Page 28 of The Off-limits Grump Next Door

The ride was quiet, the only sounds coming from the street. Jake, sitting in the backseat, cleared his throat and asked.

"So, what’s the plan for the rest of the evening?"

Kendra and I exchanged a glance before she responded, "Just heading home, I guess."

Jake nodded through the rearview mirror and tried to fill the silence again. "Antonio, how’s the winery? Still keeping you up at night?"

I shot him a “what’s up?” face…, and he gave me an exasperated look, mouthing something like ’say something to Kendra’.. The conversation stalled again, and we were back in awkward silence.

Suddenly, a random thought popped into my head, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out,

"Kendra, do you bake?"

My voice came out louder than intended.What is wrong with me? Smooth, Antonio, really smooth...

Kendra turned to me, an amused look on her face. "Actually, I love baking."

I was surprised. I’d expected her to deflect with a question.

"Cool! You should enter the Asheville Bake-a-thon contest. The prize money is great."

Jake perked up. "Yeah, and I’d love free baked goods—cakes, cookies, bread..."

Kendra laughed. "I only bake for fun and family. I’m not competition-level."

"Well, you never know. You might win. Not that you’d be in it just for the prize... you could pick up a few tips..." I rambled until Jake jumped in.

"Come on, Kendra, it’ll be fun. Antonio can be your assistant, and I’ll cheer from the sidelines."

Kendra laughed. "Maybe next year."

I didn’t want to push, so I changed the subject. "What’s your favorite cake flavor?"

Kendra thought for a moment. "Caramel."

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you’d be a chocolate fan."

Kendra smiled. "Nope, caramel’s my go-to."

"I’m more of a cookie person," Jake added.

"How about you, Antonio?"

I grinned mischievously. "Same here. Cookies all the way."

Kendra’s eyes darted between Jake and me before settling on me again. "So, what’s your favorite kind of cookie?"

Jake and I chorused in unison, grinning wide. "Chocolate chip cookies with an extra sprinkle of sea salt."

Kendra froze, her eyes locked on mine. She looked as though she’d been punched in the gut. We had just arrived at Jake’s house. I turned off the ignition and faced her.

"Repeat that," she whispered, her voice trembling.

My brow furrowed in concern. "Chocolate chip cookies... with an extra sprinkle of sea salt," I repeated slowly.

Kendra’s face paled. She turned to Jake, who nodded in confirmation, his expression mirroring my concern.

"How... how did you know that?" Kendra stammered.