Sienna groanswith delight as she bites into her second empanada. “These are so damn good, girl.”
“Thank you.” Even though I don’t bake as much for Rise ’N Grind because I’ve been so busy, I still try to whip up some goodies at home when I get a chance.
I just found out that Fanny wants to pay me a license for my recipes since so many people still ask for mypan dulce. That way she can also offer them at her new Austin bakery as well.
Once I’ve plied Sienna and Ramona with baked goods, I break out the forms.
Sienna signs the NDA with a huff and crosses her arms. “Does this mean you’ll tell us what’s going on now? I swear you’re like living with the FBI.”
She glances at Ramona, who is sporting her typical bored expression even though she signed as well.
“I couldn’t say anything earlier.” I pick up Poppy from her car seat, cradle her in my arms, and offer her a bottle. “But this is Rider’s daughter, and I’m helping out a bit.”
“What? How?”
“Really?” I raise an eyebrow. “Do we need a birds-and-bees explanation? I thought you said you spent the last weekend boning a football player?”
She snorts. “I’ll be surprised if he can run down the field today after all that sex. But seriously. When did this happen?”
I give my roommates the abbreviated version, meaning I skip the part about not knowing who the father was initially and the paternity testsandnot knowing who the mother is. Just that she’s not in the picture and he needs help.
Sienna’s eyes narrow. “I thought you hated Rider.”
“Hate’s such a strong word.” God, I sound like a fraud. “I’d say we don’t always see eye to eye.”
After a long moment of silence, she laughs. “He must be paying you a fortune to babysit.”
I cringe but quickly school my face.
Unfortunately, Sienna notices. “So he’snotpaying you a fortune?” she asks slowly.
“He’s paying me… something.” What he can. I’ll admit the fact that he insisted surprised me. “But I’d describe this as more of a favor for…” A friend? A guy I used to crush on super hard? A favorite but shameful Friday night fantasy? “A neighbor.”
“Huh.”
I turn to Ramona to gauge her reaction, but I’m not expecting the words out of her mouth.
“Listen, I’m moving in with my boyfriend.”
I stare at her like she just sprouted an extra set of limbs. “You have a boyfriend? Since when?”
“Since last year.”
Oh, my God.How have I not known this?
“Wh… why don’t you ever bring him by?”
“He hates people more than I do.” She shrugs and stands. “So you have two weeks to find another roommate.”
What the hell? “What about the lease? You’re on it.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yeah,you are.”
“No, I’m on our sophomore- and junior-year leases, but I had to go out of town the weekend you renewed it last May, and neither of us followed up.”
How is that possible?
