The Unexpected Bride-Book One in Taming of the Shrew

Chapter Eighty-One

"I can see Nick already falling in love with your cooking. It is delicious."

Rita said with a smile when she finished the last piece of her toast.

"Yeah."

AJ voiced but said no more because his mouth was full.

"Didn't you two just criticized my cooking and said that Nick would figuratively die after eating the same thing over and over again?"

Sharlene bemusedly asked.

"You know we were teasing, right?"

Chuckling, she nodded.

"It never gets old."

"Of course not. Anyway, as I said before, Nick would love your simple meals for sure. Despite not cooking like a five-star chef, like Mrs. Cunning-ham, you have skills that would enable you to achieve a smile on the consumer's face aka, to reach a man's heart through his stomach strategy."

Blushing, Sharlene bit into a piece of her excellently toasted bread.

"You never seize to mention Nick, don't you?"

Grinning from ear to ear, Rita winked.

"Of course. I like to see you blush every time I do."

Scrunching his face in the ugliest expression he could muster, for his sister resembled a ripe tomato, he stood.

"As much as I enjoyed your breakfast, sis, your blushing is starting to scare me."

"What is so scary about Shar's blushing, J?"

Pretending he was shivering from disgust, AJ grimaced.

"It makes her look girlish."

"Girlish? Aren't I a girl? Girls are supposed to be girlish, J."

Shaking his head, AJ lifted his dirty plate and empty glass from the table and brought them to the sink.

"Not you to a certain extent anyway. You look weird."

"Boohoo, J. My best friend does not look weird. She looks elated is the better word to describe her. Right, Shar?"

Rolling his eyes, he muttered.

"Whatever you say. I cannot win against you two anyway. So before any more of her weirdness rubs on me, I am going to go. Tell mum I won't be home until five."

Quickly washing the dishes, he wiped his hands on the kitchen towel, then made his way out of the kitchen.

"For someone who acts as though they know about romance better than me, he is more inexperienced."

Sharlene scoffed before taking another bite of her toast.

"Don't worry. I am sure he would be blushing worse than you when he finds someone he likes."

Rita grinned.

Hiding her smile behind biting on her egg, for she knew something she did not, Sharlene shrugged while sipping on her milk.

"Anyway, I enjoyed your breakfast for the first time in my life."

"Rita."

Sharlene stressed with raised eyebrows, for she knew where she was bringing the conversation.

"What?"

Mischievously smiling, Rita played innocent.

"You know what."

Holding her breath, Rita gave a loud and defeated sigh.

"Fine. Fine. I won't say it, but—"

With another look from her, Rita begrudgingly shut her mouth.