Page 82 of Lease to Love

She gave me a dry look. “Are you new to black people? And Miss Tonnette has been making these forever.”

I looked back at the menu. There it was.

Sweet potato funnel cake, topped with candied pecans and powdered brown sugar, which I didn’t know existed.

My skepticism remained. “I've never heard of that.”

“That's because your childhood was clearly a tragedy.” She grabbed my arm and started pulling me toward the stand. “Come on.”

“I'm getting churros.”

“If you get churros, I'm fake-dumping you.”

I looked down at her. “You're threatening to break up with me over sweets?”

“Yes, I am.”

I stared at her.

She just rolled her eyes. “You knew I was unstable when you signed up for this.”

I smirked. “Fine.”

She smiled triumphantly.

We ordered two funnel cakes… and the first bite was a revelation. There was no other way to describe it.

The outside was crisp and warm, the inside soft with that faint sweet-potato richness, and the brown sugar melted against my tongue alongside the buttery crunch of candied pecans.

I didn’t even realize I’d stopped walking, and Summer took two more steps before realizing I wasn't beside her.

She turned and her smile widened. “What do you think?”

It was possibly the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted, dessert or otherwise.

But I wasn’t telling her that.

I chewed slowly before making my voice as deadpan as possible. “They aight.”

She stared at me. “Liar.”

I took another bite and shrugged.

She laughed and shoved my shoulder. “I swear, I hate you.”

“No, you don't,” I responded without even looking at her.

She stopped chewing, her expression shifting into mock offense. “Don't let some fake dates and a heart-to-heart over chili fries fool you, Mr. Sterling. I definitely still hate you.”

I glanced at her. “No, you don't.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You're very confident.”

“I am.” I took another bite of funnel cake. “Because you don’t hate me, and you never have.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but I beat her to it.

“You just don't perform for me.”