Page 29 of Manny Included
“It means he’s five and testing his boundaries.”
“Ah.How many times has he burned his fingers on the stovetop?”
“Twice, which was two times too many.”
“Well, if he does it once more, then he’s matched his father.”Bay snagged a wingette and munched away on it.
“No!”His eyes went wide.“Not really?”
“Yes, really.Some things Tony needed to have it really beaten in to learn and that the stove really was hot was one of them.”
“Yeah, Eric’s… stubborn, but basically a really good boy.”Basically mostly…
“Tony turned out all right in the end,” Bay noted.“I’m sure Eric will, too.You’re doing a good job with the kids, from what I can see.And possibly that’s damning you with faint praise as we’ve already established that I am not the best with kids.”
“You’re fine.They’re beginning to count on you being here.Even Belle.”He hated how sad she was.
“You think so?I just feel so awkward around them.So… inadequate.I’m not their father, you know?I’m trying, though.To be there for them, I mean, not to replace her father.”
“Neither of us are their parents, but we’re the closest thing they have left, and we’re doing our best.”
Bay nodded, then grabbed what looked like artichokes on little toasts and offered it over.“No more work talk, right?We’re having a relaxing evening.”
“Right.We’re being grown-ups, learning about each other, relaxing together.”
“Having a bit of time off, an evening out of time.”Bay took one of the artichoke toasts for himself, tilting his head as he tasted it.
“Is it yummy?”He grabbed a little slider thing made of barbecued pork.
“Eh.Not my favorite.That one you have looks good, though.”
He handed one over.“They’re spicy and good.”
Bay took a small bite and smiled.“Yeah, this is better.”He gobbled the rest of it up, then licked some stray sauce off his lips.
Oh.
That was… he shouldn’t look at that.
Nope.
“I liked that one.The flaky pastry one though is still my favorite.”Bay grabbed another one of those, stuffing the entire thing into his mouth and then having to work to actually chew it.He was looking like he was regretting his choice not to make it a two-bite morsel.
Pete hid his laughter in his wineglass, just cackling away.That was utterly adorable.
Bay finally swallowed and took a large mouthful of wine to help wash it down.“You feel like moving on to the main meal?We can always save these for nibbling on later if we get the munchies.”
“I’d love that.”He’d actually forgotten that there was an entree, he’d been so focused on Bay.Too cool.
Bay closed up the appetizer boxes and set them aside.Then he pulled off the tops of the mains and handed one over.There was a lobster tail and a steak there, along with rice, broccoli, and a little pot of melted butter that looked like it had garlic floating in it.Yum.
“Wow.This may be the fanciest supper ever had in this house.I’m serious.”He opened up the butter, the scent of garlic hitting him square in the face.
“I think they included cutlery.”Sure enough, Bay found them and handed them over.“The steak and lobster should be easy enough to cut that the plastic knife will do it.”
“Do you think so?That tender?”He’d like to see that.
“Give it a try,” Bay suggested, watching him.