you’d like to eat. Connor wasn’t sure you liked barbecue. Are you a vegetarian? I can make you a salad.”
Lyric threw a puzzled look in Connor’s direction. It was really nice that he’d noticed the fact she hadn’t eaten and that he’d spoken to his sister about her potential likes or dislikes, but where had she gotten the idea that Lyric was a vegetarian?
“No, I’m not a vegetarian. And barbecue is fine. Really.”
“Faith, you dork,” Julie said. “Just because she’s a celebrity doesn’t mean she eats tofu and bean sprouts.”
Faith’s cheeks reddened but guilt flashed in her eyes. Lyric laughed. She couldn’t help it. Of all the assumptions made about her, this was by far the tamest one yet. She wanted to hug Faith.
“You’re very sweet to think of me,” Lyric said sincerely. “But to be honest, I’m a huge carnivore. I don’t eat vegetables. I think I’m still rebelling against my childhood when I was told to eat my veggies or go to bed without eating. More often than not, I snuck crackers and cheese after everyone went to bed.”
Julie grinned. “My kind of woman.”
Faith hooked her arm through Lyric’s and pulled her toward the kitchen. “Then how about a little snack before dinner? Gray just fired up the grill before you and Connor got here, so it’ll be a while yet before the meat is done.”
“Snack?” Lyric asked hopefully. “It’s not carrots or celery sticks, is it?”
Faith’s eyes twinkled and her smile broadened. “No, I made cupcakes.”
Lyric decided she was really a lesbian and immediately plotted to steal Faith away from Gray. She loved anyone who offered her a cupcake.
“I’d love one,” Lyric said with a little too much excitement.
The two women entered the spacious kitchen and Lyric caught her breath. It sounded silly, but this was the first time she’d been in an actual home in a long time. The kitchen was cheerful and warm and it reminded Lyric of long-ago moments with her own mother.
“I have strawberry with cream cheese frosting, or vanilla with chocolate frosting,” Faith said.
Lyric hesitated and stared at the perfectly iced cupcakes on the platter in the center of the island.
“Or you could have one of each,” Faith offered.
“Sold!”
Faith laughed and handed over two of the cupcakes.
Lyric bit into the strawberry cupcake first and sighed. It had been a long time since something so simple as a cupcake made her happy, but at the moment she couldn’t imagine anything better.
“Would you like something for your headache? I have ibuprofen and Tylenol.”
Lyric licked frosting from her lip and shook her head. “Connor took good care of me. He bought some Excedrin.”
“I’m glad,” Faith said softly, “that he’s taking good care of you. Connor . . . He can be difficult.”
Lyric cracked up. She couldn’t help it. Faith gave her a bewildered look and Lyric set the chocolate cupcake down on the island.
“Most people would say I’m the difficult one. You know, spoiled pop star diva? I’m sure it’s all been said more than once.”
Faith frowned. “We women have to stick together. Never admit you’re more trouble than a man even if it’s the truth. It’s better if they get it in their heads early that they are the source of all angst in this world.”
Lyric smudged her finger over the top of the cupcake and sucked the frosting from the tip. “I think you are a very wise woman, Faith. I had you pegged as a total Susie Sunshine, and when I saw your neighborhood I figured you for a Stepford wife. I’m relieved that I was wrong on all counts.”
“Hmmm. Susie Sunshine. That’s a new one. I’ll have to remember it for when Gray starts complaining that I’m mean.”
Lyric grinned.
“I want one of those cupcakes!”
Lyric turned to see Angelina enter the kitchen, her gaze fixed on the cupcake in Lyric’s hand like she was about to attack.
“You can’t have it,” Faith said in exasperation. “Micah would
Lyric threw a puzzled look in Connor’s direction. It was really nice that he’d noticed the fact she hadn’t eaten and that he’d spoken to his sister about her potential likes or dislikes, but where had she gotten the idea that Lyric was a vegetarian?
“No, I’m not a vegetarian. And barbecue is fine. Really.”
“Faith, you dork,” Julie said. “Just because she’s a celebrity doesn’t mean she eats tofu and bean sprouts.”
Faith’s cheeks reddened but guilt flashed in her eyes. Lyric laughed. She couldn’t help it. Of all the assumptions made about her, this was by far the tamest one yet. She wanted to hug Faith.
“You’re very sweet to think of me,” Lyric said sincerely. “But to be honest, I’m a huge carnivore. I don’t eat vegetables. I think I’m still rebelling against my childhood when I was told to eat my veggies or go to bed without eating. More often than not, I snuck crackers and cheese after everyone went to bed.”
Julie grinned. “My kind of woman.”
Faith hooked her arm through Lyric’s and pulled her toward the kitchen. “Then how about a little snack before dinner? Gray just fired up the grill before you and Connor got here, so it’ll be a while yet before the meat is done.”
“Snack?” Lyric asked hopefully. “It’s not carrots or celery sticks, is it?”
Faith’s eyes twinkled and her smile broadened. “No, I made cupcakes.”
Lyric decided she was really a lesbian and immediately plotted to steal Faith away from Gray. She loved anyone who offered her a cupcake.
“I’d love one,” Lyric said with a little too much excitement.
The two women entered the spacious kitchen and Lyric caught her breath. It sounded silly, but this was the first time she’d been in an actual home in a long time. The kitchen was cheerful and warm and it reminded Lyric of long-ago moments with her own mother.
“I have strawberry with cream cheese frosting, or vanilla with chocolate frosting,” Faith said.
Lyric hesitated and stared at the perfectly iced cupcakes on the platter in the center of the island.
“Or you could have one of each,” Faith offered.
“Sold!”
Faith laughed and handed over two of the cupcakes.
Lyric bit into the strawberry cupcake first and sighed. It had been a long time since something so simple as a cupcake made her happy, but at the moment she couldn’t imagine anything better.
“Would you like something for your headache? I have ibuprofen and Tylenol.”
Lyric licked frosting from her lip and shook her head. “Connor took good care of me. He bought some Excedrin.”
“I’m glad,” Faith said softly, “that he’s taking good care of you. Connor . . . He can be difficult.”
Lyric cracked up. She couldn’t help it. Faith gave her a bewildered look and Lyric set the chocolate cupcake down on the island.
“Most people would say I’m the difficult one. You know, spoiled pop star diva? I’m sure it’s all been said more than once.”
Faith frowned. “We women have to stick together. Never admit you’re more trouble than a man even if it’s the truth. It’s better if they get it in their heads early that they are the source of all angst in this world.”
Lyric smudged her finger over the top of the cupcake and sucked the frosting from the tip. “I think you are a very wise woman, Faith. I had you pegged as a total Susie Sunshine, and when I saw your neighborhood I figured you for a Stepford wife. I’m relieved that I was wrong on all counts.”
“Hmmm. Susie Sunshine. That’s a new one. I’ll have to remember it for when Gray starts complaining that I’m mean.”
Lyric grinned.
“I want one of those cupcakes!”
Lyric turned to see Angelina enter the kitchen, her gaze fixed on the cupcake in Lyric’s hand like she was about to attack.
“You can’t have it,” Faith said in exasperation. “Micah would
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