Page 32 of Burned
Patton nodded in agreement and followed me out of the computer room and upstairs to the sleeping quarters. When we reached the top of the stairs, I didn’t have to open the door to the bedroom we all shared to know that the men were fast asleep. The noise coming from behind the door sounded like a thunderstorm was taking place inside.
I looked over to Patton and said, “I get the couch.”
~24~
Kenzi
I thought I might have been dreaming when I smelled something mouthwatering every time I took in a breath of air. River was lying beside me, sleeping soundly. With cause to worry, knowing someone else was in the penthouse, I nudged him lightly on the shoulder and waited for him to wake up.
“River. Someone is here. Whoever it is, is cooking breakfast,” I whispered.
“It’s Gretta. She showed up early this morning,” he replied, still half asleep.
“Gretta,”I thought to myself. Nudging River again, I asked, “Why is Gretta here?”
River rolled onto his side and looked up at me. “You aren’t going to let me sleep, are you?”
I could tell he was exhausted. Instead of answering him, I rose from the bed and quickly put on my robe. Turning my head, I looked back over at the bed. “Go back to sleep. I’m going to check it out.”
Quietly, I closed the bedroom door and made my way toward the kitchen. The aroma smelled even more delicious the closer I got to the kitchen. Gretta was standing at the center island preparing a platter filled with watermelon, cantaloupe, various berries, and pineapple. The display of fruit before me was so beautiful, it seemed too perfect to eat.
I stepped up to the island, which caused Gretta to look up. A smile stretched across her face from ear to ear. “Kenzi. I’m surprised you’re awake.”
“How could I sleep with the aroma of something delicious filling the air?” I asked. “What smells so good?”
“Oh, silly. It is nothing special. Just a spinach quiche, seasoned baked potatoes, and sausage.”
Taking a piece of pineapple off of the cutting board, I plopped it in my mouth before rounding the center island to get a cup of coffee. As I poured the coffee into my mug, a hint of hazelnut escaped the pot. “Do I smell a hint of hazelnut in the coffee?”
“Yes, you do.” River’s voice sounded behind me. “It is my favorite flavor of coffee.”
River stepped up behind me as I reached above me to bring down another cup for coffee. His lips connected with the back of the neck, which caused me to bend my head to the side. Bringing his lips to my ear, he whispered, “You always smell so good in the morning.”
His mood was much better than the one I left him with last night. I was glad to have my River back. I turned to face him and handed him a full cup of coffee, black, just the way he liked it.
When I looked up, Gretta had her eyes on us, and they sparkled with adoration. I knew she loved River like he was her own. Taking care of him since he was a baby would do that to her. I wasn’t sure if she had children of her own or if she was even married. It was a question I placed in the back of my mind to ask. I wanted to know everything about River, and since Gretta had been a large part of his life; I wanted to know everything about her as well.
River and I took a seat in the dining area while Gretta brought everything to the table. It didn’t seem fair that she cooked the meal and yet ate it in the kitchen. Even though she was his housekeeper, a paid servant, I felt she was part of the family and it was only right that she sat with us to enjoy her breakfast.
“Gretta, come sit with us,” I said before she took a seat at the kitchen island.
“I would love to, but only if it is okay with River.”
I looked at River and tilted my head, waiting for him to say something. Smiling, his eyes fell upon Gretta. “Of course, you can join us.”
Family came to mind as we all sat together and enjoyed our breakfast. I only wished that my mom and Reyna were here to share it with us. As the thought crossed my mind, a weird sense of sadness ran through me. Axe and I shared so many mornings eating breakfast with Davian, Reyna, and the rest of the guys. We were a family, too. It was one of my most favorite times and one that I missed. It saddened me I wouldn’t be sharing breakfasts with them ever again.
~
One thing that would never get old was River and I riding together to work. Today, it was only the two of us. River felt there was no reason to have Mark and Brian watch over me. This was him showing me how much he trusted me. He also allowed me to add Reyna’s number to my contacts. Somehow, I had a feeling he knew I already had her number on my phone even though it was under Saxton, Marsh, and Peters.
Another thing I would never tire of was having Gretta around. During our breakfast together, I learned that she never married and therefore had no children of her own. It was sad, but she was more than okay with how her life turned out. She accepted that her life would be to take care of River. To have that kind of dedication was rare, but I was glad she wasn’t released from her duties when River’s father died. If she had been, I would never have had the chance to meet her. Another question surfaced that River and I never talked about—his mom.
“River.”
“Yes, my love.”
“How come you never talk about your mom?”
