There were several seconds of silence and then. “I do appreciate the eggs. I’m just surprised to see you here . . . at eight in the morning.”
Waiting for my eggs to finish boiling, I found myself watching her. “Well, to be honest, I was planning to woo you with my banana-nut bread, but that shit ain’t happening now. So all I have left are my delicious eggs.”
“It is really good, but you’re not wooing me.”
“Oh, I’m wooing.” I went to her fridge and found some OJ. Grabbing two glasses, I poured some sweetness and sat one in front of her. “It’s just all about the stealth. You don’t realize it yet.”
She ducked her gaze to her plate. “Aren’t you eating?”
“I am. I like boiled eggs.” Sitting across from her, I rested my chin in my palm. Her hair fell forward, nearing hitting the plate. She kept batting the strands away. She was so fucking cute. “So, Avery Morgansten, I’m all yours.”
Her lashes swept up. “I don’t want you.”
“Too bad. Tell me about yourself.”
Shortcake pressed her lips into a thin line. “Do you do this often? Just walk into random girls’ apartments and make eggs?”
“Well, you’re not random, so technically no.” Pushing up, I checked the eggs. “And I might be known to surprise lucky ladies every now and then.”
Which wasn’t exactly true. I mean, if I somehow found myself in someone else’s place and I was up, I’d make breakfast, but this? This was a first. But she didn’t need to know that.
“Seriously? I mean, you do this normally?”
I glanced over my shoulder. “With friends, yes, and we’re friends, aren’t we, Avery?”
She studied me for a few moments and then placed her fork down. “Yeah, we’re friends.”
“Finally!” I shouted. “You’ve finally admitted that we are friends. It’s only taken a week.”
“We’ve only known each other for a week.”
“Still took a week.”
As I started devouring my eggs, she questioned me on how long it took for me to declare best-friend status. Sitting back at the table, I met her curious stare. “It usually takes me about five minutes before we’ve moved on to best-friend status.”
A tiny smile appeared on her lips. “Then I guess I’m just the odd one.”
“Maybe.”
“I guess it’s different for you.”
“Hmm?” I peeled the last piece of shell off the egg.
“I bet you have girls hanging all over you. Dozens would probably kill to be in my spot and here I am, allergic to your bread.”
I looked up. “Why? Because of my near godlike perfection?”
She laughed outright, and that goddamn knot was back in my chest. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
Shrugging, I chuckled. “I don’t know. Don’t really think about it.”
“You don’t think about it at all?”
“Nope.” I popped the egg in my mouth and then wiped my hands on a napkin. “I only think about it when it matters.”
Her gaze bounced off of mine as she toyed with her glass. “So you’re a reformed player?”