Page 21 of Winter Memories

“I wasn’t planning on feeding you lugs,” I grumble.

“I know you don’t mean that,” Huxley grins at me before swiping one of the already cooked pancakes from the plate on the side.

I let out a sigh and swat at him with the spatula, but he dances away. I shoot him a murderous glare, but he just winks at me.

“You’re having breakfast with us?” There’s so much hope in Macklin’s voice that I can’t bear telling my brothers to get lost.

Noel smirks at me before sliding next to me and starts to mix up some more pancake batter without me saying anything. I should leave it to him to do all on his own as penance, but I’m not going to. I want to cook breakfast for my family.

Maybe it’s silly. Maybe it doesn’t make any sense. For some reason it’s important to me to be the one to make food for Macklin and Eden.

“You bet we are,” Noel agrees with a big smile on his face. “Have you been helping with the pancakes?”

“Of course,” Macklin scoffs like it’s obvious.

“You were a big help with lunch yesterday,” Noel tells him.

Macklin fucking glows under the attention of my brother and it does something to my chest. Warmth flows through me with the knowledge that Macklin isn’t justmyfamily. It’s clear my brothers have welcomed him with open arms.

This little boy, who already feels like mine, deserves to have as many people at his back as he can.

The pancakes are almost done as Noel pulls bacon out of the oven and Huxley finishes cutting up some fruit. Macklin has been taking little pieces of fruit as he and Hux have been chatting. I’m not sure he’ll eat much once we sit down, but I wasn’t going to stop them from bonding.

Macklin’s laughter is worth every piece of fruit my brother has allowed him to sneak. He does think he’s doing it on the sly, which is fucking adorable.

I hear footsteps approaching tentatively and turn just as Eden peeks into the kitchen. Her smile is shy and the look on her face is unsure. When I wink at her and smile, she seems to relax and steps farther into the room.

She’s wearing a pair of leggings which must have been in her giant bag, but she’s still wearing my shirt. I love seeing her in my clothes. I loved it back in the day, but she looks even better in them now. Her curves could take me to my knees and to have them in my shirt? I’m fucking done for.

“What’s going on in here?”

“Mama!” Macklin claps his hands together, his excitement making all of us smile and laugh. His words are filled with giggles, “We’re making breakfast.”

“I see that,” she smiles at her son and then looks at me, her eyes shining with love.

It makes me want to grab her and pull her against my chest, but I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. Soon enough I’ll be able to touch her and hold her as much as I want without caring who is around. Macklin deserves to see his mom happy, and I will ensure she’s happy for the rest of her life.

“I can see you’ve been a big help,” she gushes and the way Macklin smiles is filled with pride. “Looks like you might have nabbed some fruit while you were helping too,” she teases him, but it’s filled with affection instead of admonishment.

“Maybe,” Macklin’s grin is sly and his cheeks pink slightly.

“Don’t tell your mama I ate some fruit while cutting it,” Huxley whispers to Mack who starts giggling.

“I think she heard you. She has ears like a bat,” he pouts, but it’s clear he’s being completely serious.

Huxley sputters, “A bat?”

“Yeah, they have great hearing. I watched a nature show about it,” he says with a straight face, not even realizing how funny he is. He’s not even trying.

“It’s a mom superpower,” Eden admits with a shrug.

“See,” Macklin tries to whisper even though he’s not successful, “I told you, like a bat.”

I have to stifle my laughter, but Noel and Huxley can’t do it. Eden moves in next to me and I lean over to kiss her temple, loving the way she presses against my side. Her eyes are soft as she looks up at me and then watches her son joke with my brother.

She looks happy.

I make a silent promise to myself right here and now. I’m going to keep putting that look on her face, no matter what.

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