Page 17 of Crow's Haven
We stop at one of the cash registers and begin unloading our groceries. As the salesclerk begins scanning our merchandise, I take a damn minute to breathe. I’m only just now realizing the huge change this is going to make in our lives, hopefully for the better.
Chapter 6
Crow
Ismell cinnamon before I’m fully awake. The scent is rich and warm, enticing me out of bed early. The sound of soft footsteps and the occasional clang of a spoon against a metal bowl pulls me the rest of the way out of sleep. For a second, I forget someone else is in the house and start to worry that my boys are up to no good. Then I remember Sharon.
I roll out of bed, tug on a shirt, and make my way to the kitchen with bare feet. Sharon is standing at the stove. She’s wearing an oversized sweatshirt that swallows her small form and the sleeves are pushed up, revealing pale forearms already dusted with flour. There’s a pan on one burner and a mixing bowl on the counter. Looking around, I see an open carton of eggs, and a bag of chocolate chips sitting suspiciously close to the pancake batter.
She hears me approach and glances over her shoulder. “Good morning,” she says softly and clearly a bit unsure of herself.
I give her a curt nod and a lazy smile. “Smells like you’re bribing your way into our hearts.”
Her lips twitch at the corners like she’s fighting back a smile. “I thought I’d test some culinary limits.”
“Anything but candy is a breakfast food around this house,” I tease.
I get a cup of coffee and begin setting the table with dishes and flatware, then pour juice for the boys. About ten minutes later they come barreling into the kitchen like wild animals and climb into their seats. Scout’s hair is sticking out in every direction. He mumbles, “I’m starving.”
Before I can get turned around, Chase is already halfway through a monologue about his dream, involving a fire-breathing motorcycle.
Sharon’s got two plates already ready—plain pancakes for Scout, chocolate chip for Chase. I watch her sneak a few slices of banana onto Chase’s plate when he’s not looking. He doesn’t complain. Scout eyes his plate, then glances at mine like he’s checking for fairness.
“No stinking mommies would’ve given us chocolate chips without making us eat something green first,” he mutters as he pulls his plate closer.
“Scout,” I growl a warning low in my throat.
He shrugs and tears into his pancake. “Just sayin’.”
Sharon doesn’t react. She flips the next pancake with more confidence than the last. But I catch the way her expression blanks out for a second. She’s trying to earn her place, to prove she belongs.
Chase is already glued to her side. My boys have never really had a female role model before. I don’t date, and I’m not gonna bring my hook-ups anywhere near them. He reaches out to pat her arm as she pours syrup, telling her that she smells like food.
“Can we get a turtle?” he asks between bites.
Sharon looks to me, clearly unsure if that’s something she’s allowed to respond to.
“No turtles,” I tell Chase sternly. “The last thing we need is another creature to clean up after.”
I plant myself at the table, sipping my coffee, watching them fall into a groove. Sharon’s still a little guarded, but I can clearly see how she’s falling for Chase.
Scout’s giving the side eye. I think he sees her as an intruder in our home.
I give him space and the right to have his feelings. He’s allowed to guard his little brother and his territory. But I take a minute to explain the situation to him.
“Sharon’s not replacing anyone, Scout,” I say over the kitchen table. “We’re just adding one more person to our team. Besides, I thought you liked her, she helped you at Dr. Patch’s office.”
He shrugs. “We don’t need another person on our team, especially a girl. You always say us men have to stick together.”
I ruffle his hair. “You’re gonna show respect, give her a shot, and mind your manners. She’s a person, the same as us. You really wanna make her feel bad, do ya?”
He freezes in place, staring at me as he tries to process my words.
I tell him, “Women are people too. They have feelings that can be hurt. What if you were rude to her and made her cry?”
He doesn’t even answer. Instead, he jumps down and runs away from his half-eaten pancakes. I decide to give him a minute to deal with his emotions before going to him.
Sharon frowns at me. “I don’t think that was necessary.”
