Chapter Seven
A Deal is Struck
Silence filled the parlor.
Dawn broke, and sunlight hit the tops of the trees outside the window and flooded areas of the grass in a soft, golden light. The temperature inside the cottage, however, remained arctic as Maddox and Rowan stared each other down.
“Who’s hungry?” I clapped my hands together once. “I’m thinking porridge for breakfast, with some honey and sliced fruit. Buttermilk biscuits, too, slathered in raspberry jam. And coffee, of course—”
“Good idea,” Maddox said, not breaking eye contact with Rowan. “Run along to the kitchen and cook to your adorable heart’s content while he and I have a chat.”
“A chat.” I huffed. “Why do I get the feeling that will involve you both throwing punches? You know what? Forget it. I’m staying right here.”
“Biscuits?” Lake’s tail wagged.
“Raspberry jam?” Briar added in a way that told me if he’d had a tail, it’d be wagging too.
Their eager expressions threatened to break my resolve. How could I say no to those faces? Deny them the things that made their eyes sparkle like that? Only a monster would shatter those hopes and dreams.
“Fine.” I sighed and moved a finger between Maddox and Rowan. “But you two are coming with me. You can talk over coffee while I make breakfast.” An idea then struck, and I nodded. “Ah, yes. That’s what we need. Amenity muffins.”
Lake snorted. “I remember those.”
“We need peace tea to go along with them,” Briar said.
That had been the first meal Maddox, Lake, Briar, and I’d shared. The first time we’d sat around the table together. Maddox and Lake had been at each other’s throats, and I’d ushered all of us into the kitchen, insisting we sit and talk it out. Tension had still been elevated, but sharing a platter of muffins and cookies and sipping something yummy had helped ease some of it.
Food brought people together.
Maddox’s brow furrowed. “The thief and I will talk here. The three of you can leave.”
“Excuse me, Captain Ice, but I wasn’t asking. We’re all going together. That’s nonnegotiable.”
“Did you see how he stomped his foot?” Rowan asked. “He did the same thing last I saw him. Feisty little thing.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Keep fighting me on this, and I’ll really show you feisty. Now, follow me.”
When I left the reading parlor and no one followed, my sass meter started to rise. There were very few things I put my foot down about, but this was one of them. No more keeping me out of the loop when important conversations happened. Just as I was about to turn around and give all of them a piece of my mind, Lake appeared beside me with a soft smile on his lips. Briar touched the small of my back as he followed.
“Why are we stopping?” Maddox grumbled from a few steps behind us. “The peace muffins won’t bake themselves.”
“He said they were amenity muffins, you big brute.” Rowan stood beside him. Well, it was more like Maddox had hold of Rowan’s arm and dragged him along. “I know chivalry is part of your insufferable knight’s code, but I can walk just fine on my own.”
“You should be grateful I’m allowing you to walk at all instead of breaking your legs.”
“Now, boys. Stop bickering.” I pointed at Maddox. “And you be nice, otherwise you won’t get your morning fix of muffins.”
He sneered. “You would deny me?”
“Do you want to test me and find out?” I put my hands on my hips.
Humor softened his hard features. My grump of a captain liked when I gave him attitude.
Reaching the kitchen, I veered toward the burr mills to grind coffee beans. Nothing beat the taste of freshly ground coffee.
“Allow me to do this, love,” Briar said before kissing his favorite spot on my head.
“Thanks.” He made my stomach flutter like crazy. It mingled with the nerves also fluttering there.
