break while things baked or once we were done if it was something fast. What I had been surprised by was Trevor perking up at the mention of food. I knew there had been a reason why I’d bought the jumbo family pack of frozen wings when they’d gone on sale.
It really had been a good day.
And now I was editing the video of us a little and debating whether or not to try and squeeze another one in. It was a lot more work—and a lot riskier—to film without Deepa helping me, but she’d seemed pretty fidgety, so I’d told her she could go home. Plus, it wasn’t like I really had anything else to do. And all the equipment was still set up, so I’d just need to make a few adjustments before I could get started.
I’d give myself another ten minutes before really deciding whether or not to do it despite what time it was in the afternoon. I mean, I had makeup on already, I’d ironed my clothes the night before just in case, and I had the ingredients.
Yeah, ten more minutes. I started the video again from the beginning.
“Hello, Lazy Bakers. We’re back at it again today with two very special guests.” On the screen, I drum rolled my hands on the light-colored granite counter that was about three seconds away from looking way too small.
That was when CJ and Amari walked right in to the shot to stand on each side of me, CJ with a stone-cold flat expression that warmed my heart big-time because I had felt his nervousness, and Amari on the other side with the biggest, goofiest expression on his face. I gestured to my left in the video. “My two new friends, CJ Daniels and Amari—”
The oh shit moment was all over my face in the video.
I had thought about stopping and restarting, but I tried not to do that because it seemed even less authentic. I prided myself on doing things as fluidly as possible. Fuckups and all.
Even when those fuckups included me not knowing someone’s name for the first time ever. I guess that was what I got for having someone I’d barely met to participate.
On the screen, my head turned toward Amari, and my face barely managed not to turn totally pink as I put the dumbest smile on my face, scratched the tip of my nose, and asked, “Eh, Amari? What’s your last name?”
Freaking CJ beside me lost his shit and started laughing. Loud. On the screen, I turned to look at him with a big smile on my face right before I started laughing too.
“I’m so sorry, Amari.” I cracked up.
The rest of the video went pretty well; they seemed a little nervous, but they did great, saying a few things here and there as we all did slight alterations to the same recipe to see whose came out better. Key lime cheesecake bites were what we’d ended up with. Mine had been the best. CJ’s were pretty gelatinous since he’d opted to leave out the egg, and Amari had added too much sugar to his—CJ and I had complained to his super flat expression.
It was rough, but the potential was there. I just needed another… four hours to finish editing it. Usually I’d wait until another day to start, but the guys had seemed too excited and wanted to see just a little something.
My phone rang. I picked it up and was a little surprised at the name that flashed across the screen. It made me smile though.
I hit the Answer button. “What’s up, old fart?”
His laugh hit me right in the ear. “Peewee. You home? You free?”
“Hey, yes and no.”
“Whatcha doin’?”
“Watching porn.”
He didn’t say anything.
“I’m kidding. I’m editing a video right now. I was thinking about filming another one.” Should I tell him about CJ and Amari? I mean, I guess why not? “CJ and Amari… Villanueva just left a little while ago.”
I mean, it wasn’t like we’d had a threesome.
From the slight pause on his end, I wondered if that’s what he was thinking. Or maybe he was thinking about my porn joke.
Nah.
He probably didn’t even think I had a vagina.
“Why? What are you up to?” I asked when his moment of silence felt like it went on for a second too long.
To give him credit, he didn’t hesitate that time or ask what they’d been doing over. He said, “I was callin’ to see if you were hungry.”