Ava’s POV
Mia whipped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hands and I continue kneeding the dough harder than I should.
“Not like that,” Mia said, laughing as she tried to show me how to knead the dough. “You’ll make it tough if you keep pressing so hard.”
I huffed and pushed back at the lump with my palm. “Maybe I want it tough, like a warrior’s bread.”
Mia rolled her eyes, her smile softening the sharp lines of her face. “Bread doesn’t need to fight, Ava.”
“Then you clearly haven’t met my bread.” I smirked, and before I could think twice, I dabbed my dough-covered finger against her nose, leaving a white smudge right on the tip.
She squealed and tried to swipe it off, glaring at me half-heartedly. “You did not just—”
“Oh, I did.” I grinned.
For a moment, the two of us ju
