Page 13 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
Reid swallowed a groan. He could already hear his mother and his sister ganging up on him, demanding to know about the mysterious blonde staying in the apartment.
He replied with:Will do. And we’ll talk about the festival too.
Becca: Yep, that’s priority number one. We’ve got to raise the rest of the money for those renovations. That wing HAS to be open again. The kids deserve better.
Reid: Trust me, I know. I can’t imagine how cramped those classrooms are, now that half the elementary school is closed. We’ll get it figured out. Night, Becks.
Becca: Night.
He busied himself with putting away the clean dishes waiting in the dishwasher since last night, and soon the doorbell rang, announcing their supper.
“Pizza!” he called toward Piper’s room, and immediately Piper romped into the kitchen.
“Everyone, take a seat,” he said while pouring three glasses of sweet tea.
Piper patted the seat beside hers. “Sit by me, Miss Kaiah.”
Reid distributed the glasses and then sat across the table from the ladies.
Kaiah took a huge bite of pizza, the steam still rising from the slice as the melty mozzarella oozed down the side. “Okay, this is delicious,” she declared. “And I’m a New Yorker. Iknowmy pizza.”
Piper nodded. “It’s the best pizza ever. Me and Daddy eat pizza at least once a week. Auntie Becca and Nana like it too. What’s your favorite food?”
“I like all kinds of food. It would be easier to tell you which kind of food Idon’tlike.”
Reid swallowed a bite of garlic knot. “Like what?”
“Hmm.” Kaiah tapped her chin. “I’m not a big fan of brussels sprouts.”
Piper scrunched up her face. “Me neither.”
Reid held up his hand. “They’re actually delicious if you prepare them correctly.”
“Really?” Kaiah leaned forward. “And how do you prepare them ‘correctly’?” she asked, making air quotes with her fingers.
“Roast them in kung pao sauce.”
“Huh. I’d actually try them that way.” She seemed impressed. “You like to cook?”
“I have to take a turn at the firehouse,” he told her.
“So you’ve actually made brussels sprouts for your coworkers, and they didn’t run you off?”
He shook his head. “Nope.”
“Well, color me surprised. Roasted brussels sprouts in kung pao sauce sounds pretty fancy.”
Piper made a face. “And yucky.”
“I agree.” Kaiah gave his daughter a high five, and he laughed.
Piper continued to pepper Kaiah with questions about herfavorite foods, movies, books, toys, cartoons, and colors while they ate pizza and garlic knots and then ice cream for dessert.
When Kaiah covered her mouth to shield a yawn, Reid stood and collected their empty bowls from their ice cream. “I think we need to let Miss Kaiah rest. She’s had a long day.”
“Awww,” Piper moaned. “Will I see you tomorrow, Miss Kaiah?”
Kaiah froze like a deer in headlights, looking unsure of how to respond. “Maybe.”
