I wrapped up the call, went to tell Jules when the repairman was coming, and motioned for Rooster so we could get out of there before anyone else stopped me.
“What a shit show,” I mumbled before climbing on my Harley.
Rooster grunted as he strapped on his helmet.
“What?” I barked.
He looked over smirked. “If Mama Hen was here, you wouldn’t have to deal with it.”
“I liked it better when you didn’t talk,” I said before I started the engine, the pipes loud enough to drown out any shit he wanted to add. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 19
Katarina
“Oh my God, that’s delicious,” Lacy said.
“Damn, that is rich,” Mama Hen said.
After I finally ate lunch, Lacy took me back to the kitchen and Mama Hen said to make myself at home. They were prepping for dinner but I found the baking supplies and whipped up some brownies. I hadn’t planned ahead so I’d save the cakes for later when I could have plenty of room temp eggs and softened butter. But brownies were simple and easy to whip up in a pinch.
“I’m glad you like them. Should I make more?” I asked, looking around.
Lacy laughed at the trays and trays on the island in the middle of the large kitchen. “I think these will at least get us through today, but some of these guys do love sweets.”
“If I don’t eat ‘em all first,” Mama Hen said as she took another bite.
I loved baking to create something and it was relaxing, but it was still always nice when someone told you they liked your creation. “I hope Hawk likes them. I wish I’d done something more elaborate, but I didn’t really plan to bake today. Still, this has been such a lovely afternoon.”
It really had been. I felt so much lighter after the conversation with Hawk, and finally being intimate with him. Everything was still so different and I had to get used to it all, but I didn’t feel like a complete stranger to Hawk anymore.
Lacy was so friendly and helpful. As I suspected, she was from a wealthy family, but not one like mine. She left when she didn’t want to bend to their will. I never even considered that. I wasn’t sure what my life would look like if I’d decided I didn’t want my life planned for me. It was impressive that she stood her ground and made her own way.
I would be taken care of for a long time, but everything I had came at a price. Even though this wasn’t exactly how I’d envisioned my future, I wasn’t upset about it anymore.
Mama Hen left the kitchen for a few, so I stepped over to the counter by Lacy. “What can I help you with?”
Lacy’s big blue eyes lit up. “You don’t have to do that. I got it.”
“I ran a restaurant for years. I can help. What are wedoing?”
Her smile widened. “Wow! So you worked?” Then she cringed. “Oh God. I didn’t mean that, I just meant–”
I waved her off. “I get it. Most people are confused to learn I worked. But it was my mother’s restaurant. I don’t think Papa would have let me work anywhere else, but I even got to go to culinary school. I love food. And it’ll be nice to cook something other than traditional Russian meals.”
“Oh.” She turned and looked down at her veggies.
“What is it?” I asked.Did I say something wrong?
“I heard your mother was–well–I’m sorry. It must be hard to leave that behind.”
Nodding, I told her, “I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t mind. But, I knew eventually I’d be married. Papa indulged me because Mama passed I think, but I don’t know if another man would have let me work. It’s not typical for a woman in that position to have a job other than wife and mother.” Sighing, I looked around. “I miss it already. But at least I have a kitchen still, and plenty of people to cook for.”
“And Klara? You seemed close,” she said as she moved to get something from the fridge. She came back with two diet sodas, passing one to me.
“Thanks. Yeah, she’s my best friend. We didn’t really get to hang out,” I said with air quotes. “But she worked at the restaurant and we became close. She did come to the house a few times, though.”
Lacy sipped her soda then set the can down and started washing heads of lettuce. “Shiv was my closest friend growingup, but I think that was more in my head. She was my nanny for a while. She probably thought I was just the kid she took care of.”
