Page 72 of Thoroughly Innocent Intent

“Keep us company.” Meghan points to a barstool. I sink into the plush leather and take in the room before me. Like Colt’s house, this kitchen is massive, but where his is modern with shades of black and white and gray, this one is more traditional, with rich brown cabinets and counters that look like vanilla ice cream sprinkled with chocolate chips.

Meghan picks up her spatula and turns back to the stove, stirring something that sends a sugary sweet smell through the room. “What is that?” I inhale deeply.

“The sauce for the sweet potatoes. Butter, brown sugar, pecans, and a little rum. Don’t worry, the alcohol will burn off,” she adds for Elliot’s benefit.

“I’m not worried. We’ll just leave out that ingredient if Shane asks.”

“We both know that man is too good a cook not to notice.” Meghan looks pointedly over her shoulder.

“Well then we tell him it burns off.” She reaches for a celery stick and munches on it. “Or that a little alcohol now and then never hurt any other babies.”

“He’s protective?” I ask.

“More like anal. He’s afraid of me lifting anything at all, drinking caffeine or alcohol, even sex, although he did get over his fear of that one when I told him I’d pull out the vibrator if necessary.” I nearly spit out my wine, not prepared for such a candid admission. “He didn’t like the idea of being replaced.”

“Um.” My face feels hot.

“Wait until the fourth kid. I had to carry my own overnight bag to the carwhileI was in labor,” Meghan deadpans, nodding at me as if to emphasize that she’s not joking.

“I amnothaving four kids.” Elliot lays her hand on her stomach.

“Shane seems to think you are.”

“Then he can carry the last one. Three is my limit. So, what about you? Do you want kids someday?” she asks me.

“I...” I blink rapidly. “I don’t know. I haven’t given it much thought.”

“Sorry.” She blushes, rubbing her belly. “I swear pregnancy makes me talk without thinking. In my head I was including you in the motherhood conversation, not pressuring you about it.”

“That’s okay.” I relax now that I understand her thought process. “I just haven’t thought much past my career at this point.”

“Nor should you. Sorry for trying to put babies on your radar. But you guys need to give me something else to talk about because all the weird things my body is doing and whether or not I’m ready for this are the only topics floating around my head right now. I'm even tired of talking about it.”

“I got one,” Meghan says. “When are you gonna learn to cook?”

“I’m a really horrible cook,” Elliot whispers to me. “In my defense, I’m better than I was. I just haven’t mastered it yet,” she says loud enough for Meghan to hear.

“You aren’t even a novice yet. You burned mac and cheese. Seriously,” Meghan tells me.

“That was more Shane’s fault than mine. He got overwhelmed by all the options for baby carriers and strollers he was researching so I had to talk him down and forgot to watch the stove. He said I did pretty well on the pancakes I made for breakfast a few weeks ago.” She beams.

“Kids can’t live on pancakes. What you need is a cooking class,” Meghan says with authority.

“I don’t want to admit to a total stranger or a class of strangers that I can’t cook. Why don’t you just teach me?” she whines.

“I’ve already got four kids,” Meghan says dryly.

“What about you? Do you cook?” Elliot asks me.

“Not really. It’s just me so I do more takeout than anything. Colt has a chef that makes his meals. Maybe she could teach you? Her food is incredible.”

“Ooh, that would be amazing! I wonder if she’d come to my house. You could too and we could learn together. Wouldn’t that be fun?” Her eyes twinkle with excitement.

Making friends has never been my strong suit, but Meghan and Elliot are so welcoming, they put me right at ease. In fact, the more time I spend with them the easier it becomes to talk, which makes me think I could become good friends with these women.

“That would be fun,” I agree. “I’ll ask Colt if he can set it up.”

Colt

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