Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
“Sorry, we’re late,” BB says as he and Beau walk in.
“There’s my favorite daughter-in-law,” a woman with blonde hair and almost red highlights says, coming in and hugging Beau at once. I can only imagine this is BB and Izzy’s Mom. She has Izzy’s beauty for sure, though Izzy has eyes that stop my breath. She must have gotten those from her dad.
“I’m your only daughter-in-law,” Beau points out.
“Nah, if I had ten, I’d let my man deal with them, and you’d still be my favorite.”
“Sorry, Katie-did,” Torch says, coming up behind the woman and kissing her temple. “But I claim Beau. You can warm up to whatever man Izzy brings home. Let’s just pray it’s not that football guy, Kai, that she was so hung up on. That asshole was never good enough for our daughter.”
My body jerks as if someone physically hit me. Kai? God, I hate that fucking name. It sounds like a preppy kid with shirts that have annoying collars and buttons on them. Slacks that are neatly pressed and hands smooth as a baby’s ass because he hasn’t worked a day in his life. He’s not the kind of man Izzy needs. She needs someone to take care of her. She’s hell on wheels, but at the end of the day, she needs a man who will take control and pamper her, show her that she matters above anything or anyone else. She needs me.
“Dad, let it go,” Izzy says, coming up to join us. “Beau, you’re just in time. We need your help in the kitchen.”
“Sure, but why?” Beau asks.
Izzy looks over at me briefly. There’s something in her eyes. I expected anger, and there’s probably a touch of that, but there’s more. She appears nervous—almost scared. Is she afraid of me?
Shit. Is she running away from me now that I’m here?
“We need you to work your magic on Aunt Beth’s casserole while BB, Dad, and Skull distract her.”
“My magic? I don’t think I can help that casserole, Izzy.”
“You sure as hell can’t hurt it,” Torch mutters.
“My sister is many things, and ninety-nine-point-nine percent of them are all good. Cooking is something she lacks. She can manage a no-frills breakfast, but the rest …” Katie shrugs.
“I can help,” I speak up, and everyone looks at me shocked as hell. It doesn’t bother me at first, but it’s starting to get to me. Although I do like the surprise in Izzy's eyes. I want to keep her on her toes. There’s a lot about me she doesn’t know.
“You?” Torch and BB say almost in unison.
“Well, yeah. I don’t want to brag, but I grew up rough. I learned how to make about anything good enough to eat.”
“Anything?” Izzy asks, her gaze narrowing on me in disbelief.
“When you barely got one meal a day, trust me, you learned to make it so you could at least eat it.”
I’ve long grown past the age when I worried about people learning how I grew up. So, I spoke without thinking, but seeing the way everyone was staring at me right now—especially Izzy—I find myself wishing I had kept my mouth shut. Desperate to get the attention away from my past, I force my lips into a smile. “Show me to the casserole and let me wow you with my skills, ladies.”
“That’s some strong words, C,” Izzy murmurs, her gorgeous eyes sparkling.
“I can back it up,” I brag. I’d like to enjoy the look on her face, but her mother is staring holes through me. I have a feeling she doesn’t like what she sees either.
“Well, let’s see what you can do,” she says, but it’s clear she’s already expecting me to disappoint her. Izzy rolls her eyes, so maybe her mother’s attitude isn’t just because she doesn’t like me.
“Lead the way, ladies.”
Beau kisses BB and then grabs my arm, and we follow Izzy and her mom into what I imagine is the kitchen. Beau makes sure that there’s a little distance between us and my woman so that we can talk. I’m grateful—for more reasons than just having the chance to see the way Izzy’s ass looks in those jeans she’s wearing.
“I don’t think Izzy’s mom is a fan.”
“Are you running scared already, C?”
“Hitching up with BB has turned you into a smartass, Beau.”
She laughs, making Izzy and her mother look back at us. “Beau is doubting my culinary abilities,” I explain.
“I hate to break it to you, but we kind of all do. If you fail, you’re going to eat half of the casserole all by yourself.”
“I’ll do it, but could someone explain why we’re doing it?” I ask just as we get into the kitchen.
“Aunt Beth is one of the best people I know. She’d give anything to see those she loves happy. It makes her happy to take care of her family. But …” Izzy stops, looking at her mom.