“Oh, yes, please! If you could take the salad and toppings to the table, and maybe a few paper towels too?”
“Of course. Frank, wanna help me?”
“Sure.” Frankie slid out of her stool and picked up a roll of paper towels while I carried the large salad bowl and toppings. I walked around the corner to get to the dining room, loving how spacious it was. There was a six-top table in the middle of the room, a beautiful chandelier hanging above it, the reflections bouncing off the walls like crystals.
While I set up the table, I heard whispering and hissing and knew Cane and Lora were discussing something important. Though I was curious, I decided not to eavesdrop this time. Not only that, but Miss Cane was making too much noise in the kitchen for me to be able to hear anything.
“Why do you think it’s weird?” I looked at Frankie after fixing some of the silverware on the table. “To see me and Cane out in the open with it?”
She gave a light shrug. “I don’t know. I didn’t think it would get that far—especially after you told me what your dad did to Cane. And then Kelly is still around. I guess I just don’t get why you’d want to still be with him. Cane seems like a good man, but he also seems to have a lot of baggage. I had no idea he even had a sister.”
“I know. He does have a lot baggage, I’m realizing.”
“Yeah, and the way he’s whispering with his sister makes me assume something else is going on that we don’t know about.”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Cane walk past the dining room and back to the kitchen.
“I just want you to be careful, K.J. I’m certain Cane will never let anything happen to you on his watch, but there’s still something else he’s hiding. He knows you’re young and probably won’t ask, but you might want to learn more about him before things get too deep.”
She had a point. A big point. Too bad I didn’t have much time to discuss it. Cane’s mother was finished with the ravioli and walked into the dining room to place a serving plate full of it on the middle of the table. Frankie and I smiled at her, and as she went back to the kitchen, Cane and Lora walked into the dining room.
Lora rubbed her hands together. “Gah, I’m so ready to eat!”
“Same!” Frankie chimed.
We all sat at the table. Cane took the chair beside mine and when he slid his in, his palm ran over the top of my thigh. “You good?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I breathed. “I’m fine.” But was I really?
We dug into the food, which was delicious by the way. Especially the ravioli.
“Wow, Miss Cane. This is so good,” Frankie moaned over her food. “There’s a serious orgasm happening in my mouth right now. Not even kidding.”
We all laughed.
“Thank you, Frankie. I’m glad you like it.” Miss Cane chewed a little, then took a sip of water. “You know, I used to read cookbooks in rehab. I would crotchet. Read and study recipes. I remember promising myself I would make my kids a nice, big meal once I got out.”
“That’s really nice,” I said, slicing a piece of ravioli.
We mostly ate over small chatter and Lora and Frankie goofing off. I was glad they were hitting it off—that they didn’t feel so out of place.
On the other hand, Miss Cane was very watchful. She watched me and Cane a lot. Whenever Cane would look at me or rub my shoulder, she’d smile at us like she admired it. Did she admire us? Or was it just him?
After dinner, Frank, Lora and I helped Miss Cane clean while Cane went up to his bedroom to check emails. Something was going on with Cane and Lora. Lora was good at pretending, but every time she looked at Cane or her mother, I saw the tension in her eyes.
“Do you ladies like strawberry cheesecake?” Miss Cane asked. “It’s homemade, one of my favorite recipes.”
“Oh, yes, please!” Frankie sang. “Only K.J. knows this, but I have a huge sweet tooth.”
“She really does,” I chimed in.
“So does Lora,” Miss Cane said with a soft laugh. “Her favorite when she was a little girl was strawberry shortcake. I used to make it for her birthdays a lot.”
“Yeah.” Lora put on a simple smile, her gray eyes distant. “I remember.”
Miss Cane served the cake and while we ate, Frankie’s phone buzzed. She checked it and then rolled her eyes with a grumble.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Mom. Needs me to pick her up from work. Her car’s in the shop.” She sighed, finishing off her slice of cheesecake.
“Didn’t you ride with Kandy?” Lora asked.
“Yeah, I did. Mind dropping me back off at home, K?”