Page 50 of Thanking Her Brother's Best Friends

I tousled Oliver's hair, a current of tumultuous emotions swelling up in me. "Well, boys, it seems Oliver has already concocted a master plan for our day. Are you up for the challenge?"

Aiden grinned. "Absolutely! Ice cream for breakfast and world domination by naptime? Count me in."

Dom nodded enthusiastically. "I'm all for Oliver's rule. Just make sure to save some ice cream for me."

Niall chimed in, playfully saluting Oliver. "Commander Oliver, your loyal subjects are at your service."

"We can do ice cream later," I said, laughing. "For now, let's just go make dinner. Ollie, you finish your homework first, and then come down to the kitchen after cleaning up, okay?"

Oliver nodded. "What's for dinner?"

Aiden flourished his hands like he could conjure bunnies out of the air. "That's for the both of us to find out, young man."

I almost had to drag the three of them into the kitchen. "Come on," I said. "I'm hungry too!"

I led the boys into the penthouse kitchen, a space that blended sleek minimalism with warmth and beauty.

Pristine white countertops contrasted with the rich, dark wood cabinets, marrying modernity with functional comfort.

Potted plants adorned the windowsills. I loved that they added a touch of greenery and freshness. The kitchen boasted open views, allowing us to soak in the stunning cityscape even while indoors.

"Welcome to my kitchen, guys," I said with a smile. "Take a look around. Make yourselves at home. Don't burn anything, and don't you dare make any comments about my obsession with cast iron stuff."

Dom whistled appreciatively. "Cast iron slaps, Selene. No complaints there."

I wrinkled my nose. "Did you just say something slapped?"

He laughed. "I've been watching too many influencers, probably."

Niall glanced around, his eyes alight with curiosity. "I'm excited to get cooking!"

With that, the boys set to work in the kitchen, donning aprons and gathering ingredients.

"If we mess up, Selene, just remember we'll need legal counsel to defend us against Oliver's potential lawsuit for 'bad food'," Aiden joked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

I chuckled. "Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that. But don't worry. I have faith in your cooking abilities."

As they started preparing the food, I couldn't help but feel touched by their instinctive understanding of what an eight-year-old would enjoy.

Oliver had a penchant for food that not only tasted good but looked pretty too.

I leaned in and whispered to the boys, "Oliver has a thing for aesthetically pleasing food. Make it look as pretty as possible, and he'll love it even more."

They nodded. "Challenge accepted," Dom said, manifesting Barney fromHow I Met Your Mother.

In no time, mouthwatering aromas filled the kitchen as hamburgers sizzled on the stove and fries turned golden in the oven.

Aiden set to work cutting up some vegetables to make a fresh garden salad.

"Good luck with that," I muttered. "He's been giving me hell with the veggies."

"Ah, but we must be persistent, yes?" He playfully drizzled some balsamic on the veggies and made a reduction of hot honey with brown butter. "You can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his food."

I smiled. "Did you guys ever watch Anthony Bourdain?"

"That's like asking us if we believe in God," Dom replied, setting the veggies to sauté on high heat over an open flame.

"D'you remember that clip where he goes, ‘if you don't like food, we have a problem’?"

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