Chapter 49
***Memphis***
“Taste the gravy. If it’s bad, don’t tell me.” I fluttered around the kitchen, half excited and half terrified that I’d made a huge mistake and was going to make a fool of myself. “No, if it’s bad, do tell me. I’ll just put it outside until they leave.”
Bea tried it and smiled. “It’s good.”
I frowned at her. “You’re lying.”
Swearing, she spit it out in the sink and gagged. “How much salt did you put in that?”
I grabbed the pan and shoved it out the back door. “I added it once and then forgot I added it. Then I added it again. Maybe twice. I don’t know. I’m freaking out.”
“If you’re not a good cook, why’d you have this bright plan?”
“Hey! I didn’t say I’m not a good cook. I said I forgot how many times I salted the gravy.
There’s a big difference.” I stared at the pork chops that I’d overcooked and the mashed potatoes that were more like cement than anything else.
At one point, there’d been rolls, but those went about as well as the gravy.
“Okay, I’m not a good cook. I wanted to make a gesture, though. You know?”
She looked around, too. “Oh, you’re making a gesture.”
I swung my dish towel at her and sent her out of the kitchen. “This is fine. I’m not worried at all. Dinner’s ready, I’m ready, and you’re leaving. Everything is perfect.”
“Just because of that last comment, I shouldn’t tell you that your hair is still wrapped in a towel.”
I grabbed my head and groaned when I felt that I really did still have a towel on my head. “Oh, shit. Okay, this is not a problem. I’ll just step into the bathroom really fast and brush it out. I probably even have time to blow dry it. Who shows up perfectly on time for dinner, anyway?”
A knock sounded at the door and I looked up and straight into Boone’s amused eyes. He opened the door and stood at the threshold. “I like the hair.”
Bea cackled as she grabbed her purse and moved towards the door. “You kids don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“That leaves like two things.” I laughed at her expression and waved goodbye. “Have a good night. Be safe driving home.”
She wedged past Wells and Remy, stopping behind them to fan herself, and then she was gone. Leaving me alone with the guys, just like I’d asked her to do. I swallowed hard and yanked the towel off my head, not thrilled with myself.
“It’s so nice out that I thought we could eat on the back patio.” I pointed towards the back door and then remembered I’d shoved the gravy pot out there like an idiot. “Um, just let me grab one thing.”
Remy slowly came farther into the house and looked around. “The plants must like you being here. When I checked to make sure the place was cleaned before you moved in, they were not this full of life.”
I shoved the hot pot into the oven and pretended nothing had happened. “Plants like to be around humans. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. They say if you talk to them or sing to them, they grow faster, too.”
“I bet you do sing to these plants, don’t you?” Boone walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I saw that pot. What was in there?”
I turned my face to avoid his kiss. “Did you see a pot? Are you sure?”
He pulled my mouth to his and kissed me so thoroughly my toes curled. “Yep.”
Wells kissed my shoulder as he moved past to the patio. “You look beautiful.”
I remembered my hair and slapped my hands over my head. “I’ll be right back.”
Remy followed me into the bathroom while Boone and Wells went outside. He leaned against the doorframe and watched as I pulled my still wet hair into a bun. “Wells was right. You look stunning, Memphis. That dress was made for you.”
I smiled and walked into his arms. “I’m so nervous.”
“Why? You have nothing to be nervous about.” He kissed the top of my head and rested his hand at the top of my ass. “We definitely know how much you like us now, but that’s no reason to be nervous. We’re understanding of your giant crush.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “The only giant crush is going to be when I push a piano on your head. How’s that sound?”
“Sounds like a great time. Ten out of ten, would recommend.” He kissed me then, slowly making love to my mouth the way he’d quickly learned made me feel extra needy. When he pulled away, I sighed breathily. “What’s for dinner?”
I forced myself back to reality and took his hand as I told him what all I’d made. “I think it’s going to be bad, though. I’m nervous.”
“It’ll be great, Memphis, because you took the time and effort to do something like this for us.” He patted my ass and nodded to the back door. “I’ll be out there. Unless you need me to do anything in here.”
I could tell he was not a fan of being in the house.
None of them were. I hoped that changing their perspective on the place, letting them see it in a new light, would help them move past hating the guesthouse.
It was a special place and I couldn’t help wondering if being in a place their mom had painstakingly put together could start to heal some of the anger they all seemed to hold for her.
They’d been so young when she died that I doubted they’d truly gotten to know her, but you couldn’t help but learn about Maggie Hawke while existing in the guesthouse. She was everywhere.
“Go on. I’ll be right out.”
He stopped just outside of the door and grinned at me. “You’re barefoot in the kitchen and knocked up. I think there’s a joke in there somewhere.”
I fought a laugh, but seeing his smile killed my resolve. “Get out, you idiot.”
Not even ten minutes later, he was probably wishing that he’d gone out the other door.
The silence stretched on as they each tried to cut their pork chops and chew them.
The chewing was the worst. The meat never gave up.
In that short amount of time, the water pitcher I’d put out was empty and every glass on the table was dry.
Wells coughed and made a choking sound while reaching for his own empty water glass. I watched as his eyes widened in panic and gasped. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed more water from the tap, but by the time I got back outside, he was fine.
I looked between them and narrowed my eyes at the guilty looks on their faces. I was confused about what was going on until I looked down at their plates and saw that they were empty. My mouth fell open and I planted my hands on my hips.
“I know y’all didn’t have Wells pretend to choke so you could throw my food away.” I moved around the patio looking for their uneaten scraps. “I’m going to find this food and shove it down your throats.”
I must’ve gotten close because Boone’s arms wrapped around me and lifted me off my feet. I wiggled uselessly and slapped at his arms. “Y’all are jerks! I can’t believe you made me think I’d killed Wells. I should kick your butts.”
He settled with me on his lap and held me close. “I’m sorry, love. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, you’re smart, and you make Remy laugh, which isn’t easy, but your food would’ve killed us all if we ate it.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted. “I was nervous. It’s not my fault.”
“Why were you nervous, sweetheart?” Remy pushed his plate away from himself and shuddered. “Was it to eat the food?”
“Not funny, Remy.” I relaxed into Boone’s embrace and sighed.
“I know y’all don’t like being here, but you were willing to come anyway.
I wanted it to be perfect. I thought if I could make it better, maybe y’all would consider staying here sometime.
The big house scares me and this house depresses y’all. Should we just put a bed in the maze?”
Wells smiled softly at me. “You want to have sleepovers?”
I knew I was blushing, but I did want sleepovers. Having to leave them and sleep alone at night when all I wanted was to cuddle sucked. There was no other way to put it. It sucked. “I do.”
Boone pressed a kiss to my neck. “Then we’ll do sleepovers.”
Grinning back at him, I wiggled excitedly. “Really?”
He grunted. “Careful, love.”
“Too heavy?” I tried to stand, but he held me tighter.
“Not too heavy. You’re dancing all over my dick, though, and unless you’re ready to be spread across this table, I suggest you be still.” He let out a dramatic sigh when I stopped moving around. “I know I asked for this, but I’m still sad it stopped.”
“Should we order a pizza? Since I botched dinner and y’all probably killed Carter with my cooking.
” I saw the confusion on their faces and pointed to the place where I’d arranged stones leading up the side of the fence.
“I call the cat Carter. He wants to be back here with me but he doesn’t like coming inside.
I might’ve tried that. Twice. It did not go well.
I thought that jumping over the fence over and over again might hurt his old man bones, so I built him a little ladder.
You probably just fed him my cooking, though, and he’ll probably run away when he finds out what a failure I am as a chef. ”
As if I’d called him, Carter appeared at the top of the fence and froze when he saw the guys.
One of his ears was half gone and he had a large scar that kept part of his head bald, but I thought the little guy was adorable.
All black with bright green eyes, he would’ve been the perfect cat for a halloween party.
When Carter hissed at the guys but strutted down the stairs and over to me anyway, I reached down and scratched behind his ears.
He jumped on the table like he always did to get his loving and walked over to the plate that still had my pork chop on it.
He sniffed it and then gave a big, dramatic gag.
“Hey! That’s rude.” I got up from Boone’s lap and reached inside the door to get his food. “I don’t gag when I open your wet food. How did I end up surrounded by four males who have no manners?”
Remy stared at me with an unreadable expression as I dumped Carter’s food onto a plate and replaced my plate with his. He watched as Carter stooped over to eat his food at the table and then looked back up at me. “You have a cat?”
I rolled my eyes. “No. You have a cat. He’s a stray. Well. He was a stray. He hangs out back here most days now. Sophie delivers his food with mine and Jake is bringing over a cat tree that his friend is getting rid of.”
“Everyone knows about the cat?” Remy looked at his brothers. “Did you two?”
Wells shook his head. “Not a clue.”
Boone stared at the cat and tilted his head to study it. “You have an entire life back here, don’t you? All those weeks you hid away from us, I thought you were all alone, but you created your own family, didn’t you?”
I shrugged. “You have really great people here. My brothers aren’t here and for the first time in my life, I found myself with nothing to do during the day. I didn’t have the excuse of being overwhelmed and too busy to avoid making connections with people. I like it.”
“We all have those excuses.” Wells looked around the yard and blew out a hard sigh. “Is the bed comfortable?”
Grinning, I hurried to his side and hugged him tight. “It’s the best bed ever. Way better than Remy’s.”
He pulled me down onto his lap. “Just tell me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“How the hell are you scared of the main house but this cat doesn’t creep you out?” He looked at Boone. “Right?”
I rolled my eyes. “Carter isn’t scary. He’s a sweet boy. The main house, however, feels like it wants to eat my soul. Carter would never.”
Remy shifted and Carter hissed at him before going back to his dinner. With a stern look, he shook his head at me. “Yep. Seems like a sweet boy to me.”