The girls cheered and I hushed them as Ethan clapped toward victories unknown.
“Shhhh!”
“Oh, girl, it’s not like the guys can hear you,” Kristen said.
“I know but I have to make you all swear to secrecy. No telling husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, or pets.”
“Pets?”
“Y’all know you have a talking bird in your house.” I eyed Winnie up, who nodded. That bird was the slayer of secrets.
“I gotcha girl.” Winnie and I fist-bumped, which prompted my son to toddle around to all of us, fist-bumping and giggling.
“So, you gonna tell him tonight?” Carmen asked.
“Negative, because apparently our presence has been requested at a barbeque at our house.” Taylor held up her phone, smiling.
“Group tell?” Kristen pouted.
“No. I want to cook him something special and then tell him.”
“Ah, well we can take the little guy for the night.” Taylor picked up Ethan, who enjoyed being bounced on her hip like it was a fun game.
“How about I come over tomorrow and we check out your oven and stovetop, which I think is probably not cooking at the right temperature. If that’s your biggest issue we’ll have you cooking in no time.”
“Really?” I felt a spark of hope that I might actually not be a complete failure in the kitchen.
“Really.” Carmen came over and put her arm around my shoulder, hugging me. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest as much as the heaviness in my belly from the excitement of being pregnant.
“Hey, what about me? Is my oven broken too?” Winnie eyed us up but I had to laugh because both Kristen and Taylor were standing behind her shaking their heads no. Carmen was much more diplomatic about her answer.
“No, darling. I think we have some work to do with you yet.”
“That’s not exactly the answer Chase was hoping for.” Winnie pouted with her hands on her hips. I was pretty sure Winnie wasn’t going to find her success in the kitchen.
“We’ll work on that.” Carmen winked and we all laughed.
11
Evan
It was a long day-shift of taking reports for a fender bender pulling out of the grocery store and then dealing with a shoplifter from the makeup store in town. My hand wanted to cramp from typing out the details, but I also wanted to get home to Remi as soon as my shift was over. I was still in the dog house for overreacting, as she put it, in her cooking class, but I liked to think we both got what we wanted out of it. She got lessons and I got the peace of mind that Carmen wasn’t hitting on my wife. Really, it was a win-win for everyone.
I was promised a grown-up night and dinner while she continued to hone her skills. Since this was something Remi herself was determined to master, who was I to say no to her? Impossible. Would never happen in this lifetime because she had me wrapped around her pinkie so tightly we were inseparable.
I typed up my report faster, changed out of my uniform, then grabbed my duffel bag to leave. Tossing it into the car, I drove over the speed limit as safely as possible and pulled into the driveway as Uncle Hunter was pulling out with Ethan strapped into a car seat. We waved and his smiling face told me he was going to have a fun time with Hunter and Taylor while I enjoyed my wife.
“Sweet girl, I’m home.”
“As if I couldn’t tell, my darling husband.”
Oh yeah, I was out of the dog house. I rounded the corner and found the table was set for two with candles and sweet smells coming from the kitchen chased by something with garlic and meat I had trouble identifying.
“What is that incredible smell?” I wrapped my arms around Remi and pulled her back against me as my hands roamed up and down her body, claiming her. I didn’t care if it was proprietary, she was my wife, I loved her, and whatever the heck she was cooking tonight, I would eat with a smile. It smelled good so that was a start. I laid kisses on her neck until she wiggled out of my grasp.
“It’s a roast. Taylor talked me through the recipe and Carmen stopped by to check out our oven.”
“Our oven? What’s wrong with the oven?” I had a nightmare of having to buy a new one, but if that’s what this called for, I would do it in a heartbeat.
“This sucker cooks the wrong temperature.” She gave the thing a light kick. “She said it’s like twenty-five degrees off and that’s been half my problem. All this time I was worried I was stupid or something, but the darn thing is a sour lemon.”
“Seriously? The oven?” This explained so much. I couldn’t wait to tell Chase, although I was sure his problem was a bit more complicated than a broken oven. I mean, what were the odds it could be two bad ovens? Highly unlikely.
“You don’t believe me?” Her bottom lip quivered and hell to no on that. There would be no tears tonight unless they were the overwhelming orgasm kind which I planned for later.
I cupped my hands around her pale cheeks, “Remington Rooney, if you say this oven is bad, I’ll go buy one right now.”
“Not right now. Maybe after dinner?” Her lips quivered and I delivered a quick kiss.
“You tell me what kind you want, and I’ll have them deliver it tomorrow.”
“I just want one that cooks the right temperature. Carmen showed me how to adjust a few recipes until we can get one. There’s no rush.” It’s cute that Remington thinks she can change my mind about this. My girl gets what she needs, no questions asked.
“My love, it’s happening. New oven first thing tomorrow, but for now, tell me about this amazing roast I’m smelling.”
Remi explained how she seasoned the roast with butter, garlic, onion, salt and pepper in the blender. She kind of lost me with icing the roast like a cake, but Carmen helped her adjust the temperature and showed her how to cook it in our jankety oven. She directed me to sit at the table, and I peeked into the kitchen, watching her pull the roast out and use her foot to pop the oven door closed. The dress she wore floated around her thighs, turning me on. I saw her pop something else into the oven, adjust the temperature again, and set the timer like a pro. Her newfound self-confidence was so hot I was popping a boner in my pants, shifting uncomfortably under the table. Watching her determination to master something was like constant foreplay.
“You gonna come in here and eat with me?”
“Coming, Evan.”
Damn right she would be. I was going to make sure she understood I worshipped her. I loved her for all the effort she put in to our relationship, how amazing a mother she was to Ethan, and the kind of mother she would be to our new baby. I loved her for the way she loved me and how much joy she brought into my life. This roast we were about to eat could taste like garbage and it would be the best thing I put into my mouth because she made it with the same kind of love she gave every day.
Remi plated our meal and put it out in front of me. She sat down and I watched her nervously wring her hands as I cut into my meat. I didn’t even prepare myself for the taste because I was so transfixed with the expression on her face.
“Baby,” I said and she hushed me, looking away.
“Just please don’t choke on it.”
I patted her hand and stuck the fork into my mouth. Flavor burst on my tongue. It was delicious. I moaned into bites two and three like a deep-throating porn star. My wife wiped a tear from her cheek that made me want to slay all her dragons over and over again.