“I’m ordering,” Ghost announced from the corner.
“I need to go shopping today and start advertising for cooks,” Penny said.
“We’ve also got Hunter and Mina’s van to unload, Klutz and Aurora’s, and Falcon’s,” Oakley aired my earlier thoughts. Shit, we didn’t even have coffee yet.
“Order caffeine,” I ordered Ghost, who nodded.
“Lots of it,” Amberlea groaned. She was definitely hungover.
“I’m ordering a vat,” Ghost replied.
“Good,” Carmelle moaned, and Ghost looked amused.
“Okay, I’m heading into the kitchen. Did you buy any equipment?” Penny asked.
I gazed at her blankly. “There’s the stoves, fridges, and shit.”
“I meant things like plates, cups, mugs, cutlery, coo—”
“No.” I cut Penny off. Why would I have thought of that?
Penny rolled her eyes and held her hand out. I stared down at it, confused. “Card, Prez, I need the club card to go shopping.”
I yanked out my wallet and handed it to her. Luckily, that was something I had set up! Today was going to be busy in more ways than one.
Penny
I looked at the four women I’d brought with me. Demi, Grace, Aurora, and Carmelle appeared a bit more awake after three cups of coffee each. We’d gotten a third when we arrived in town, and we’d each driven our own cars because I planned to fill them up. We’d left all the kids with Ghost, Texas, Hunter, and Savage while everyone else helped Hunter and Falcon move into their houses.
“Hold up!” a voice called, and I glanced up and spotted Nova heading towards us. The young woman looked as fresh as a daisy. I guess she hadn’t drunk too much last night. “Falcon hadbegun cursing, so I got out of his way. He hates shit like this. Wait till I go shopping on his card; his house will barely have any furniture in it if I don’t.”
I chuckled. Nova probably wasn’t wrong.
“Okay, we’re buying at local shops, so I’ll pick things up, you girls push carts,” I said. The kitchen was my domain, and I was a control freak about it.
We headed down the street to a three-storey housewares shop. We got some sideways looks, but I ignored them. I was on a mission. I needed plates!
???
Four hours later, the old ladies were all groaning as they sat down at a table in the diner.
“I thought you hated shopping!” Grace complained.
“Oh, I do, for clothes anyway. Not for kitchen appliances and so on!”
After checking the kitchen, which only had the main big appliances, I’d had to stock up on smaller ones too. Blenders, slow cookers, and similar items had been purchased today. I’d rammed the six cars full of purchases, had the brothers come pick them up, and take them back before returning them empty. We were now having a meal before I hit the food stores. I’d had to place some bulk orders with the locals, which was fine as long as we had the basics.
No doubt I’d have to do the same with the consumables, too. The brothers liked a lot of red meat. Even though we had families, Calamity wanted to offer meals every night for those who didn’t want to cook.
“I need a nap,” Amberlea groaned.
“Get over it.” I grinned at her. “You’re younger than me, and I’ve more energy than you right now.”
“You’ve got more years of experience drinking,” Amberlea retorted, and I laughed.
“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” Grace hissed, shaking her head.
Amberlea peered at her and shrugged. “Penny wouldn’t poison us; she might poison the guys, but not us.”
