Page 20 (1/2)

I looked at her strangely over the plate of cookies

“Because you are Italian?” I asked

“Because I suck at thereat dishonor to my people”

I laughed

“Well, the cookies look fantastic What have we got here,” I said, re the plastic cover, “Looks like snickerdoodle and chocolate chips”

“I couldn’t decide what kind of cookies to make, so I kind of went crazy and ht have been involved”

“Well, chocolate chips and snickerdoodle are reat job there” I picked one of the chocolate chip ones up It broke perfectly in a soft tear in ood too What are these other ones? Is that peanut butter? And sugar cookies?”

“You nailed it,” she said “I went for a full range of cookie-do says winter to me like the peanut butter cookies my mom used to make Then the chocolate chip and snickerdoodle are there because…” She took ato the top of her eyelids as if she were thinking hard for a reason “They taste good”

“That kind of got away fro

She grinned back

“Why go through all this effort for h?” I asked “This is more cookies than I can eat in a week Maybe more”

“Well, like I said, I wanted to pay you back somehow,” she said “This was the best I could come up with”

She was s with anticipation as I took a bite of one of the peanut butter cookies It was delicious, and the groan of appreciation probably let her know just how much

I was genuinely surprised by her hu nice for one hoain, but she wanted to thank h cookies when I turned down her money It warmed my heart

“Are you going to share these with me?” I asked “I can’t possibly eat all these”

“I ar cookie”

“Good Corabbed a napkin forht actual cru room, away fro ill and didn’t want to not be on the couch

“You got the television going, I see,” she said