Baited by Love novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: Not Disappointed

Betsy's POV

My father had made the sandwich himself, and he had cut it straight across the middle.

"Eat it," he said. "It's turkey. You used to like turkey."

We were in the window booth of a diner near the station, with a vinyl bench that squeaked.

The waitress kept looking at his face.

My father has always had that effect on waitresses.

Lars sat next to me with the cooler between his boots, having barely spoken since the platform: "Hello, sir. Thank you."

I took a bite of the straight-cut sandwich.

It was fine.

It was a plain, ordinary turkey sandwich, cut the wrong way, and the diner did not fall down around us.

"It's good," I said, and I realized I was waiting for something, and that nothing happened.

"I wasn't sure," said my father. "I haven't made one in a long time. You always made them for me."

"Dad."

"I watched the video more times than I'll admit." He turned his coffee cup in its saucer.

"A girl my daughter's age stood on a stage and read out how to feed a man, in numbers, and the whole room laughed."

He looked up.

"And I knew where she'd learned it."

My hands went cold.

"I'm not angry," I said quickly. "It was a long time ago. I'd do it again. I make it for everybody."

"I know," said my father. "Bets. Let me finish."

The waitress came, and I almost stood up to help her carry the plates.

"Clause one," Lars murmured.

"That's not a clause. That's a waitress."

"She has a tray."

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