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“I think he said the chef wouldn’t do a big enough batch. Something about it not working like that.”
“I can see that.” Jenna leaned forward and propped her elbows on her knees. “Myabuelamakes flan. It’s delicate. Custard is similar.”
I studied Jenna. “I like flan. Any chance you have her recipe?”
Jenna snorted. “You donotwant me trying to bake. I don’t starve, but flan? Nah. It’s way outside my wheelhouse.”
“Your grandmother didn’t teach you?” Dang it, I really wanted flan now, and finding a restaurant that did a good, not rubbery, job was next to impossible.
“She tried. I’m hopeless. Gingerbread houses? Those I can do.” Jenna grinned. “Architecture for the win.”
Kayla chuckled. “If we do a competition this year, you’re on my team. Mine always breaks apart.”
“That’s because you try to make a skyscraper.” I shook my head. “You’re never satisfied with a house.”
“Guilty.” Kayla shrugged. “Maybe this year I’ll make a model of the learning center instead.”
“Are you going to let Austin help you?” I smirked. Austin always lost the gingerbread competitions. He was hopeless.
Kayla sucked a breath through her teeth. “Do I have to?”
“He is your husband.” Whitney jabbed her elbow into Kayla’s arm. “Winning isn’t everything.”
“Says you. You haven’t even seen how heated these competitions get.” Kayla frowned. “I guess I have to. If we’re doing this? I need to know now.”
“Why? Are you going to practice or something?” I laughed, trailing off as I watched Kayla’s expression. “Oh. Wow.”
“Talk to the group. If we’re doing this, we should get it on the calendar. Would we do it in the Caymans?” Kayla reached to the bag at her feet and dragged out a thick planner. She flipped it open and started turning pages. “Austin and I have been talking about closing the center for the month of December so we could spend longer in the islands. He’s starting to get serious about finding a place to buy down there.”
“I thought he wanted to go different places?” I bit my lip. I really thought I remembered Kayla mentioning that at one of our girls’ nights in the winter. She’d been on a crusade to get everyone to commit to a mission trip to Mexico during spring break, and Austin had balked.
“He does.” Kayla leaned back, her fingers tapping the page in her planner. “I do, too. Kind of. I also like the familiar and low-key hang-out-and-do-nothing vibe we have at the beach.”
Whitney nodded. “I like that, too. Thankfully, Scott and I are on the same page. We’re looking at places to buy when we’re down there. I’ll keep you posted on what looks good, if you want.”
“I want. But I guess I should double-check with Austin and make sure he’s not just doing it because I pushed him. It’s not like I’d mind seeing Germany or whatever, but in winter? It’s cold there at Christmas.”
I thought it sounded magical. Snow on the Alps? Yes, please. “Don’t you like to ski?”
“There’s that.” Kayla blew out a breath. “Would everyone want to do a ski vacation instead? I mean, it’s not like we have to spend all of our Christmas breaks together. But I like the idea of spending time with our group for some of it. We’re family.”
I grinned. “We are. And we’ll definitely spend time together. But I imagine Scott and Whitney wouldn’t mind time with their folks and Beckett without the rest of us hanging around. Same for the rest of the guys. You’re stuck with me, though, since you had the bad taste to marry my brother. Although not at Christmas, sadly, because retail.”
Jenna snickered. “I feel like you were on board with that whole thing. Granted, I’m new here, but really.”
“Okay, fine. I’m thrilled. Truly. But also, he’s my brother. So ew.”
Kayla wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
I pretended to retch.
“Children, please.” Whitney’s voice was full of laughter. “I think, at the end of the day, we’re not ready to write in your calendar, Kayla. So you probably need to tuck that back away. But if we’re all doing different things for Christmas, maybe we could do a gingerbread competition at Thanksgiving. Most of the guys don’t bother to head back to see their parents for that, so it might be an easier sell.”
“Genius.” Kayla shot Whitney a grin and flipped back a page of her calendar. “I’m writing that in. Who’s hosting this year?”
“I think it’s Cody’s turn.” They all turned to look at me, and I worried my face resembled a tomato. I tried for a nonchalant shrug. “He said something about it when we all visited his new place.”
“And you just happened to remember it?” Kayla’s gaze was penetrating.
