Page 41 of Unspoken Hearts
“It’s almost ready,” I whisper, dunking the dipper back in the honey before drizzling some in his mug and stirring.
Sliding it across to him, Reid’s eyes find mine once again, gentle and appreciative, as he sips on his honeyed long black.
A small grin flicks on his stubbled face. “Thank you, Mae.” His voice is so low, it’s like a tickle down my spine. He walks to sit at the table.
Forcing down a gulp, I take my mug and sit on the other side, next to Aspen and Holden. As much as I want to be next to him right now, I need to settle the heat in my cheeks and the fizzing of blood in my veins.
“Do you like eggs, Aunt Macie?” Aspen asks, thankfully drawing away my attention from the handsome man sitting across from me.
I nod. “I do. Do you?”
“Yes. And tomato sauce,” she squeals excitedly.
My lips quirk. “I prefer barbeque.”
“Ew,” Grayson adds, slipping into the chair beside Reid, giving me a disgusted look. “Barbeque sauce on eggs? That sounds gross.”
My arms cross as I glare across at him. “You’re gross, and you can’t say that until you’ve tried it.”
He scoffs. “I’m not trying it. That’s just criminal. Everyone knows that tomato is the best.”
Holden nods in agreement, and my eyes roll. “Good, more sauce for me then.”
I don’t miss the curve of Reid’s lips when a plate of eggs, sausages and fruit is placed in the middle of the table.
“All right, dig in,” Hazel chimes as she and Austin sit at opposite ends. It smells deliciously salty, hearty and fresh at the same time. My stomach twists a little with pain.
Grayson grabs the tongs, but Reid slaps his hand away. “Ladies first,” he grumbles.
Meeting his gaze, I smile gently before taking the tongs and looking at Aspen. “How much would you like?”
I fill up her kiddy plate before adding some food to mine. The boys dig in like seagulls fighting over hot chips.
Dousing my eggs in delicious barbeque sauce, I can’t help but grin when Reid takes the squeezy bottle from between us, trying it on his eggs.
Grayson watches him with betrayal in his eyes as Reid downs a mouthful and groans.
“Damn, that is good.”
Grayson smacks the back of Reid’s head before devouring his plate.
I fail at smothering my grin as Reid looks at me, mirroring me with his perfect, dreamy smile.
“We’ll need to leave in fifteen minutes if we want to meet Walter on time,” Grayson yells from the bathroom across the hallway.
I don’t want to go and face my landlord, because a part of me already knows what his decision is going to be, and I am not ready to hear it.
The stirring in my stomach starts up again as I pull on a clean top and tie my hair up out of my face. Nerves vibrate through me as I let out a small, shaky breath.
Grayson’s head pops through my open door, and I peer over at him. He must sense my anxiety because he comes over, holding onto my shoulders loosely.
“Whatever happens, you’ll always have a place here.”
I know he said that to try and alleviate the pressure I’ve built up in my mind, but it does the opposite.
My hands are sweaty, and I wipe them quickly on my jean shorts, nodding slowly. “Thank you, G. I just hope he’s a bit kindhearted today.”
My friend’s mouth ticks sideways. “We can always pray.” He slings an arm over my shoulder and walks me out of the spare room.
