Page 76 of Exile and Embrace

Ava grabs a dish towel and tosses it at my head.

I duck and the towel sails by, landing on the floor.

With an irritated huff, she turns back to the stove and stirs the gravy.

I finish setting the table before wandering back over to her and wrapping my arms around her waist. “Everything is going to be fine. Cillian couldn’t stop singing your praises after the last time you made him dinner. I’m sure that he’s going to love this too. Besides, Dawson is coming with Cillian and Becca. Even if everyone hates the food, he’ll keep them too distracted to notice.”

She swats my bicep before wriggling her way out of my embrace. “That’s not helpful, Finn. I’m here to try and help you make a good impression with these people, and you just want to stand here and make jokes.”

“Aves, everything is going to be perfect. You’re a great cook.”

Ava pokes at the potatoes surrounding the roast. “Do you think these are crispy enough? There’s nothing worse than horrible roasted potatoes.”

I lean over and look at the potatoes. My stomach growls as I nod. “Those look like the best roasted potatoes ever.”

The doorbell rings before she can start worrying about the next thing.

I kiss her temple before heading to the door and pulling it open.

Dawson walks into the house like he owns it, a tray of desserts in his arms.

Becca and Cillian follow with a bottle of wine.

I hold my hand out for the wine. “I can take that, Becca.”

She smiles and passes me the bottle before sliding off her coat and heels. ‘Where is Ava?”

“In the kitchen. She’s made a roast that’s had me drooling for hours. I was going to try to sneak some of it away when she wasn’t looking before you showed up.”

Becca laughs and hurries into the kitchen. A couple moments later, she and Ava are talking about nursing.

Cillian nods to me, leaving his shoes and coat in the entryway as he follows me to the living room. “We need to have a chat about the upcoming gun run. I have a deal with Christian Herrera in Tennessee. His men are going to be here in a couple days, and once they get here, I need you to get the guns and transport them to our warehouse.”

I put the bottle of wine on the dining table, and Dawson drops the desserts beside them.

We both head back into the living room, taking the empty armchairs.

Cillian jerks his chin at Dawson. “You’re going to be waiting at the warehouse for the shipment. This one has to be kept quiet. The only people to know are those within the inner circles.”

My eyebrows knit together. “Didn’t you just get a shipment from someone up in Canada a couple days ago?”

“Yes.” Cillian glances over at his wife and Ava before leaning forward. “There’s some problems brewing with the Russians. I’m hoping to diffuse the tensions, but I want us to be prepared if I can’t.”

Dawson rolls his eyes. “I told Joey that stealing from them was a bad idea.”

I cross my arms, the corner of my mouth tugging upward. “Well, I dealt with Joey. He won’t be causing any more problems.”

A loud crash and laughter cut off our conversation.

I glance over my shoulder as Ava leans into Becca. The pair of them are nearly in tears as I get up and head into the kitchen to see what just broke.

Ava looks up at me with wide eyes, her laughter dying on her lips.

Becca nudges the roast on the floor with her foot, and Ava loses it again.

Ava shakes her head and points at the shards of glass from the roasting pan. “I told you a roast was a bad fucking idea. I’m never making a damn roast again.”

I crouch down and grab the roast, tossing it into the sink. “You’re going to hurt your feet if you step in any of the glass. Hop up on the counter while I get this cleaned.”

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