His massive kitchen is easy to locate, and I take a second to marvel at all the marble surfaces. It looks like a picture Tuscany would envy.
Surprisingly, the copper accents and fixtures actually look good alongside the sleek stainless steel appliances. Guys don't deserve kitchens like this. I would love it, take care of it, and treat it with so much respect. It does smell good in here, so maybe he's utilizing it at least a little.
With a wistful sigh, I open the fridge, and that's when I melt a little more. It's something people should sing about. Crisp vegetables along with numerous other things are perfectly organized within the fridge. I want to move in and move him out.
Grabbing the ketchup, I offer one last look to the fridge, and then I sneak back out. This is going to be good.
After managing to get out the window with more grace than I entered, I sprint across the yard and head inside. It takes the ketchup a while to run to the top, but I wait patiently, never moving my eyes until the last drop has slid down. Then I flip it back up. Just as I grab the baking soda, Maggie walks in wearing nothing but her towel.
I ignore her as I focus on the task at hand.
“Why are you pouring baking soda into our ketchup bottle?”
Ah hell. This is making a mess. My excitement has caused my hands to shake and some of the baking soda spills over.
“It's not our ketchup,” I mumble absently.
“Whose is it? And why are you pouring baking soda in it?”
“Have you ever seen one of those baking soda and vinegar volcanoes people used to do at school?” I ask distractedly, still dedicating the majority of my attention on my revenge.
“Yes. Why?” she asks slowly.
“Do you know what the main ingredient is in ketchup?”
I screw the lid on with a proud smile on my face as the red coats the white and hides it from sight.
“No,” she says, acting as though she's worried about my sanity at this point.
“Vinegar,” I murmur, grinning bigger as I carefully move to the window, looking to see if anyone is outside that could tattle on me.
“And?” she prompts.
I turn around, my twisted mind reveling in the sheer excitement. “One thing that is very predictable about our jackass neighbor is that he barbeques every third Wednesday of the month. I can smell the burgers cooking from over here. I always feel hungry all day because of that damn scent. Tonight, he'll have a surprise.”
“The ketchup?” she asks, still seeming confused.
“Yep. Just like anyone else that uses a bottle of ketchup, he'll shake it first.”
She walks over just as I open the door, and she asks, “What happens when he shakes it?”
***
RYE
Wren and Tag deal the cards again just as I bring the burgers in.
Dane is sitting next to Maverick, though I don’t know why either of them came. Dane isn’t my biggest fan. But Tag and Wren keep trying to put us together.
Girls.
“Your luck has to run out sooner or later,” Tag growls, glaring at me.
“He wouldn’t be winning if Raya was here,” Wren points out.
“She’s banned from the poker tables,” Dane says idly, picking his cards up.
“I refuse to even watch her play poker anymore,” Tag grumbles.