Chapter Eleven #2
He nodded. “Fair enough. Will she cater?”
“That is a question for her.”
“Understandable.”
She took him up the great stairs, mentioning that there were back stairs as well, but if he wanted to be closer to his car, the front doors would be recommended.
She showed him an open suite. He stepped in, and his eyes widened. “This is spacious.”
“Once the house knows your preferences, it will design a space for you. It’s good that way.”
He nodded. “Your room is already adapted for you?”
“It is.”
“May I see it?”
“Oh. Okay.” She shrugged, and they walked to the narrower steps that led upward.
It took them a few minutes, but her room had the word Hope on it.
She touched the door, and it opened. A soft breeze moved through it; the ceiling was made of glass, keeping the sky visible.
Edric walked into the room and looked around at her bathroom, the wardrobe, the small library that she had thought about.
He smiled. “You only have one other dress.”
“Pandora sent this one yesterday. That one is for when I have my wings out.”
“So you have one set of clothing.”
“Yup. The orcs keep offering their shirts, but it feels weird.”
He scowled.
“So, Edric, where are you living now?”
“I have a condo downtown, but the idea of living where magic can be free is quite a welcome experience.” He shifted his shoulder, and he looked blue with stars under his skin, dark blue hair, and those pretty lavender eyes. This time, it wasn’t a shadow over his features.
“You are going to hulk out of your suit.”
He chuckled. “The suit is like this house. It stretches with me.”
“Nice. Okay, this is the third level.”
“If I asked, could I get a spot up here?”
“I have no idea. Ask Rowan.” She said, “Did you want to walk the grounds?”
“Perhaps after dinner.”
“Okay. One of the guys can take you out.”
“That doesn’t have the appeal it should.” He smiled.
“Then, do the dishes, and I will take you around, and we may have to take the baby out for some fresh air.”
“Why?”
“So that the courtships can proceed, and Mell and Norec can plan their wedding. Eleanor is out of her mind with excitement.”
He nodded. “Understandable.”
They walked back to the kitchen where the scents of the food filled the space.
She took out the seven lemon pies and lit a torch, browning them gently.
She set them back into the pie safe and checked on the meat pies.
Yesterday had been hamburgers by popular vote.
Today, she was using the rest of the ground beef, pork, and chicken.
She heard people beginning to arrive and smiled at Rowan. “It’s all ready. I set the table in the dining room earlier.”
“Thanks, Hope. I am just going to change into something more comfy... for me. Back in a minute.”
“Okay. I am just taking the pies out of the oven. They should be ready to eat when you come down.”
“Nice. Sides?”
“Gravy and mixed vegetables.”
Rowan grinned. “I love that gravy came first.”
“Yeah, yeah. Off you go.”
She pulled the pies and casseroles out, filling that part of the countertop.
The gravies were already in thermal containers from before she went into the city for the legal visit.
The vegetables were good, and she drained them in the sink, putting them into two ceramic containers with lids.
She set them next to the pies and went to check on the dining room. She added a few place settings, pie servers, and spatulas. It was going to be a bit messy, but it was going to be good.
Edric asked, “Is there anything I can do?”
“Not until you are a renter. But right now, everything is in a heat field, so we are good to tour the exterior if you still want to.”
“I would love that. Ten minutes?”
“Sure.” She gestured and walked out through the kitchen. She felt someone looking at her and turned to see Rowan, two thumbs up on the second-floor balcony.
“The kitchen gets a lot of traffic.”
“It just seems nicer to enter through the heart.”
She showed him the carriage house, Rowan’s garden, and the childcare centre in the front of the property.
“So where were you safe?”
She walked to the woods. “Up there, in that tree. The house moved my nest into my room, as you may have noticed. Don’t get excited. I just didn’t know how to hide a treehouse.”
He chuckled. “You think I am omega hunting?”
“I have no idea what you are looking for. None of my business.”
“What if I said that I once held a scroll in my hands that vibrated and hummed with the sound of a pixie and the colours of the softest iris petals?”
“That sounds like a weird scroll.”
“It was confusing, but things suddenly make sense in a rush.”
She lifted her head. “Dinner is ready. Three others and the little family are home.”
He nodded. “Please lead the way.”
She nodded, and they walked back to the house.
Ren was helping Rowan ferry the meal to the kitchen, so Hope came back in and brought the labelled carafes with the gravy. Rowan asked, “What’s this one?”
“A recipe my foster mom taught me. All the offcuts of the chicken rolled in starch, and then before cooking, chicken stock is poured in. It forms a gravy around the meat. It looks fancy but is pretty easy when the pastry is made.”
She released the springform, and the pie remained standing when she removed the ring.
She did the same to the second and put the rings aside.
Hope looked around, and everyone was sitting with big grins. “I will get the water and lemonade and bring the beer.”
Ren grinned. “I will get it. You have a seat. You have had a big day.”
Her wings wanted to flutter, but she held them in. “I am not used to eating with people around.”
Rowan tensed. “But you ate at the barbeque.”
“When everyone was gone. I kept grilling until there was nothing more to cook.”
Rowan’s eyes widened. “When did you eat?”
“When no one was looking. My hands were grimy, and I needed to soak them clean.”
Rowan said, “Today, you eat first, and you eat with us.”
“Bossy.”
“Yeah, but you are also the only one who knows how to get into the different containers.”
“Oh. Good point.” She dragged in a deep breath and cut a small slice of the chicken pie and then the cottage pie and then the loaf-panned pork pies with hard-boiled eggs inside.
Then she got the vegetables, and after that, it was the gravy’s time to shine.
When she had a heavy plate in front of her, she sat down and looked at the plate. When others started to reach for the food, she took her fork and started to eat, slowly and with attention to the plate, ignoring those around her.
Edric said, “Miss Rowan, I would like to rent one of the rooms from you, if you don’t mind. Having our own people around makes things a little easier.”
“Haven’t you been here for a decade?” Rowan smirked.
Ren had set all the beverages on the table. Hope had some lemonade and looked at the remaining food. Rowan’s grandfather and grandmother had arrived, and he was serving her devotedly. It was cute.
Eleanor said, “This reminds me of the local public house back when my father handed me over to you.”
Vasoric smiled. “You threw one at my head.”
“I threw three at your head. One missed, one you caught in your teeth, and the third hit your face.”
The folk at the table laughed, and they watched Eleanor demonstrate her pie-launching technique.
Hope finished her food and made to stand, but Edric put his hand on her shoulder, and he got up to go to the kitchen. The orcs stared.
Hope asked, “What’s the problem?”
“He’s a member of one of the great houses. The fact that he’s going to get pie is astonishing.”
Rowan chuckled. “He doesn’t even bring files to meetings. His assistant does it.”
Ren smiled. “Maybe he’s trying to make a good impression.”
Edric returned to the room with two slices of pie, and everyone started laughing. He grinned. “It is difficult to break the habit of a lifetime. Little steps. Besides, once I cut into this pie, there was no stopping me.”
Hope blushed as the pie was set down in front of her with a small fork. She picked up the fork and said, “Thank you.”
He inclined his head. “You are welcome.”
The other pies flew in and settled on the table.
Everyone settled and chattered. When the baby needed a hand off, Eleanor sprinted around the table to hold him.
Hope excused herself and took plates to the kitchen.
Rowan came up to her. “Do you think you can get comfortable here?”
“When I stop feeling like I am going to starve at any moment. What do you think I should apply for as a day job? I need money.”
“I can pay you.”
“I am already getting free room and board, but I need clothing. I have two dresses, one set of boots, and no underwear. It is hampering my social confidence.”
Rowan nodded. “Can I at least get you some cash so you can go shopping or pick stuff up?”
“I would love that, but I can’t even order a ride share without online money.”
“Can we crowd-source this?”
“What? Get everyone’s opinion?”
Rowan grinned. “Yes. We are creating a pack in this house, and packs help their members.”
Hope inhaled. “Right. Not alone anymore.”
Aspen walked up from the basement with Mira. “Who’s not alone?”
“Any of us. Now come in, you two, and have dinner. Alora is coming by later to brainstorm stuff for the nursery school and the drop-in centre. Mell has the provisional license and is working on the hiring as well as getting furniture set up there with age-appropriate toys.”
Aspen chucked. “This place is busy.”
“Just at dinner time.” Hope smiled.
They walked into the dining room, and Aspen laughed at the savagery that had destroyed the meal. There were still eight servings left, and that was enough for the ladies.
Rowan opened the discussion with, “So what can Hope do to earn some money?”
Every male at the table froze.
Hope snorted. “Except that.”
Mira swallowed and said, “You could try your luck at the casino.”
Hope paused. “Oh, I really could. I just need a start.”
Rowan reached for her wallet, but Edric held a billfold in front of her. “Fourteen hundred dollars. Either pay me back in a month, or we will discuss options.”