She’d just given him the opening he needed to ask her out again. “If tickets are still available, would you like to go?”

“Yes,” she said, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

“I’ll check and see while we’re eating.” He turned his attention back to the bacon and transferred the crisp strips to a paper towel to drain. Minutes later, they filled their plates, got glasses of orange juice, and took everything out to her deck. Serenity went back inside to bring out the warm syrup. Gabriel seated her, then went around the table and took his own chair. He was eager to try the waffles and the syrup. First he ate a piece of the fluffy waffle plain. It was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and slightly sweet. And delicious. Next he added the syrup. Unable to resist, he dipped his finger in for a taste before sampling them together. It was so good, he couldn’t stop a groan. He glanced up to find Serenity watching him with a quiet smile. “This is the best syrup I’ve ever had, and I’m never eating the store-bought ones again.”

Serenity smiled. “It really is hard to go back once you’ve tried it. I can’t remember the last time I bought some. Jellies and jams, either, for that matter.”

Gabriel paused with a forkful of eggs halfway to his mouth. “You make your own jams, too?”

She nodded and wiggled her eyebrows. “I see that gleam in your eyes. I take it you’d like to try some.”

The corner of his mouth kicked up in a grin. “Hey, I can’t help it. You know how I feel about food.”

Chuckling, she rose to her feet. “I’ll be right back.”

While she was gone, he took out his phone and checked to see about the concert tickets. He smiled when he saw they hadn’t sold out and quickly purchased two tickets. Briefly, he considered booking them a room for the night but changed his mind. He was already in too deep, and since he hadn’t made any concrete decisions about the future of their relationship, he didn’t think it would be a good idea.

“I have some strawberry jam you can try,” Serenity said, setting a saucer with a slice of buttered toast, a knife, and a jar in front of him, then reclaiming her chair.

Gabriel spread some of the jam on the bread and took a hefty bite. He shook his head. “You’re killing me here, Serenity. How am I supposed to go back to the other stuff after this?”

With a pleased look on her face, she bit off a piece of bacon. “Since you were nice enough to do my yard, you can take a jar home.”