Page 18 of One Baby Daddy
“And you went with Hayden is hot?”
“Just to make sure you were aware.”
Shakes her head, a smile beautifully spread across her face. “I’m well aware. Thanks for the reminder though.”
“Anytime. Dig in.”
“No plates?”
“Nah, don’t need them.” I fork a giant piece of cake and shove it in my mouth, icing spread across my mouth. I chew, letting the sugar soak in and then swallow. So fucking good. I groan and go for another bite while Adalyn just stares at me. “Do you not like cake?”
“I do, it’s just . . . fascinating watching you eat. It’s like you’ve been starved for months.”
“Starved of sugar. During playoffs, mainly, we’re on a strict diet, which means no sugar.”
“Seriously?” She takes a bite and closes her eyes for a brief second, truly tasting the cake. Wegman’s makes the best sheet cakes. “How could you live without sugar?”
“It’s hard, especially since I have an addiction to caramel and cheddar popcorn.”
“Gah!” Adalyn turns toward me, completely serious. “Garrett’s popcorn!”
My eyes widen in shock. “You’ve tried it?”
“Uh yeah. Whenever I go to New York City, I always stop by their little shop and grab the biggest tin they have. It’s my favorite. My brothers think it’s too greasy, but weirdly enough, I feel a sense of pride after eating ten handfuls having cheese-and-caramel-covered fingers. It’s like I truly accomplished something.”
“Do you lick your fingers?”
“Of course. That’s the best part. It’s like experiencing the delight for a second go around.”
I hold my heart. “Holy shit, a girl after my own heart.”
Growing more intense, she shifts, takes another bite of the cake, and says, “Have you tried Wegman’s version?”
“No. Smartfood has a decent version, but it doesn’t come close to Garrett’s.”
“Yeah, it’s okay, but honestly, it’s trash compared to the real deal. You should try Wegman’s. It’s a good knockoff. Not entirely as cheesy as one would hope, but it does the job when you’re craving.”
I reach into the bag of drinks and pull out two waters, handing one to Adalyn. Her fingers graze over mine when she takes the bottle from me, and for a split second, I feel a pulse of electricity bounce between us.
“This was really nice of you and the view is amazing. Who knew cake and a sunset would wash away my worries for the day?”
“So you’re telling me I’m impressing you.”
Forking a piece of cake in her mouth, she says, “You would have truly impressed me if this cake was red velvet and that water was a cold glass of milk.”
“Milk?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Oh yeah. I love milk. And it has to be plain milk, none of this chocolate or strawberry stuff. Give me the real deal.”
Hell, I can’t stop the smile that sneaks out. “I don’t think I’ve met an adult who loves milk.”
She winks. “Does the body good, you know?” She motions up and down from her toes to her head. “You can’t tell since I’m all covered up, but milk has treated me very well over my twenty-three years. And these bones?” She knocks on her forearm with her knuckles. “Stronger than steel. There will be no osteoporosis in this body.”
Knowing what she looks like in shorts and a tight T-shirt, I say, “Milkhastreated you well.”
Forks in the cake, hands posed for our next bite, we stare at each other, my deep brown eyes to her lighter whiskey-colored ones, my smirk to her grin. Orange and pink hues paint the sky as the sun sets, casting a radiant glow over us.
Adalyn is the first to break the silence when she says, “From the looks of it, it would seem you’re an average milk drinker yourself.”
