Chapter 12
We Built This Home
It rained for the next few days, so the group at the farm teamed up to finish the third floor for Amber, Gray, Boomer, and the baby who would arrive in the winter.
Seth cooked enough to feed the army of worker bees. His leg wasn’t suited to squatting or climbing the stairs dozens of times, but he helped when and where he could.
It ached far less than it had before arriving in Vermont. Maybe it was the extra healing time and the fact that he religiously completed his daily physical therapy exercises. Or perhaps because he was happy.
Happy.
A job he enjoyed, people he respected, and a woman who made him smile every day. Multiple times a day.
Who would have thought it was possible?
Currently, Mara and her brother were finishing all the plumbing required to make the third floor fully functional. Chaos Machine ran power tools with as much skill as she ran her mixer and oven.
Sexy as hell.
Today was the last day with just the team on the farm. The first guests would arrive the following afternoon, and he wanted to make this final family meal a celebration of all the work they’d accomplished.
Pot roast simmered in the oven with potatoes and roasted veggies. Maybe he could even talk baby Ella into liking carrots with the honey glaze he’d used.
The toddler enjoyed most everything, but kept tossing carrots on the floor. She might be the cutest critic he’d encountered, but he still wanted to change her mind.
A traditional family feast had seemed appropriate for the last meal before the inn opened. It surprised the hell out of him, but this group living on the farm had become another family for Seth.
The world needed more family. He’d seen so many of them destroyed over the years. By disease, by assholes who thought they had the right to use other people, by IEDs.
Charlie popped into the kitchen with his usual burst of energy. “Is it time to make the gravy? Can I learn how to do it?”
Seth nodded. “It’s a rite of manhood. The secrets of the kitchen will make you a man of worth.”
Charlie cackled as Seth handed him a whisk. “And it will help me survive on something other than burgers.”
Seth grinned. “Fast food will kill you. You can make better at home in less time than it takes to drive to the store and back.”
“It’s so weird not having fast food nearby. Not even in Phail.”
“One of the best parts of living in a rural area. Everyone makes their own kinds of food, and it’s usually delicious.”
Charlie nodded. “I’ve been learning about spices from Manuel at the diner. He’s helping me find a Mexican spice mix for our cider. So far, nothing works.”
Seth imagined the talented cook was letting Charlie lead the experimentation there.
Learning firsthand was the best way for most people to figure things out.
“I remember adding garlic to the pancake batter when I was a bit younger than you. I loved garlic, and figured it would make everything better.”
Charlie’s laugh filled the kitchen. “Garlic pancakes? That sounds awful.”
“It was. That’s when I got interested in combining flavors. My parents put up with a ton of strange food for a while, but I figured it out eventually. Still fun to experiment though.”
Charlie nodded. “It is. Like science experiments you can eat.”
“Sometimes. Other times, it’s best to chuck it and start over. I’ve got a friend, Wyatt, who likes to blend plants. He’s always trying to make plants better or stronger, making new species in the process.”
“How does that work?”
“Not entirely sure. He does a lot with grains, trying to make food easier to grow around the world, but he does a lot with vegetables and flowers, too.”
“I wonder if he’s ever blended carrots with beets. Maybe that way, Ella wouldn’t toss them all on the floor.”
Seth laughed. “A beet and carrot blend would be fun to work with. Maybe next time we get fresh beets, we can try a dish mixing them with carrots to see if we can fool her.”
“Or maybe your friend could combine different apples and come up with something completely new. That would make the farm unique. Or combine an apple tree with a maple tree. We’d have maple apples.”
“Good ideas, kid. I’ll call him sometime and see what he’s up to these days.” Wyatt’s folks were both gone now. Maybe the farm could be a refuge for his friend, too.
They chatted easily as he taught Charlie the difference between a roux and a slurry, between a rolling boil and a simmer. The kid sucked it all up and followed instructions like a pro. “You’re already a good sous-chef. You’d be shocked at how many people don’t listen properly.”
Charlie grinned at him. “I like knowing things. Do you think dragons like pot roast?”
Seth laughed. “Don’t they eat raw meat? Not sure they’d be patient enough to make gravy.”
And that started a conversation about how dragons and their brucans might cook, and what their favorite meals might be.
Something Seth had never considered before. He wondered whether Olivia included any of Charlie’s ideas in her books. He imagined the kid would be a great brainstorming partner.
“Send a group text with a ten-minute warning, kid. We’re almost ready. You want to help me serve it up?”
Charlie nodded. “I don’t have my phone. We should get a bell here, too. I can run up and tell them.”
Seth pulled out his phone. “I’ve got it. Grab the plates, and let’s get the table ready. Don’t bring out the carrots until Ella’s here, then set them in front of her. Maybe she’ll try them if they’re your carrots.”
Mara was the first one to reach the kitchen. “Sorry. I was going to get down earlier to help, but I got caught up finishing the plumbing.”
Again, the thought of Chaos Machine wielding a pipe wrench got his system revved. He had it bad.
With Charlie there, he didn’t sneak a kiss, but when Mara grinned at him, he let his gaze roam her face, lips, and back up. Her eyes sparkled with desire, and Seth forced his body not to react.
Damn, he wanted to get his hands on those curves. Even thinking about how he could potentially screw up his place here didn’t stop him from imagining how she would taste when he finally got his mouth on all of her.
“Do you want me to put the roast on the table?”
Charlie’s voice interrupted Seth’s lustful thoughts, and he nodded. When the kid walked slowly and carefully with the platter, Seth brushed his lips lightly over Mara’s. “Hey.”
She returned the kiss with enthusiasm. “Hey, yourself. You’ve been working hard. Sorry, I didn’t get down earlier to help.”
He shrugged. “You were helping up there. The kid had fun.”
“He’s going to be an expert in every job on this farm soon.”
Seth nodded as Charlie bounced back in. “They’re all here, so I’m going to put the carrots in front of Ella and talk them up. Come on. Let’s eat.”
That sent his thoughts back to tasting all of Mara. Yeah, he wanted to eat.
He’d start with dinner first, and figure the rest out later.
Mara wanted to let the others eat and drag Seth back to the other farmhouse to have her way with him.
She’d thought their initial attraction was all about the physical. The man was a gorgeous specimen who probably inspired fantasies wherever he went, leaving lust-filled women in his wake.
She’d learned he was so much more than a gorgeous male. Beneath those impressive muscles beat a kind heart. One that made room for a cat and chickens. He not only tolerated Charlie’s incessant questions, he encouraged them, and taught the boy all kinds of life lessons along with cooking skills.
Seth lived with pain, but never took his frustrations out on others. He treated everyone with respect. He might not sing along with her Broadway songs, but he didn’t complain about them either. She thought she might have even caught him tapping along a few times.
He also lit her up when he smiled at her with that twinkle in his eye. His kisses had her dreaming of more. So much more.
Mara was pretty sure she was falling for Seth. She knew he wanted her; that much was obvious. But were his feelings involved, or was he just after a few nights of fun?
He hadn’t pushed her, hadn’t done anything to make her feel like he wanted only a one-night stand. Those hazel eyes held more than lust. And that desire made her feel better in her own body than she ever had.
Setting her lustful thoughts to the side, Mara grabbed the garlic mashed potatoes and followed the others to the dining room.
A dining room that would be full of guests the following day. Exciting, and a bit scary. It would be incredible, but it was always nerve-wracking doing something for the first time.
In the dining room, everyone settled into their usual spots. Like at the other farmhouse, they gravitated to the same places. Couples sat beside each other, leaving her and Seth as their own couple—something she wanted to be real.
Once they’d passed around platters and filled their plates, Gray lifted his glass. “Amber and I would like to thank you for everything. You’ve all helped in so many ways. I don’t think we’d be here without you.”
Amber lifted her glass as well. “Here’s to Jay and Fox for bringing us all together. Without them, Knox wouldn’t have had the crazy idea to rejuvenate an old apple farm, bring our family together, and grow our family in the very best of ways. Thank you all for being here.”
Her voice trembled, and tears misted her eyes. That was the longest speech Mara had ever heard from the quiet woman who worked relentlessly behind the scenes to make life better for everyone.
Gray hugged her to his side and kissed her hair. In a stage whisper, he grinned at the group. “That’s not even all pregnancy-induced emotions. We’re really grateful to Jay, Fox, and Knox for being the impetus for bringing us all here. And to everyone for supporting the inn. Cheers.”
“Cheers.” Mara joined the group, raising their glasses and offering well wishes. She had to blink away her own tears, and she most certainly wasn’t pregnant. She’d have had to have had sex in the past year to be pregnant.
The thought of having her own baby, Seth’s baby, filled her with longing. Living here on the farm, sharing a kitchen, and raising a family with the man beside her sounded like the very best kind of dream.
Andy Williams’s The Impossible Dream ran through her mind. Was her dream impossible, or was there a way to make it happen?
Seth nudged her shoulder with his, and she turned to find him studying her with concern. Yep, she was definitely falling for him.
She managed a smile and swallowed back the emotions, the yearning for a new family here. “I’m okay.”
His warm eyes studied her, and he nodded. She wondered what he saw.
Ella Mae distracted them when she tossed the delicious honeyed carrots onto the floor. She pouted at Seth and then picked up some broccoli with a grin.
“Message received, kid, but I’m going to find a recipe you won’t be able to resist.”
The talk at the table turned to the guests who would arrive and the final preparations that needed to be completed.
The rain was supposed to finish overnight, leaving a clear day for the opening.
The guests wouldn’t arrive first thing, but Mara planned to have plenty of pastries and treats for them when they did.
Amber had loved her suggestion that she place a selection of goodies in the rooms before each guest arrived.
Her friend had found cute wicker baskets for her to use.
Lined with the apple-themed cloth napkins Amber had purchased, they would be perfect.
While the group finished the main course, Mara slipped into the kitchen with an empty serving dish. She’d found what she thought was the perfect recipe for the inn’s apple fritters earlier in the day, and wanted to surprise everyone with this version tonight.
When she brought them out, Charlie grinned at her. “Another apple fritter recipe? They’re my favorite. I can’t believe I never tried one before I came here.”
Mara laughed and passed him the platter. “This is my favorite so far. Don’t eat them all; let everyone try one.”
The boy grinned, took one for himself, put the smallest one on Ella’s plate, and passed the platter.
Seth turned to her. “Do you think this is the one? The No Phail Fritter?”
Mara laughed. “That’s the perfect name. I love it.”
He held up his fritter, and she tapped it with hers, just as she would a champagne glass.
Groans of appreciation erupted around the table. Knox turned to Mara. “They’ve all been delicious, but there’s something extra-special about this one. I think you’ve found a No Phail recipe.”
The others chimed in, and Charlie said to everyone. “Seth called it the No Phail Fritter.”
Amber nodded. “Perfect. The guests are going to love these.”
Her brother sighed dramatically. “We have to share them with the guests? How are we going to survive?”
Mara’s heart filled. “There will always be enough for you. For all of you.”
Little Ella Mae clapped her hands, making everyone chuckle.
Gray looked at her and Seth. “Have you decided what’s on the menu for tomorrow?”
They’d both been given free rein on menus, which Mara loved. “Along with the fritters, I’ll be making danishes, croissants, and muffins for tomorrow.”
Seth nodded. “I’ll have a few quiches for lunch if anyone arrives early.
If not, we can freeze them for later. For the first official No Phailed Apples Inn supper, there will be a choice of grilled chicken or salmon, roasted or garlic-mashed potatoes, and a few salads, with variations of apple vinaigrette.
And stuffed peppers to cover vegetarian needs. ”
Charlie broke the beat of silence. “Lucky guests.”
Everyone laughed, and Seth shrugged. “You guys can have the leftovers.”
The boy sighed. “Unless they eat it all.”
Seth chuckled. “I’ll make lots, don’t worry.”
Gray nodded. “We definitely won’t starve. Now, who’s up for helping take the last load of our stuff upstairs, so we can get Mara moved into the owner’s suite?”
As everyone rose to help, Mara put her hand on Seth’s arm. “Are you sure you don’t want to take over the owner’s suite? I know they offered it to you first.”
He shook his head, but his eyes darkened, and her pulse fluttered.
“I suggested you take it. I don’t like you walking here for those early shifts. It’s safer if you take it.”
That filled her heart even as she considered offering to share the space. Share the bed.
That was moving too fast, but she had to bite her lip to keep the words inside.
Seth’s eyes darkened further, and the corner of his mouth kicked up, making her want to brush her lips over the spot.
Her brother broke the moment when he returned for another load of dishes. She couldn’t tear her eyes from Seth’s, but she could feel Ford’s attention on them.
Seth brushed his hand down her arm, oblivious or uncaring of Ford’s presence. Then he turned, nodded at her brother, and picked up their plates to help clear the table.
Leaving her more than a little breathless while her brother looked on.