Page 143 of Power Shift

“Mmm, just hand me the container, and I’ll add some bit by bit. I’m more of a season-with-your-heart kind of woman.”

“That’s my favourite,” Dash says slyly.

Briar looks over her shoulder at him and sticks her tongue out before noticing me and pulling it back in. Then, she’s abandoning the sauce and running toward me. I catch her swiftly and hold her tight, waiting for her incoming kiss. It’s warm and soft, just like her.

“You’re home, Ro.”

And just like that, I’m at peace.

“Yeah, baby girl. I’m home.”

She’s got an apron on too. A pale pink one with white ruffles around the top and bottom. It’s fucking adorable.

“Are you hungry? We’re making lasagne tonight. I know it’s taking a bit longer than usual, and you’re probably starving after practice, but I figured I could teach you so you could make it sometimes too.”

“You’ve got a tough student there. I’d have been much better,” I drawl, not bothering to shed my jacket before going to her.

Landon finally lifts his attention from the bubbling red sauce and greets me with a tip of his chin. Lemon peaks over the scent of their cooking, and my mouth waters.

Briar’s lips curl into a smile while she palms my chest and drops to her feet. “Don’t worry, I’ll make a chef out of all of you one at a time. Jasper volunteered Landon tonight.”

“He’s pack alpha. Seems only fair he picks up more slack than the rest of us,” Jasper says in defense of himself.

Landon reaches around his front to point at him. “You just like seeing me in an apron.”

“Guilty.”

“It is very becoming of you, Lan. The blue really brings out your eyes,” Dash says, digging further and testing boundaries that we haven’t been over in years.

Landon drops his gaze to his front and turns to face us. When he looks up, he’s smirking.

“I think you need a matching one.”

“What about pack aprons?” Dash asks before nodding. “Yeah, we’re doing it.”

Landon watches me curiously. “You good with that, Grouchy Gus?”

I blink. “Did you just call me Grouchy Gus?”

“Oh, Landon, he isn’t grouchy anymore. He’s Sunshine Sally now that Briar’s in our lives,” Dash sings.

With a lifted brow, I warn, “Careful, Dash. I’m taking Briar with me somewhere after dinner, and if you piss me off, I might not bring her back.”

“Oh? And where exactly are you taking me?” she asks, turning back around to resume stirring the sauce.

“That’s a secret.”

“In that case, how about you shrug that jacket off and come help us with this so we can leave sooner?”

Landon pushes me out from between them and palms her back. “We’ve got it. Ronan’s as bad of a chef as I am.”

“Last I checked, I was better than you,” I counter.

His scowl is familiar, but also not. I slip into the fold and peer into the pot. The red sauce bubbles slightly, and the smell makes my stomach growl.

“What do you think about monogrammed aprons?” Dash asks.

Not even one of us says no.

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