Avery

I showered and changed into a short off the shoulder black gingham print

dress that’s both casual and sexy and I’m hoping Theo has hung around long enough to see me in it. I’m moving down the stairs when I hear my mom call for me and I see her in the kitchen pulling a cake out of the oven wearing an Avery’s Café t-shirt and shorts underneath an apron. Her dark curly hair is pulled back into a tight bun like she always does when she’s cooking if she’s not wearing the cute chef’s hat my dad got her.

“Taste this,” she says, holding a spoon with light green icing.

“Mint?” I ask her, because she’s always trying to revamp how she prepares mint chocolate desserts.

“Mmmhm, I swear this batch tastes like toothpaste.” I lick the spoon and scrunch my nose.

“Definitely Colgate-y.” I giggle. “That batch you made over Thanksgiving break last year was perfection.” Truly, I’ve had dreams about how good those mint chocolate brownies tasted.

“Your father has not stopped talking about that damn batch an