Page 72 of Code of Heart

Levi tried to backpedal. “Well, by all means, educate me on this prestigious rice pudding. I’m a willing student.”

“Absolutely not.” She turned back to the stove, her tone smug. “You lost the privilege of an advance tasting. You can try it later—with your friends.”

He held up his hands again in surrender, grinning despite himself. “Message received, ma’am.”

“Good. Now hurry up and finish bringing your stuff in so you can start preparing me for whatever shenanigans I’m about to walk into tonight.”

With one last wary glance at the mysterious pot, Levi turned and dutifully headed back out to the car. Some battles weren’t worth fighting, although he had a sneaking suspicion rice pudding might become one of them.

Levi was starving by the time he finished unpacking and headed back into the kitchen. He was about to start rummaging for lunch when Aurelia, still standing at the stove stirring her mysterious pot of rice pudding, spoke without turning around.

“There’s a sandwich in the fridge for you, along with some fruit salad,” she said casually, as if she hadn’t just rescued him from the brink of death by starvation.

His stomach growled in gratitude, but experience made him pause. With this woman, food had already proven to be dangerous territory. “What kind of sandwich?” he asked warily.

Aurelia let out a dramatic sigh and gave a little shake of her head. Levi watched her shoulders rise and fall with exaggerated patience before she finally answered.

“It’s roast beef with mayonnaise.”

Levi’s eyes widened in shock. “That’s my favorite sandwich. How did you know that?” Heknewhe hadn’t put that anywherein his matchmaking profile, and it definitely hadn’t come up in conversation.

She cast him a haughty look over her shoulder, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Easy. I asked myself what my least favorite cold cut was, and the answer was roast beef. Since you enjoy the worst possible foods, it felt like a safe bet. And you look like the kind of man with unresolved childhood trauma involving mustard. So…mayonnaise.”

Levi could only gape at her, completely speechless.

That victorious little smirk tugged at her lips as she turned back to her pudding. “Glad to see I nailed it,” she tossed over her shoulder like a parting shot.

Of all the shit to say…And the worst part? Shehadnailed it. He wasn’t sure if he was more offended by the accuracy or the fact that it made the sandwich taste slightly less special now.

Over the next couple of hours, they settled into an easy rhythm. Levi walked her through detailed introductions to each of his friends, complete with colorful anecdotes and background stories that probably should have come with warning labels.

Aurelia listened attentively, asking sharp, thoughtful questions between finishing the rice pudding. He had to admit…now that it was nestled in a glass casserole dish, topped with a delicate sprinkle of cinnamon, it looked divine. The entire house smelled of warm vanilla and fresh lemon.

He might have…faintlyregretted his earlier skepticism.

Unable to resist, Levi tried to sneak a taste straight from the dish.

Without even turning around, Aurelia smacked his hand with the wooden spoon like some kind of domestic ninja.

He was beginning to believe she had eyes in the back of her head.

When he finally finished his rundown of the gang, Aurelia wiped her hands on a dish towel and leaned against the counter.

“Let me make sure I’ve got this straight,” she began, counting off on her fingers. “Isaac is the stoic, brooding one. His wife, Grace, is the sweet and probably terrifying one who runs everything behind the scenes. Ivy is a lovable, sarcastic bitch, and Owen…Owen is basically a stray puppy you brought home from school one day and never got rid of.”

Levi blinked. “I mean…when you put it like that…” He scrubbed a hand over his face, trying not to laugh. “Yeah. That about sums it up.”

“Fantastic.” She gave him a dazzling, utterly unapologetic smile. “We should probably get ready to go. You shower first while I clean up.”

For a long moment, Levi stood there and stared at her, wondering how he ended up with someone so effortlessly perfect for him.

And then he laughed, shaking his head.

She was going to be fine tonight.

Possibly a little too fine. And that thought made him both excited and very, very afraid.

Aurelia