Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
An incredibly short time later, a hand gripped my hip as Declan peered around my shoulder.
“Smells great,” he murmured.
“Well, I’m no Chef Donovan, but I know how to cook a few things.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say that I had it under control—which I did—but I also liked the idea of Declan helping me with our dinner. “Could you grab Joy’s food out of the pantry? Chef Donovan said he prepared some new jars for her, and Little Miss has been shouting for the past few minutes that I’m late delivering her meal.”
Declan gave a soft hum as he stepped behind me to get Joy’s food. At the same time, I finished plating both of our steaks along with some roasted fingerling potatoes and green beans. Rather than setting us up in the grand dining room, I opted for the breakfast nook because it was cozy.
With Joy between us, we took turns feeding the baby while we ate. To my shock, Declan ate every bit as if he were starving and even went back for a second serving of potatoes. I might have eaten two rolls, because there were days where you needed more carbs. Thank God I’d started using Declan’s gym daily. I was still far off from my usual level of fitness, but I’d stopped the slide into full dad bod. It wasn’t just to keep Declan interested in me. This girl was steadily becoming more mobile. I needed to be in shape if I was going to keep up with her.
“I think you’re going to need to teach me,” Declan declared as he put down his utensils.
“Teach you? To cook? Why? You’ve got Donovan,” I demanded, chuckling. But my laughing stopped when the image of Declan in an apron and nothing else danced through my mind. Maybe there was something to this that I wasn’t thinking through properly.
“What if Donovan got sick? He’s also due for a vacation. It’s irresponsible to eat out for that length of time.”
“Hmmm…maybe.” He raised a good point. Of course, it was possible to eat out and eat healthy at the same time if you put in some effort. Typically, I didn’t if I couldn’t be bothered to cook for myself. “I will teach you what I know if you teach me your secrets.”
Declan’s eyes widened slightly, and he sat up straighter as his right hand tightened into a fist. “My secrets?”
“Yes. How is it you can get Joy to eat everything you put in front of her, but she likes to fight me on the vegetables?”
Oh, that evil smirk. I knew without him saying a word that he was so damn proud that Joy completely listened to him at mealtimes. My cutie would turn her nose up and spit out her broccoli each time I fed it to her, but for Declan, she gobbled them like they were chocolate cake.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Declan hedged.
“Ha!” I scooped up our plates as I rose from my chair. “For that, you get to clean up Little Miss and check her diaper while I tackle the kitchen.” There was no way in hell I was leaving a mess for Chef Donovan and Franks to discover. I felt lucky that he’d allowed me to use his kitchen at all. This was Chef Donovan’s domain, and he was ready to rain hell on anyone who invaded it.
“I think I got the better end of that deal,” Declan stated as he wiped Joy’s face off with her bib and lifted her from her high chair. Before I could turn to the sink, Declan leaned in close and kissed my neck. “Thank you for a wonderful meal.”
A flush stole through me and goose bumps swept along my arms. This all felt so good. So comfortable. So…right. I was twenty-seven and until recently, living a very freewheeling life. I hadn’t been worried about settling down and creating a family. But this moment soaked into my soul like water into the parched earth baked by the endless summer heat. I hadn’t expected to love this so much.
Declan slipped away with my daughter, and I cleaned up the disaster area I made of the kitchen. As he returned with a clean child in his arms, I was pushing the Start button on the dishwasher.
“Are you ready for the grand reveal?” I asked as I took Joy into my arms. I didn’t miss the fact that Declan seemed reluctant to let her go.
“The parlor is ready? I thought it would take another week.”
“Well, Joy is back in daycare a few days a week, and that really helped to free up some time for me.”
Declan stopped walking and turned, his brow deeply furrowed and his frown a heavy slash across his face. “Do you need more help? Is Franks not—”