I shrug. “I’m not sure.” I didn’t think that far ahead. I just assumed she would say okay and stay here with the rest of the ladies.
He chuckles. “If she’s anything like my Sam, good luck with that assumption. She seems like a stubborn one.”
I think back to all the times Blake has defied my requests and grimace. “Maybe you’re right. I guess I should try and be more convincing.”
He nods and we both rise from our chairs. “Let’s go enjoy some food, brother.” he slaps my back.
Chapter 36
Blake
Sam places Charlie’s pancakes on the island in front of me, and I make sure to add her favorite part— whipped cream. Once Charlie is done helping with the rest of the food, Sam gets her to sit down and eat her own breakfast.
Charlie is halfway done when she looks up at me with a chocolatey smile. Then, she points toward my plate. “Do you like your food, Mama?”
I smile and nod, sticking a piece of bacon in my mouth. “I sure do. You and Mrs. Sam did a great job!”
“Oh God, don’t call me Missus. That makes me sound so old.” Sam laughs, taking a sip of her coffee.
“Fair enough. I used to hate when the kids would call me Missus too.”
We spend the rest of our time together in blissful silence as all of us enjoy our food. Over time, more men and women wake from their slumber and push through the house toward the kitchen for food.
As soon as Charlie is done eating, we wash our dishes and head outside.
“Can I go play?” She looks up at me, and I look out into the yard. It's beautiful here in the morning. Birds chirp in the distance, and the morning dew sits on the grass. I don’t know what she is going to play with, but I don’t see an issue with her running around if she wishes.
“Sure.” I smile and cross my arms.
She takes off out into the yard, laughing as she goes. I watch her for a moment as she leans down and picks up a dandelion from the ground and sniffs it. Laughing, I call to her. “Those don’t have a smell, silly goose.”
She holds it up in the air like she just found a buried treasure and yells, “I don’t care!” Then she takes off around the pit for the bonfire.
“There you are,” comes Hunter’s voice from behind.
I turn to watch him walk down the steps and join me in the yard. “I wasn’t aware I was hiding.” I smile. “We just came outside to get out of the way of the large crowd surrounding poor Sam.” I laugh.
Hunter wraps his arm around my waist from behind and rests his head on my shoulder, and I lean into his embrace. “Yeah, when the guys wake up from a long night, they act like they are starving to death.”
I can definitely see that. The way they swarmed the kitchen was like they haven’t eaten in days. I snicker at my thought, and Hunter looks down at me.
“What is so funny?”
I let out a breath. “I was just thinking about how the guys swarmed the kitchen is all.”
“Ah, yes.”
It gets quiet between us as we both watch Charlie play by herself in the yard, until he breaks the silence with the clearing of his throat.
“I have something I need to talk to you about.”
I look up at him and raise my brow. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, everything is fine. It’s just, the ride the crew is doing will be happening in two days.”
“Yeah, we can find another place to go when y’all leave.”
He shakes his head. “No. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. When we leave, I want you guys to stay at the clubhouse until I get back.”
