Page 75 of Escape To Paradise
“I don’t mind sleeping there. But does Harper not mind?” Maverick glanced at me. “I can stay at the other side of the bed if she’s not comfortable.”
“Yes, she doesn’t mind,” Lisa answered for me, and to me, she whispered, “Just go with it, Harper.”
I nodded in agreement.
Lisa set the box of pizza on the kitchen table. “Now that it’s settled, let’s go have dinner of non-gourmet pizza!”
The boys helped set up the table. Lisa took out a bottle of red wine and poured herself a drink. She drank the wine first before pouring into two more wine glasses. She then physically directed me to sit with Maverick. The boys handed us a plate, a knife and a fork.
“Beckett, no knife and spoon!” Lisa pretended to be mad. “Are we barbarians? You know we only eat pizza with our hands?”
Maverick laughed, which surprised even Lisa. She didn’t think she was that hilarious.
“Okay, Mom. I was just trying to be polite.”
Lisa turned to Maverick. “You don’t eat pizza with your hands?”
Maverick replied, “I do. I completely do. That’s the only way to eat pizza. It’s a sin to eat pizza with a knife and a fork.”
Atticus gave us two slices each. He walked around the table and made sure he loaded our plates with the right amount of pizza. He even handed us the pepper flakes and parmesan. Lisa made sure today was extra special.
“Lisa, this truly is a special day. Double pepperoni pizza?”
“Of course, only the best for my guests.” She smiled.
Maverick laughed again.
The pizza had the right crust—not too thick, not too thin. It had a crunchy smokey crust, and the mozzarella cheese was gooey. I sprinkled it with parmesan and pepper flakes.
“This is delicious.” Maverick took big bites. “Harper, can you make something like this for The Flamingo?”
“Yes, but we need a wood-fired oven.”
“I’ll call my contractor. We need to bring something like this there!”
“I’m impressed, Maverick. You have contractors on speed dial?” Lisa commented.
Maverick blushed.
“He’s a developer,” I told Lisa.
“Sounds like you’re an important person,” Lisa told Maverick.
I hadn’t really updated Lisa on what had been going on between me and Maverick. I had mentioned him in one of our chats, but I was mostly fawning over Julian.
After dinner, Lisa ordered the boys to clean the dishes, which they did. Lisa told them to walk Bacon next and then do their homework after. They were obedient boys and didn’t even complain. The three of us went outside to the backyard patio with our wine glasses in hand. Lisa started a fire and turned on the string lights to reveal her giant trampoline.
When Maverick saw the trampoline, his eyes widened. “I’ve never seen a trampoline this huge before.”
“Yeah, my ex got it for us. It was part of the divorce settlement. A giant trampoline was one of my demands,” Lisa joked.
Maverick walked over to the trampoline and got in. Then he started jumping on it.
“This is fun, Harper. Come join me!”
Lisa told me to go. “Harper, you know I’m your friend, right?”
“Yes.”
