his eyes got intense and he said softly , `` not my place , lost that place and i 'spect you know it but i 'm gon na say it anyway and i hope you know i got my son 's best interests at heart but , like olivia , you are far from hard on the eyes and , like olivia , you 're sugar sweet and i need you now , tess , to promise me what 's under all that frosting , '' he jerked his chin at me , `` tastes just as sweet . ''