Page 79 of Watch Me

“Perfect for this cold night.” Even though I was sweaty from working, I’d still eat it because I was hungry, and my daughter had cooked forme.

“Am I too early?”

I looked at the clock behind the bar. “Nope, let’s go into the back.”

After clearing the bar, I stopped. “Let me tell Pablo to take dinner too.”

“Okay, I’ll go set it up.”

Maddie went to the break room, as I turned and headed toward where Pablo was sitting. “Maddison made me dinner. We’ll stay in the break room. Why don’t you go grab something to eat?”

“Are you sure?” heasked.

“I promise. I won’t leave the break room until you come back.”

“Okay. I won’t be long.”

“I have thirty minutes.”

He nodded and slid off his stool. I turned and went to the back, where Maddison had bowls set out on the table with steaming chicken soup. It smelleddelicious.

“I make this in my dorm.”

I furrowed my brows in confusion as I sat at the small table. “I don’t remember a stove in your tiny dorm room.”

She smiled. “No, but you gave me your Crock-Pot, remember?”

I took a bite and instantly coughed. “Yeah, and this is spicy.”

Maddie’s grin widened. “Yeah.”

“It’s good, though. You made this in the Crock-Pot?” Apparently, my little girl had been busy for the past fewhours.

“Yeah. It’s only four ingredients: chicken, chicken stock, salsa, and cheese.”

“It’s delicious.”

“You have to try it with the Cheez-Its.”

I dropped a cracker into my bowl and then grabbed it with a spoonful of soup. It was even better. “Wow. Where did you learn to make this?”

She shrugged. “Pinterest.”

We took a few more bites of the soup and crackers. “Thank you for making me dinner.”

“Of course. You have to eat.”

“And you have to leave me on Sunday.” I frowned. I wanted her to stay longer. I missed our mother and daughtertime.

“I’ll be back in just a few weeks for Christmas break.”

“I know, but I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” She stood and gave me a hug. “You know that you can visit any time, right?”

“I might take you up on that.”

“Bring Ethan.”