Page 88 of Tinley's Daddy
“It’s what littles do.” I watched them in the glass atrium gesturing and talking. I looked back at Kyler. “What?”
“That goofy look on your face.”
“I hate to break it to you, my friend, but you have the same look.” I slapped him on the back.
“Not possible.” He frowned.
The smell of bacon hit me. “Who’s here?”
“I asked Jacob to come by and cook us breakfast.” Kyler gestured toward the open door to the basement. Kyler’s mom redesigned the house when they first moved in. She put a full gourmet kitchen in the basement. She would say, with five growing boys it was the only way to keep the main floor presentable.
“Did I hear my name?” Jacob emerged with a platter of fruit in one hand and a basket in the other. I grabbed the latter.
“Hey, Chef Jacob.” I shook his free hand. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
He shrugged it off. “Not a problem at all. Give me a chance to try out some dishes I hope to have on the menu in a few.”
Jacob had started as a line cook while he went to culinary school in the New York hotel. He had graduated and worked his way up to sous chef and would be featured with his own restaurant in New Jersey next year.
“We have an ETA on when you’d like breakfast served?” Jacob set the bread in the warmer and the fruit on the already set table.
My phone beeped. I grabbed it. “Looks like she just came down and is on the way.”
“Thirty minutes is enough time?” Kyler answers.
“Plenty.” Jacob grabbed a few more serving dishes and headed back down.
The front door opened and slammed shut with an audible sigh.
Tyler emerged, pulling off his hat and gloves, then shrugged out of an oversized coat that clearly didn’t belong to him. He turned to face us and jumped. “Yikes.” He held his chest. “Y’all scared me.”
He hung the coat up in the closet and tried to slam it, too.
“Uhm.” Kyler approached. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” Tyler frowned. “Just you Daddy type people are impossible sometimes.” He spotted Rayna and Tinley on the porch.
“Is there someone we need to beat up for you?” I asked.
His face softened. “Not yet.” He headed for the stairs, watching the girls longingly, but stopped halfway up and turned back around. He leaped down to the bottom and then ran and fell into Kyler’s arms.
Kyler hugged him back.
“Are y’all going back to Vegas soon?”
“Tonight, if we can.” Kyler kissed the top of his brother’s head.
“Can you save me a seat on the plane?” Tyler rubbed his eyes and let go. He looked up at his big brother.
“Absolutely.” Kyler tousled his hair, and he pushed his hand away and grinned. “Jacob’s downstairs making us breakfast. Why don’t you go get cleaned up and join us?”
“Tinley’s sister is coming for breakfast,” I added.
“Why is she here?”
“I suspect to take Tinley back home.” Saying it out loud made my heart sink.
“Well, what are you going to do about it?” He snatched a piece of fruit from the platter.
