Rogue Angel - Footprints Part 49

Annja shook her head. "I hate having to tell you this, but it's true. He tried a few times to kiss me."

"Did you?"

Annja leaned forward. "No, Jenny, I did not. In fact, I told him that you were crazy for him and that he should really open his eyes to the great woman he has in front of him."

"You said that?"

"Something like that."

"What did he say?"

Annja sighed. "I don't think he's interested, Jenny. He went so far as to suggest that the reason he got you out here was because he knew you'd contact me and I'd come out, too."

Jenny frowned. "He didn't say that."

"Unfortunately, he did."

"I don't believe you."

Annja put her hands on the table. "And why would I lie? I'm not even attracted to him."

"That's why. Because you don't like him."

"Whether or not I like him has nothing to do with this. If it was up to me, I'd force him to like you just so you could stop whining about not having a boyfriend."

Jenny stopped short and pulled back.

Annja took a breath.

Joey shook his head. "Wow, you guys really have some issues to work out, huh?"

"Shut up, Joey," Annja said. "This doesn't concern you."

"Fortunately," he said.

Annja leaned across the table. "Jenny, I just want you to be happy. That's all. I don't want David for myself. Honestly. I even debated telling you the truth because I knew you might take it badly."

"Maybe I should leave," Jenny said.

Annja put a hand on hers. "Don't. That would be a mistake."

"Cake's ready." David appeared in the doorway and looked at the scene. "Everything okay?"

Joey shrugged. "Female issues, apparently."

Annja frowned again. "Shut up, Joey."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Joey grabbed a plate of the cake. "May as well try this incredible cake and see what the big deal is." He ate a forkful and chewed slowly until a big smile spread across his face. "Holy cow, this is some great stuff."

David smiled. "See?" He put plates down in front of Annja and Jenny. "Ladies, enjoy."

Annja picked up her fork and took a bite. She chewed slowly and then felt the burst of flavor in her mouth. David must have used a particularly rich vein of dark chocolate in the baking because it tasted almost like warm pudding.

"Wow."

Even Jenny couldn't stop eating it. "It's really delicious, David."

"I'm glad you think so. It's an old recipe pa.s.sed down to me from my grandmother. No one else in the family can make it as well as I do."

Annja kept chewing. "You have a big family, David?"

"Actually, no. Well, not anymore."

Jenny smiled sadly at him. "Sorry to hear that."

David bit into his own cake. "Well, we can't stop the clock, can we? Everyone dies eventually."

Joey polished off his cake. "That was great. Thanks for insisting we have it."

"The dark chocolate in the cake helps settle the stomach after a meal. Plus, it contains antioxidants. Important these days, I think."

Annja looked at David's plate. "You're not eating yours?"

"I think I might have had a bit too much potato salad. But I did try it. Pretty good if I do say so myself."

Joey reached across the table. "I'll finish yours off, then."

David tried to stop him. "Joey, don't-"

But Joey grabbed the plate and started eating. Annja watched him put a big forkful in his mouth and chew. After a few seconds, he frowned. "Hey."

David got up from the table. "Everyone finished?" He collected the plates, including Joey's, and took them out of the room.

"Something wrong, Joey?" Annja asked.

Joey finished chewing and swallowed. "His cake wasn't warm."

Jenny sighed. "What are you talking about now?"

"His cake. It wasn't hot. Like it hadn't been in the oven."

"How is that possible?" Jenny said. "We were all eating the same cake, silly."

Annja felt thirsty and reached for her beer. After she took a swig, she put the bottle down. "Actually, we never saw him cut the cake. He brought us out plates of it, remember?"

Jenny frowned. "So you're saying he gave us different pieces? Why would he do a thing like that?"

"Maybe he's drugging us," Joey said.