He'll learn... or he won't

Laura gave him a strained smile. "You keep telling yourself that," she remarked with a small laugh. "I don't know that I want her digging her claws into you."

"Hey, you're reading into it all wrong."

Laura started to say something before she closed her mouth. She gently patted his knee. He would figure it out. "Any idea what you want for dinner?" she asked after a minute of silence.

"Pasta," he answered and put his hand over hers. "I love your red sauces. I think I saw a penne pasta box in the cupboard. Maybe that and the leftover chicken?" he asked.

"I'll make a chef out of you yet."

"I still can't bake to save my life."

"Hah... oh... dear, I'd forgotten the time you wanted to make banana bread," she teased.

"Hey... I followed the instructions," Dan argued. He looked hurt and she wanted to laugh. "I just didn't have enough flour and didn't realize how important it was."

"You just stuck it in the oven and hoped for the best. Yeah, I remember."

"It came out looking like a lumpy mass. Oh well, maybe I'll try again one day," he mused.

Laura stifled a laugh into his shoulder. "Speaking of bread in the oven..." she said before trailing off. She laughed a little harder, thinking of buns in the oven. "Anyway," she chuckled. "I got some yeast and whole milk. I'll make the rolls you love so much sometime tomorrow,"Amanda wants to invite us over for dinner.

"I don't see why not," he hedged.

"Hey, I think the two are done," Laura commented as she sat upright in her chair. Amber came out, her cheeks and chest flushed. She walked a little shakily to the counter near the back and took a long drink from a large water bottle.

"Someone had fun," Dan remarked. He tried not to laugh when Laura slapped his hand. She shook her head and gave him the look before going back to looking at her phone.

After the laundry was done in the dryer, Laura and Dan left the laundromat. Amber hadn't really noticed them go, having rested her head on the desk.

"I'll need help folding some of this," Laura said as they entered the apartment again.

"No problem. I'll spread the blanket out first. That seems to take up most of the basket," he called as he dropped the laundry basket on the table.