Link had this under control, so I went to shower and dress. When I got back downstairs, Link was done, and Fallyn had joined him. They sat side-by-side on the couch, laughing, King settled between them on the floor.
Fallyn looked different than yesterday. Her damp hair hung around her shoulders, she wore a baggy sweatshirt over leggings, and her face was freshly scrubbed clean. She must’ve grabbedclothes from her suitcases by the back door, while I was outside with the dog. She was just as pretty, but in a different way.
And the brightness of her smile as she talked to Link...
Min—
That ping in my chest couldn’t possibly be anything but discomfort. Neither of them was mine unless we were all three in the bedroom. “Who wants breakfast?” I’d bought extra food in anticipation of her visit, so I might as well cook.
“Delivery or are there dog friendly places nearby?” Fallyn asked.
“I thought we’d eat in,” I said.
She raised her brows. “Is that a euphemism? Cuz I might want real food first.”
Link shook his head. “It’s a literal. Elliot makes killer French toast.”
“No shit. Really?” Fallyn had the nerve to look surprised.
“My French toast has never killed anyone,” I assured her with a straight face. “But if I’m cooking, you both have to help.” Otherwise prep would take me half the morning.
“You don’t want me cooking, I promise you.” As Fallyn spoke, she fished her phone from the pocket on her top. “I’m the person who shares a picture of a burned-out stove top because I tried to boil water. In fact, I have a few. Do you want to see?”
Was it petty that I liked her more, knowing that she had at least one flaw? “We’re good. Can you wash and slice strawberries?”
“Probably?”
“Great. In the kitchen, both of you.” I pointed.
I told Fallyn what to grab from the fridge, and Link started the coffee. He and I had done this more times than I could count. After giving Fallyn some specific instructions on what I needed her to do, and making sure she was comfortable with it, I turned to the egg mixture and cooking the French toast.
While coffee dripped into the pot, Link gave his attention to whipping cream, and blending cream cheese and ricotta with marmalade.
“What’s that for?” Fallyn nodded at the lightly orange mixture.
“Cream filling.” I fixed her with the most strait-laced look I could muster.
Link’s chuckle ruined my serious face.
Fallyn scoffed, but she was smiling. “It looks really good.”
“Of course my cream filling looks delicious,” I teased.
She slid fruit into a waiting bowl. “If you’re trying to deter me…”
“Not at all.” I grabbed one of the berries she’d removed a stem from but hadn’t sliced, spooned a little mixture on it, and held it near her lips.
She wrapped her tongue around the strawberry and pulled it into her mouth in one of the single most erotic gestures I’d ever seen.
And I was coding an XXX video game.
Fortunately I had to move away, to give cooking my attention, and I kept myself from falling into that kind of teasing again during the rest of prep.
When the food was finished, we set the table, and sat down to eat.
“What does theTstand for?” Fallyn shoved a forkful of food into her mouth immediately after asking.
One of Online Fallyn’s regular features was a cartoon version of me that was part alien, part me, wearing a monocle. She called himET Howard. Her bits involving me tended to be less than flattering, and she liked to blame every decision Rinslet or AcesPlayed had ever made on me.