Page 46 of Recipe for Attraction (Madewood Brothers 2)

“Vivian was my second chance. We didn’t talk much at first. She let me do my own things, but we would cook together. It’s one of the reasons we all became chefs—because it brought us such joy. One time, I forgot to put the lid on the Cuisinart and it exploded. I was saved but she was covered in pesto from head to waist. It was the first time I had genuinely laughed since I had arrived. It was the first time I had laughed in a really, really long time. I was fifteen.”

Neil smiled. He remembered that day. How could he forget it? It was one of the best memories he had.

“A few months later she brought home Finn and Cole and then Jack followed. By the time my eighteenth birthday came around, we had all been living together for a couple years. I had retreated a bit knowing that once I became an adult I’d have to leave. I had my bags packed for a month. But I had only packed a few things feeling guilty because she had bought me everything I owned.”

He’d spent so many years feeling helpless. Helpless by not being able to protect his mother from the hands of his father. Helpless by not being able to keep his parents from the bottle. He vowed the day he had been placed in emergency foster care that he would never feel helpless again so it had been hard for him to let Vivian give him things, even if they were necessities.

He glanced over at Carson, who listened intently to his story. He had no idea how she managed to pull the words from him. But if he was honest, she wasn’t pulling anything. The words came out without force, without a second thought. And if he could choose anyone to share this moment with, it would be Carson.

“Being a foster kid you get pretty good at walking around on eggshells. We were all wondering when the novelty was going to wear off. But it didn’t.”

Like some miracle, Vivian had wanted them in her life.

“She was devastated when I told her I was leaving. I just assumed. I was eighteen. Her duty was done. There was no reason for me to believe that she would keep us longer than necessary.” All four of them had had experiences where they were unwanted. No one had cared enough to keep them around. Not even their own parents.

“Vivian cried when she saw my bag at the door asking what she had done to make me want to le

ave. She asked me to stay. Not because she was our foster parent, but because over the last three years I had become her son.”

Carson wiped at her eye.

“I was convinced that I would be a ward of the city until I was eighteen and then I’d be free to do as I liked.”

“What about your real parents?”

Neil sighed and turned his head in the opposite direction from where she stood. “My mom died when I was fourteen. I had already been put in the system. I don’t know what happened to my dad.” He straightened and cleared his throat. “And I don’t really care.”

He turned his attention back to the garlic, uncomfortable with how much she now knew about him. But he knew she wasn’t the type to blab. She wasn’t going to go to the media and divulge his deepest, darkest secrets. Not if she didn’t want her street racing alter ego to be exposed.

“You know…” she approached and wrapped her arms around him from behind. “You’re not as grumpy as you think you are. You just needed someone to figure out why you’re so grumpy.

“And why is that?”

“Because you’re scared. You’re afraid of failing.”

Neil dropped his knife and walked to the sink. She had no choice but to let go.

“You’re afraid of not living up to the woman who gave you everything. And you’re afraid of becoming your father.”

“Of course I don’t want to be my father. Neither do you.”

She walked closer, with slow, tiny steps as if trying not to spook a rabbit. He wasn’t some fragile animal. She linked their hands together and pulled herself toward his body. “It’s all right to be scared.”

He leaned in and nuzzled her neck, licking a line up to her ear. It was time to stop this therapy session and get back to what they did best. What they were most comfortable doing with each other.

She shivered. “Is this your way of distracting from the conversation?”

“Wrong.” His hands travelled down her back and cupped her bottom.

“You’re the one doing the distracting. Your shirt has been hanging open since you started your little speech. A man can only take so much.”

She gasped and looked down, covering up her breasts, but he stopped her. “Oh no, I’ll be the one to handle these beauties. I’ll let you know when I’m done with them.”

“What about dinner?” She gestured to the counter where the food prep lay, waiting to be cooked.

“Good idea. I’m starving.”

He swooped down and kissed her. A long, devouring kiss that let her know she was in for a long, hard night.

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