat customers. She was thrilled by the results of hiding stock and rearranging things. Edward’s simple suggestions had completely transformed her shop.
At the thought of him, her mind and body warred. Part of her ached to see him again, and another was still eager to sock him in the nose for his arrogant comments.
If she were honest with herself, she missed him more than any frustration he held over his words. She did not know the man, and yet he occupied the majority of her thoughts.
With her friends’ help, she prepped the shop for a couple of hours before they had gone out. Staying true to their word, the conversations had stayed away from their mates, except to explain the telepathic connection.
It was both fascinating and terrifying to know such a link could exist. Although, after hearing their stories of how the link had helped save lives, she couldn’t see it in a negative light.
She spent many nights afterward wondering what such a connection with Edward would be like. Would she be able to see past the stupid awkward words he spewed to what he really meant?
The door chimed, drawing her thoughts to the plant in her hands and away from the delicious man who was driving her insane. Mia set the plant into its drawer and smiled. “Welcome to Mia’s Flowers! If you need any help, please let me know,” she called as she wiped some loose dirt off the cabinet housing her plants.
