“Remember the mess Billy made when Troy was away at that conference?” Bronson chuckled.
“Shut up…” Billy growled.
“I try not to.” Charlie shuddered. “Troy carves because we didn’t spend hours slaving in a kitchen just for you to butcher the bloody roast. Now.” She regarded the table, then nodded. “Let’s eat.”
“Mmph…!”
My hand slapped over my mouth as I made an involuntary sound of pleasure at the first bite of the meat.
“Everything OK over there, Mackenzie?” Charlie asked.
“That’s…” I swallowed hurriedly. “That’s amazing!”
“You now know the way to my sister’s heart,” Bronson said, elbowing Charlie.
“Probably because no one else here compliments my cooking.”
“You’re an amazing cook.” Billy laid his head on Charlie’s shoulder. “So, so good.”
“Wait for it,” she said to me.
“Especially when you make Mum’s lamington cake.”
“There it is.” She shook her head and turned back to her plate. “You have to watch my brothers. They’ll do anything for sweets.”
“Got any yummy American recipes to share?” Billy asked me with a wiggle of his eyebrows. “Twinkies maybe?”
“Twinkies…” I gagged theatrically. “If that’s what you think is fine dining in the States, have I got news for you. Apple pie, peach cobbler.” I ticked each one of my fingers off. “Key lime pie and pumpkin pie.”
“Oh my God, I’ll take one of each,” Bronson groaned.
“So you can come out with us tomorrow,” Billy said. “See the farm, do enough work to keep him happy.” A pointed look was shot Troy’s way. “Then we’ll take you to the supermarket for supplies.”
“Mackenzie will come feed the cattle with me in the morning.” All the banter died down as Troy surveyed the table, his eyes finally coming to rest on me. “Can’t get these pricks out of bed early enough, so you can?—”
“Sure,” I said, then smiled. “Not like I haven’t tossed hay out of a pickup before. What time do I need to be ready by?”
“I leave at 5am.”
Wincing, I turned back to my plate, then sliced into the meat.
“Then I better get to sleep early.”
The air was filled with the sounds of cutlery scraping across plates, of mumbled requests for dishes to be handed down the table, until finally the meal was finished. Scotty, Bronson, and Billy were on dish duty, water splashing and good natured joking filtering through.
“Well, I should head to bed,” I said with a yawn. “Thanks for dinner, Charlie.”
“You did at least half the work,” she replied. “But sleep well.”
When Troy shoved himself to his feet, I thought he was acting like a male lead in a period drama, standing for a lady. Instead, he followed me down the hall.
“Ahh… heading to bed as well?” I asked, a little alarmed by the large man’s presence.
“After I’ve checked if Bruce has stayed outside.”
A man of few words, he didn’t ask permission to walk into my room. Just opened the door and looked around. So I may have hung back a bit, because a big strong man had his uses. A cursory look at the walls, he approached my bed, flicking the covers back.
“Um…?” I said, not sure what the hell he was doing.
