The kid could use Seth’s room because Seth hoped to spend his nights here at the inn with Mara. Starting tonight.
He couldn’t wait.
Mara held the door open for Charlie and Seth as they toted in enormous platters of the seafood boil for supper. The people who lived at the farm broke into spontaneous applause for the two, making Charlie grin, especially when the bodyguards joined in. It took a few runs to get platters on every table. Amber and Gray helped her carry the bread and salads.
She and Seth sat at the table nearest the kitchen with Gray and Amber. That way, any of them could do whatever needed to be done.
It took only moments for people to start moaning and calling out compliments to the chef.
Seth nodded at the comments, then called out. “Kudos to my sous-chef, Charlie.”
Charlie stood up and took a bow, bringing on applause and laughter. That took the attention neatly off Seth, which she figured was what he’d planned.
Throughout the meal, she watched and listened to people’s reactions to the food. She was rarely in the dining room, so it was fun to watch how everyone enjoyed Seth’s creations.
While most of the bodyguards were effusive in their praise, one man remained stone-faced. He didn’t interact much with the other men, mostly just with a nod or a few words she couldn’t hear.
She wondered if he was allergic to seafood, but Amber had guests fill out that information. Maybe he didn’t like it, although there was enough variety for anyone. Maybe he was just an ass.
Seth’s hand squeezed her thigh under the table. “Let it go, Chaos Machine.” The words were quiet.
She leaned in and whispered. “He’s being rude.”
Seth grinned. “Not even a little. There’s always someone who doesn’t like a meal.”
“But it’s delicious, and perfectly cooked.”
He laughed. “Even still. Maybe he’s never had the chance to try it before, but maybe now lobster will grow on him.”
Mara huffed out a breath. A peek showed the man watching them. His face was neutral, but his eyes were angry. Angry at seafood? Jerk.
Mara pulled her attention away from him and looked at the others, who were obviously enjoying the meal. She supposed one man without taste in a group this size was to be expected.
When people were finishing their meals, Mara disappeared into the kitchen, with Seth on her heels. They put together the parfaits and shortcakes, then set everything on the table where she displayed her pastries and desserts.
Stone Face didn’t get any happier when he saw the treats. The other bodyguards dove at the table like a flock of vultures.
She stood back to gauge reactions to her food. It was good to get unsolicited opinions, especially on new recipes. A person’s response to the first taste was usually unguarded.
Anson had always watched from the kitchen door when he’d added new menu items. It had annoyed him when reactions to her new concoctions were better than his.
He would hate that her apple chips were being devoured by the handful. Fritters, too.
Take that, jerk face.
Seth’s arm came around her shoulders. “You’re looking fierce. They’re loving your stuff.”
She grinned. “I was thinking of Anson. How he would hate that my new ideas were successful.”
“I’m glad you quit. That asshole didn’t deserve your talent.”
She leaned into his side. “Thanks. I’m much happier here.”
He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “We’ll see if we can improve on that later tonight.”
Her body reacted instantly to his words. “I bet we can.”
Holding his hand, she dragged him into the kitchen. The quicker they cleaned up, the faster they’d end up in the bedroom.
