“Hello,” they said together.
“Do you drink people’s blood which is why your eyes are so red?” the little girl asked him.
“Sanguines don’t have white hair,” the little boy answered. “But can we see your fangs?”
Jordan’s eyes widened as he chuckled at the absurdity of the question. But they were children, and it was something he was used to growing up. All his friends thought it was weird that he had white hair and red eyes when his mother and father had jet-black hair and green eyes. And he would tell the twins the same thing he told his friends. He hated to break their little hearts and tell them that sanguines or whatever the hell that was, were not real. Jordan was sure of it, but said instead, “I was born this way.”
“Okay,” they answered together, and he was happy they were satisfied with his reply.
“Are you our new nanny?” the little girl asked.
“I don’t think so,” he answered. Jordan winced when he heard Mr. Pryde call the other person a“fucking incompetent, idiot.” “Have you guys had breakfast yet?” They shook their heads no. “Tell you what, how about we head to the kitchen and see what we can scrounge up for breakfast.”
“Do you know how to make pancakes?” the little boy asked.
“I know how to make pancakes and a whole lot more,” Jordan answered.
“Really?” they asked in surprised voices. “Can we help?”
“Of course you can, I need my little helpers after all. Come on, let’s go, maybe we can surprise your uncle with what we can put together.” They nodded and ran out of the door, Jordan took a quick look over his shoulder to see his boss deep in conversation and a serious expression on his face. Instead of interrupting him, Jordan followed the twins.
“What the hell am I paying you for if you cannot get one simple thing right?” Duncan yelled into the phone.
“I’m very sorry, Mr. Pryde. It seems the files got mixed up when they fell,” Mrs. Paris tried to explain.
“I don’t want to hear excuses, fix it and do it now,” he demanded.
“Yes, Mr. Pryde, right away.”
“Incompetent idiots.” Duncan threw his phone down on his desk and looked up, ready to apologize for the mistake only to realize that he was the only one in his office. His brows creased together in utter confusion. He walked to the door and looked out in the hall when he heard laughter coming from the direction of the kitchen. Duncan walked down the hall and stopped at the entrance to the kitchen and watched his niece and nephew happily helping Sutton prepare breakfast.Maddison had on an apron standing in a chair stirring something in a large bowl, while Benjamin was helping his employee prepare fruits.
Instantly Duncan noticed that there was something different about the kids. They were talking a mile a minute, being themselves. The only time they’d done that was with him and Ryland. Even Ryland’s cousins sometimes had a hard time pulling a conversation from the twins. Duncan leaned against the doorframe and watched them. Jordan shared his attentioneffortlesslybetween both kids, helping Maddison flip the pancakes that smelled great and Benjamin who was adding fruits to small cups of what looked like plain yogurt. Duncan smelled bacon, but did not see it being cooked on the stove.
Where the hell did all this food come from?It shouldn’t have surprised him that he had no idea where the food came from. He’d usually leave the shopping to the nanny.Maybe the last one was good for something.
“Uncle Duncan, look, I’m making pancakes from scratch,” Maddison told him and he could hear the excitement in her voice.
He walked further into the kitchen and went to stand beside Maddison inspecting her work. “I can see that,” he told her proudly.
He reached over to pick up one of the pancakes, but pulled his hand back quickly rubbing the back and looked over to see what exactly just happened. Jordan had a very shocked look on his face. “Oh gods, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that,” he said apologizing quickly.
Duncan chuckled, “It’s fine, that will teach me next time.” They stared at each other for a few minutes. Duncan mentally remarked how Jordan’s eyes sparkled with mischief. They looked like crimson crystal jewels that would shine bright, even in the darkest room. The same sweet, delectable scent from the other day wafted under his nose, bursting through the scent of the meal being prepared. He wondered where it was coming from and if he was the only one that noticed. Clearing his throat, Duncan looked over to Benjamin, who was concentrating earnestly on what he was doing and seemed to be having a hard time.
“Hey, buddy, what are you doing? Do you need some help?”
“Making partfate,” he answered without looking up. Duncan did not miss the “duh” tone in his nephew’s voice.Partfate? Does he mean parfait?
“The word is parfait and do you want some help?”
“No, thanks, Uncle Duncan, Jordan said that making this was my job. So, I need to do this on my own.”
He smiled, Duncan had never seen the twins so helpful, he looked over to Jordan and Maddison, who were both taking care of the eggs.
Is he a magician with kids or something?It felt odd realizing he wasn’t needed, especially since the twins rarely left his side since their parents’ death.
“I guess you guys have everything under control.” He might as well have been talking to himself considering no one was paying him any attention. That was the most attentive and calm he'd seen the twins since they started living with him.
“Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, if you still need to square things away you have some time,” Jordan told him without looking up at him. Duncan chuckled, the man was bossy that was certain and would no doubt fit either the position of his personal assistant or nanny for the kids. An idea popped into his head. He walked out of the kitchen to make the arrangements.
