Page 23 of Her Hidden Smile
Renzo chuckled. “That’s how I see it too. Millie, you explained to me why you’re confident on the phone. That makes sense, but why so skittish in person?”
Fuzzbucket! Nope, this requires fuck!
I really didn’t know how to, or maybe didn’t want to, answer the question, so I was silent.
“I threw you a curveball, didn’t I?”
“Yeah,” I whispered.
“My brother just asked me something earlier today. It was one of those introspective questions that didn’t just make me think, but made me question my feelings. He really put me on the spot, and he was my brother. It was out of line for a stranger to do this to you. I’m sorry, Millie.”
“Thanks for understanding.” I wondered if he could hear my whisper.
“You’re welcome,” he replied softly. “Now, about those cookies.”
I grinned. “I don’t know, what have you done lately to deserve cookies?”
“Hold on, I can think of something.”
He paused for a long time, and I knew it was just to mess with me.
“I agreed to be best man in my brother’s wedding.”
“That should be fun. Why does that deserve cookies?”
“I have seven sisters and nine brothers. Do you know how much pressure I’m going to be under to toast Jase and Bonnie? I’m going to get so much shit, especially from Malik and Bruno. It’s going to be hell. I won’t be able to return the tuxedo because of the sweat stains.”
I couldn’t stop the laugh that popped out.
Sweat stains?
“It’s worse than that, then there is Grandma Maureen. She is going to be giving me the stink eye because I won’t have a date. She tells me I’m not getting any younger, and I have to be carrying on the Drakos lineage, even though everyone but Elani is adopted. She hates it when any one of us brings up that we’re adopted. She insists we’re all Drakos, and it is up to all of us to carry on the Drakos name. Which is kind of funny, because one of Dad’s Greek uncles stopped talking to him after he adopted Malik because he was black. Luckily the rest of his Greek family didn’t feel that way.”
“I’m not sure I could ever keep up with all the players.”
“Actually, I have an idea. You can really help me out.”
“I know, you want cookies.”
“Nope, you can be my date for the wedding. I’ll start showing you pictures of everybody today when I stop by for the snickerdoodles, and that way you can start putting names to the faces.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
“Nope. My minds still intact. My single brothers would be so envious if I showed up with you as my date. You’ll do it, right?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Do you have cream of tartar?”
“Huh? Yes. Why?”
“Then I’ll see you in two hours.”
He hung up.
Cream of tartar?
Oh yeah, for the snickerdoodle cookies. The man was so far out in left field, he was in the bleachers.
