Page 75 of The Truth of Our Secrets

I’m nervous. Jayce hasn’t given up his weightlifting routine in his retirement, and I don’t know if Emmet has the strength to hold him over his head.

I stuff a mitten in my mouth to keep quiet so I don’t distract them as Jayce barrels toward Emmet.

To my surprise, it’s more fluid and Jayce keeps his arms and legs up in line with his torso. They won’t win any real skating competitions, but it’s amazing.

“And that’s how it’s done, Angel.” Jayce bows when he’s upright on the ice and the few onlookers clap. I forget myself and jump up and down while clapping and land flat on my ass.

Jayce and Emmet race over and by the time they get to me, I’m flat on my back, laughing so hard I can barely breathe.

“I’m such an idiot.” I hold my arms out for them to pull me up.

“Are you okay?” they ask in unison.

“It turns out my worst fear isn’t so bad. No blood.” I rub my ass, knowing they’ll keep me upright.

I let them guide me toward the opening to exit the ice.

“Jayce and I are changing your plans.” His eyes rake over me, assessing my movements in case I’m injured. “Hot chocolate and pastries and we’ll make you dinner.”

“You’re going to makemedinner?” My eyes cut to Jayce, who can’t boil water and toast is a struggle. Man versus toaster is a real competition in our house.

“Yup.” Emmet skates in a circle around us. “Jayce and I will shop, and then I’m going to teach him how to make you dinner.”

“For real?” I tug on Jayce’s arm.

“I can expand my cooking skills.” He wraps his arm around my waist and my skates leave the ice. “Let’s hurry,” he beckons Emmet.

Emmet skates backward to give Jayce a chance and I cover my face with my mittens, convinced I’m going to be dropped on the frozen sphere of death and my ass will break.

Emmet laughs so hard that he doubles over. Jayce glides by him and sets me on firm ground.

“Thanks, Baby Girl, we won.” His cool lips press to my frozen nose.

“Frozen sphere of death.” Emmet’s shaking his head and wraps his arms around me.

“I didn’t realize I said that out loud.” I push my hair back, but my mitten does a piss-poor job.

I can’t wait to get my men home. They’re the only thing on the menu that I want.

Chapter twenty-seven

Jayce

Madyson pretends to read a romance novel, but she’s really watching us. We’re so much better than the men in her book.

Emmet starts me off easy with spaghetti and meat sauce, sauteed green beans, and garlic bread. He lost me at sauteed, but he’s actually an excellent teacher. Growing up, no one had the patience for me to learn how to cook.

My mom and sisters would push me out of the way like an idiot when I asked questions. I realized I could get out of cooking by playing dumb. I never had the urge to learn after that.

Emmet makes cooking for Madyson sexy. As if it’s foreplay for later. Something I can get behind.

“Grab the big silver pot in that drawer and fill it with water.” Emmet points. Easy. Adding a little oil and salt—also easy, even though I never would have done it.

Now we’re into raw meat—not easy.

“I like to keep the raw meat on the stove and not the counter, so we don’t have multiple surfaces to disinfect when we’re done. Grab the frypan,” Emmet instructs.

I hand him a very large bowl-shaped pan.

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