Page 34 of Too Sweet

When I allow myself to glance over at her, she’s eyeing the plate of pancakes in my hand with intense interest.

“Those smell amazing,” she practically moans.

My chest inflates with pride. “I would hope so. I used my dad’s recipe. I spent seventeen hours practicing and perfectingmy technique. I even brought the correct maple syrup to go with them.”

Locke scoffs from the table. “Thecorrectmaple syrup?”

I shoot him an incredulous look. “Yes. Real maple syrup, sourced from a small-batch family-owned business located in the Maple Belt of Quebec. Do you have any idea what they put in American table syrups?” I shudder at the thought.

“I have a feeling we’re about to find out,” Kendrick grumbles, reaching over and loading his plate with several pancakes from the stack.

I snag a few of the warmest ones for Jo, quickly adding a pad of butter between the short stack so it can properly melt.

“Dude. You sound pretentious as hell.” Locke laughs. He stabs his fork into the pile to transfer them to his plate. “What’s next? Are you going to tell us it’s only real maple syrup if it comes from the ‘Maple Belt’ of Canada?”

Everyone laughs, but the joke’s on them if they prefer to ingest corn syrup, caramel color, and diglycerides.

“Wait. Shit. This is the Brit’s influence, isn’t it?”

I side-eye Nicky, considering his assumption about Spence. Jo’s warned me that my recent ‘bromance’ (her word, not mine) might make my best friend jealous. Because of that, I refrain from replying.

I admire Spence, and our recently established joint ventures will prove advantageous to me for years to come.

But nothing and no one can change how I feel for the very first person who ever saw me for me. Nicky is my brother in every way that matters. Not even Jo can dislodge the love I have for my oldest friend.

“Fine,” I declare flippantly. “I won’t offer you any of the correct maple syrup. The one with the red cap is the table syrup. Help yourself.”

Kendrick points his fork at Nicky, then says through a mouthful, “You better try these for yourself before you keep running your mouth and he takes away all your pancake privileges. These are fucking delicious.”

With a satisfied smirk, I take a bite.

Perfection.

Pride washes over me.

Only the best for this family.

Decker finally takes a seat, pulling Jo into his arms and positioning her in his lap. I let them have their moment but take care to cut a small triangle from Jo’s stack and bring it to her mouth.

“Open, baby.”

She obeys, clamping down on the fork harder than necessary.

But then she closes her eyes and emits a satisfied moan.

“Oh my god. Are you kidding me? Try these!” she tells Decker, digging into her stack with the side of her fork and offering him his first taste.

I lean back in my chair, equally pleased and gratified by her reaction. “You like that, baby?”

“Like? Try love. Or hell, in the words of Hunter, Iflovethem. We might need to add this into the permanent rotation on Sundays,” she teases. “‘Daddy’s Special Recipe’ has a nice ring to it, dontcha think?”

Chapter 18

Decker

One by one, we file out the front door of the cabin with bags, dirty laundry, and leftover food in tow.

Josephine is the last one out, trailing behind me, but I block her in as soon as she steps over the threshold.