Chapter 35 #3
“What?” I did, and briefs that said Good Boy on the ass peaked out at me.
He kept laughing. “Sorry, she asked me if it would be overstepping if she did that.”
“And clearly you told her to do it. I… I think it’s cute. I’ll put these away.” Taking the boxes, I put them in our room. She made me a bear. My heart swelled.
When I came out, Grace was coming down the stairs.
I grabbed her and kissed her. “Thank you. No one has made me a stuffie before.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled.
“I can’t believe you gave it to them early. We were supposed to do it after dinner.” Riley pouted, joining us. “Food, fuckers.”
Grace bit her lower lip. “Spencer gave me mine early.”
“It’s okay.” I kissed Grace again. “Let’s go downstairs and have dinner.”
We sat around the table. There was a big pan of cheesy noodles, lumpy rolls, and some sort of green beans with bacon in them.
“Wes, is this…” Grace brightened as she took her seat.
“Yes. My grandma’s lobster bacon mac and cheese. Just like we used to make. I also called and got her cheesy bay biscuit recipe.” Wes practically burst with pride.
“And I got my grandma’s green bean recipe." Evan beamed.
“I’m all over that shit. I love you assholes, but I miss Grandma’s cooking.” Riley took a big scoop of green beans.
I gave Wes a look. “You made lobster mac and cheese in your dreams?”
“It’s the ultimate comfort food. Usually, my dad makes it with canned crab. But in our dreams we had actual lobster. Sometimes the lobsters would go all over the place, and we’d have to chase them.” Wes beamed and took a scoop.
We started to eat. I took a bite. “This is pretty good, Wes.”
Very cheesy and rich, but not bad at all.
“Oh, it is.” Grace nodded. “The green beans, too.”
“They’re fantastic, Evan,” I praised. “Grace, you’re booking my venue?”
“Yui called you? Doing my part to make you profitable.” Grace laughed as she put butter on a biscuit.
“Thank you. We’ll see if it works out. What’s going on this week?” I asked. “Riley has boxing camp, right? I have a business trip.”
Grace looked up at me like I had kicked her puppy. “You’re going away?”
“I’m just going to Asia.” I was going to see both my properties there.
Spencer frowned over his glass of wine. “I thought we were all staying together.”
“Sorry. I have to do this. I’ve put it off too long.”
“Fine.” Grace’s shoulders slumped. “I have my motorcycle test this week. The professor is coming to town for a conference. I’m going to give him a tour of Compass BioTek and have lunch with him.
He’s also moving Creed into his new place.
Creed is unamused by that. Are brothers allowed?
I know sisters are, but what about Creed? ”
“Assholes aren’t allowed. It just happens that the sisters who live locally are not assholes, and the brothers who are not assholes aren’t local,” I clarified. “As long as your siblings are not assholes, they’re welcome.”
Instantly I regretted saying that as I remembered Hale throwing Grace like a ball on the beach. However, train wreck and asshole were two different things. We’d have to childproof the house when he came to visit.
“Okay, thanks,” she replied.
“My internship starts next week. I need more shit.” Riley gave her brother an imploring look.
“How about tomorrow after boxing camp?” Evan asked.
“Sure.” Riley piled more green beans on her plate.
“I’d like to bring up the chicken army,” Grace said. “According to zoning, we can have six hens. I would like to put a coop in the backyard and get some. We can’t have goats, but I think we can have ducks. Bunnies, too.”
Jett thought for a moment. “I’m all for bunnies, but we should probably wait on a duck until we have a pond and a garden. Next time I go home, I’ll find all my stuff from the landscaping classes I took back when I was a scout.”
Um, what?
Grace nodded. “I like that.”
“Chicken coops are not very attractive,” I blurted.
“Some are. I mean, one that looks like a spaceship would be fun,” Riley interjected, getting more green beans.
“Who would take care of them when we’re gone?” I added. Her look hurt my heart, and I regretted saying anything.
Evan looked at me, then Grace. “Brennan has never had pets, and the idea scares him. Jett has wanted a pet for ages.”
“Pets are a lot of responsibility.” The idea of caring for one more living thing was a lot.
Grace nodded. “True. I can take care of chickens, but we would have to find someone to care for them when we’re away.”
“I want a dog,” Wes said. “We had one when I was little, but my mom took him in the divorce.”
Oh.
“I didn’t know that. Um, maybe after the summer? Since we’ll be away for a bit.” Both for our vacation and for Evan's heat.
“Fair. I will have a chicken army,” Grace agreed.
“Sadly, we are not zoned for mini tigers,” Riley added sadly.
I was happy for that, because Jett was right, a tiger the size of a dog was still a tiger.
Everyone talked about what they were doing. But my mind went back to the bear Grace had made me–and how sad she looked that I was going away.
…you’d be there, wouldn’t you?
Yeah. I would do whatever Grace wanted, anytime.