Chapter Seventeen #3
She’d never had anyone as concerned about her eating habits as the men of this family. It was endearing and a little overwhelming to be under scrutiny by all of them. “My stomach’s a little unsettled.” She was beginning to wish she’d stayed upstairs.
“Is there anything to eat around here?” Josiah sauntered in from the downstairs hallway where his bedroom was located. He’d pulled on a pair of jeans but hadn’t fastened them. He scratched his stomach on his way to the fridge.
“Have a sandwich.” Eli shoved the plate toward him. “Noah’s going to cook.”
“I’m going to cook.” Her announcement took everyone by surprise.
She needed something to keep her thoughts occupied, and she wanted to be useful.
This did both. She nudged Eli aside with her hip and pulled open both doors of the refrigerator.
It was a huge industrial model that belonged in a professional kitchen.
They needed it with so many mouths to feed.
“If you don’t find what you need, there’s another fridge and a couple of freezers in the pantry.” Noah pointed to a door off the kitchen.
“What’s for lunch?” Levi trotted down the stairs and joined them. The only ones missing were Cyrus and Silas.
“Kinley is cooking,” Eli told him.
“I’m hungry now,” he said.
“Here have this while you wait.” Josiah held out the plate and Levi eagerly helped himself to the last sandwich. That wouldn’t hold them over long. She needed something fast and filling.
She assembled several dozen eggs, a carton of milk, and four of loaves of bread on the counter. Packages of frozen sausages and bacon would help round out the meal.
“There are hash browns in the pantry freezer,” Noah offered.
The men would eat a lot more than her. “That would be great.”
“What can I do to help?” Eli stood beside her, his hands still tucked in his pockets.
While she’d prefer to work alone, getting things done faster was more important.
Plus, the idea of working alongside him in the kitchen was too tempting to pass up.
It was homey, something she’d never done with a lover.
“You can thaw the bacon and sausage in the microwave and start cooking it, if you’d like. ”
His slow smile warmed her and assured her she’d made the right decision. He wanted to be with her as much as she wanted him beside her. “I can handle that.”
Noah dropped a couple of bags of hash browns on the counter and dug out some sheet pans. “I’m just going to pop these in the oven before I pour myself a cup of coffee.”
True to his word, once the hash browns were in the oven, he took one of the stools and gave her free reign in what was essentially his kitchen.
The other brothers sat at the table and began chatting.
It was Eli who had all her attention. The kitchen was large, but it seemed smaller with him working alongside her.
It didn’t take long to find a large bowl and whip up the batter for French toast. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla perfumed the air along with the delicious aroma of frying bacon and sausage.
By the time Silas showed up, everything was done. Without having to be asked, Noah set the table, poured coffee, and made another pot.
“Where’s Cyrus?” A sense of satisfaction filled her. She liked the idea of feeding Eli and his family, maybe more than she should, but it didn’t negate her pleasure. She loved to cook, but having people enjoy it was even better.
“He’ll be along.” Zach held up his personal phone. “He said not to wait.”
“I’ll make him a plate.” If she didn’t, there might not be anything left.
After loading a plate and placing it in the oven on low, she nodded at Eli and he began ferrying platters to the table.
She went behind him carrying the French toast. The pure maple syrup she’d dug out of the cupboard would go nicely with it. She set it on the table. “Dig in.”
Not a single one of them made a move toward the food, not even Silas, who’d been complaining the last five minutes that he was starving.
Unsure, she looked to Eli. He held out her chair and waited.
Once she was seated, Noah offered her first choice of the golden-brown slices of French toast. Josiah was next with the sausages.
And on it went until her plate was full.
Then the brothers began piling things onto their own plates.
Tears pricked her eyes and she swallowed the lump in her throat. These rough men made her feel welcome, gave her a sense of belonging, of community that she’d never had.
“Eat, sweetheart,” Eli whispered in her ear.
She caught Levi’s smirk. Of course he’d heard. They all had. Rather than comment, he put his head down and began to eat. Conversation was minimal as the food began to disappear. She made note to cook even more next time. Assuming there was a next time.
The front door opened and Cyrus strolled in.
Without a word, Josiah ate his last bite of food and then headed out, presumably to take his brother’s place on patrol.
Kinley jumped up and retrieved the plate from the oven and set it in Cyrus’s usual spot.
His forehead furrowed but he sat and began to eat.
He chewed a mouthful of French toast, stopped, and began to chew again. “This is better than usual, Noah.”
“I didn’t make it,” he told his brother. “Kinley did.”
Cyrus raised an eyebrow and nodded before going back to eating. “Damn good,” he murmured between mouthfuls.
Under Eli’s watchful eye, she managed to eat half of what was on her plate. Rather than push her to finish, he gave her a wink, slid the remainder in front of himself, and finished it.
“Not fair,” Silas protested. “Eli is getting seconds.”
“That’s because I’m special.”
“That’s because you’re—”
“Silas,” Eli snapped at his brother.
“What? I was going to say that’s because you’re the weakest of the bunch. Kinley’s being kind trying to build up your strength. Never know when you might need it.”
She didn’t need a mirror to know her face was blazing red. The rest of the household had heard at least some of what had gone on in Eli’s bedroom last night.
A chiming sound broke the awkward silence. Zach pulled out Ridge’s phone. “Holden and his buddies are early. They’re a half hour out. The rest are less than two hours behind them. Guess the alpha found out his new enforcer jumped the gun and got on the road behind him.”
This was it. What food she’d eaten churned in her stomach.
Eli took her hand, his expression complete void of all emotion. “Remember your promise.”