Page 97 of The Snuggle is Real
“I haven’t been hiding anything,” I said quickly. “Ford, meet my family, who has arrivedhoursearly without warning. Family, meet Ford, my very new boyfriend who you shouldnotscare away by leering at his chest.” I lowered my voice. “Only I get to do that.”
Sawyer snickered. “Good for you, Mase. Mom was all worried you’d be lonely. We got up at the butt crack of dawn to get here early.”
“Hi,” Ford said with an awkward smile, doing up the buttons of his shirt as he came down the rest of the stairs. “Nice to meet you all.”
“And you,” Mom said, eyes bright as she swept in to hug him. Ford embraced her, looking like a giant, then shook hands with Sawyer and fist bumped with Ash.
“Sorry to barge in on your morning.” Mom sniffed the air. “Did we miss breakfast? I was going to cook.”
“Oh, I’ve got biscuits in the oven, but the eggs aren’t done yet.”
Mom instantly headed for the kitchen where she was most comfortable. “Well, come on. We can put away our things later. I’ll finish cooking. I’m sure you haven’t had a decent meal in ages.”
“Can I help?” Charlie asked.
“Oh, you sure can.” Mom took hold of her hand. “I need a sous chef.”
“I’m dying for a coffee,” Ash said. “Can I leave the bags here for now?”
“Sure.”
Ash and Sawyer dumped their bags at the foot of the stairs and headed for the kitchen.
“Well, I guess we’d better join them,” Ford said.
I winced. “I’m so sorry for the ambush.”
He slung an arm over my shoulders. “Well, it had to happen eventually, right? This way it’s out of the way quick and easy. Besides, Charlie’s in heaven. Just look.”
We paused in the kitchen doorway while Mom showed Charlie how to crack eggs into a bowl.
Charlie was drinking in every word she said and chattering up a storm in between the instructions.
“My Grandma Dottie let me help make cookies, and Dad let me put chocolate chips in pancakes. I think cooking is fun!”
Mom laughed. “Oh, you’re after my heart, aren’t you? I think cooking is thebest.It’s why I made it my job.”
Charlie looked impressed. “You cook in a restaurant?”
“Mom cooks for a whole resort,” Sawyer said, sounding proud.
“That’s a big hotel,” I explained for Charlie when she looked confused.
“Wow,” she said. “You must be really good.”
“And my boyfriend cooks on a boat,” Sawyer said. “Can you imagine? Right out on a big lake.”
“Whoa,” Charlie said. “That sounds so cool!”
Ash chuckled. “Well, it’s actually very hot because I do it during the summer.”
“But you can just jump in the lake and swim to cool off,” she said excitedly.
Sawyer grinned evilly. “See, Ash? I was beingnicewhen I threw you into the lake.”
Ash shot him a pointed look. “I guess there were worse outcomes to that particular moment of…overheating.”
“They used to hate each other,” I murmured in a soft voice just for Ford.
