A Place to Call Home (19 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

In Mac’s kitchen, Hannah found herself surrounded by three eager boys willing to help with any task she assigned. She was impressed with how well they were getting along. And they all wanted to learn how to cook, which she gladly showed them while she tested her new recipes.

Mac entered the kitchen freshly showered and shaven, wearing tan jean shorts, brown T-shirt, and sandals. His short black hair still wet, small droplets of water gleamed when the light hit them.

Swatting his hands through the air, he issued orders. “Okay, guys. Back off. Stop crowding Hannah.”

“Oh, they’re fine, Mac.” She checked out his muscular body when he walked through the kitchen to lean against the counter, facing her. The urge to nibble him head to toe overwhelmed her. Feeling her cheeks flush, she concentrated on her dinner prep.

“Yeah, Daddy. We’re learning how to cook,” Luke said.

“You are?” He looked around the kitchen and Hannah read his mind.

“Boys? What’s the second rule of cooking?” she asked while she broke eggs into a bowl and beat them.

“Clean up after yourselves,” Ryan said.

“Yeah, so don’t worry, Dad. We’ll clean this up,” Aidan confirmed.

“What’s the first rule?” Mac asked, his focus on Hannah, his stare broiling her blood with desire.

“Stay safe,” Luke said confidently.

“You don’t say.” Mac sent her a smirk.

Hannah smiled at him. “Seems our jobs have a lot in common, Mac. We both create things.” Then she turned to the kids. “You know I wanted to ask you gentlemen if you could help me with something.”

Even though breadcrumbs and beaten eggs coated her hands, the three boys hovered around Hannah.

“Now you don’t have to do this if you don’t think it’d be cool enough or whatever,” she said. “But I’m in a big jam. You see, part of opening this new restaurant involves developing a menu for kids as well as adults. Now since I’m an adult I know what adults like to eat. But I’m having a big problem figuring out what the younger crowd, you know like your ages, would like to eat and think would be cool. I really want this to be a success but I don’t know how to figure out what the younger crowd likes.”

“We could help you with that,” Aidan said with a shrug. “Right, guys?”

The other two agreed.

Making sure she showed her excitement, she faced them. “Really? You guys would do that for me?”

“Of course,” they all said.

“That would make me so happy. You have no idea.”

“No sweat,” Aidan said casually.

“Well, with what we’re cooking tonight maybe you guys can tell me if it’s cool enough for the kid’s menu. And as a thank you for helping me out I’ll even name your favorite item on the menu after you.”

“Really?” Luke said, his eyes lighting up. “I can tell you now I’m going to like those chicken fingers.”

“Then we’ll have to call them…let’s see.” Hannah thought for a minute then bent down to Luke. “We’ll have to call them Luke’s Dinosaur Fingers. How’s that?”

“That’s way cool.”

“I like the potato skins. They’re always my favorite,” Ryan said, his tall body leaning against the counter.

Hannah took another moment to think then turned to Ryan. “We’ll call them Ryan’s Turtle Shells since they looked like them. What do you think?”

“I like that.”

Hannah turned to Aidan. “You know I think I’d like to name something special after you, you know since you’re the oldest.”

Aidan blushed. “I like the baby back ribs. They’re smelling really great.”

“Now I agree with you there, son,” Mac said.

Hannah had been so caught up in the conversation with the kids she’d forgotten Mac still watched them, evidently paying close attention. “Then how about we call them Aidan’s Smackdown Ribs?”

Aidan snorted. “Yeah, I like that. That’s pretty cool. You’re good at this, Hannah.”

“That’s what my business is about. Making it appealing to customers.” She finished the last chicken finger and scrubbed her hands in the sink.

“What about Daddy?”

“What about Daddy, Luke?” Mac asked casually.

“Aren’t you going to name something after him?”

Hannah’s cheeks flushed again when all four pairs of identical blue eyes stared at her, each with a different grin on his face. “Um…well…I guess we could think of something once we know what he likes.”

“He likes whipped cream,” Luke said. “Remember?”

Now Hannah’s cheeks flamed. When she looked at Mac she wanted to throw something because he wore the biggest shit-eating grin she’d ever seen. Okay. Two could play this game. She wasn’t going to be the only one with pink cheeks.

“Um, I do make this amazing dessert with whipped cream and strawberries. I could call it Austin’s Brat Cake.”

When Mac’s eyes glinted with a dangerous look, she knew she’d nailed this one. The lust in those blue depths boring into her couldn’t be mistaken.

“Touché,” he said.

“Sorry, Hannah. That sounds lame,” Ryan said, disappointed.

“Not to me,” Mac said. “I’m actually looking forward to having a piece of that brat cake…of course covered with lots of whipped cream.”

Damn, he was good at this too. Time to draw a truce since there were kids around. “Okay, guys. Let’s finish dinner,” Hannah commanded, daring a quick glance at Mac who still smiled, watching her.

A moment later, Mac stepped forward and whispered in her ear. “What can I help with?”

“You’ve been enough help already.” God, he smelled so good, clean and fresh, with a hint of spice.

He laughed, his breath tickling her ear. “I think I want dessert instead of dinner.” He spoke so only she could hear. With him standing so close behind her, his very presence weakened her knees—even if he hadn’t touched her. She elbowed him softly in the ribs, purely as self-defense against his sensual declarations.

“Oops. Sorry, Austin. Didn’t see you there,” she said and stepped away from him. “Austin, why don’t you get out of our way? Make yourself useful setting the table.” The simple order would allow her some space before she melted on the spot.

“Yeah, Dad. Set the table,” Ryan said.

“Yeah, Hannah’s the boss, Daddy,” Luke said.

“Really?” Mac eyeballed her. “Since when?”

“Since she’s cooking.” Aidan smirked. “Now stop crowding Hannah, Dad, and set the table.”

Mac shot him a withering look, walked to the cabinet, and grabbed dishes and silverware. So with his task completed, he did something he hadn’t done at dinnertime in years. He sat down in the living room and watched the news until Hannah called him to eat.

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Thirty minutes later, they all sat for dinner and the boys filled their plates.

“Ah, we’re eating on the deck. Come on, Ryan and Luke,” Aidan said, and the other two followed him toward the backdoor.

“Yeah, Daddy, this is a date,” Luke announced with a big giggle.

“Oh?” Mac faced Hannah. “You in on this, too, brat?”

Hannah shrugged. “Not at all. It’s news to me too.”

“Daddy,” Luke whispered. “Don’t blow it. When you’re on a date you need privacy.”

“Yeah? And what do you know about being on a date?” Mac asked Luke but looked at Aidan.

“He knows nothing.” Aidan’s hand covered Luke’s shoulder. “Come on, guys.” Aidan quickly shuffled his brothers out the door.

“I guess they told you,” Hannah said, taking her first bite. How adorable to have such young matchmakers. Pride surged through her with the boys’ acceptance of her not only in their dad’s life but theirs too.

“Yeah. I think I’ve just been put in my place by my own kids.” Mac ate as well.

“I agree.” She stared at the back door. “You know they’re all really smart kids. And quick learners. I only had to show them how to do something once and they caught on.”

“Yeah. Aidan’s making great progress with me on jobs. He’s really good at plumbing. Knows the tools. Likes to be hands on. He works quickly too. Better than my entire crew.”

“Sounds like his father.”

Mac grinned and took another bite. “I’m enjoying working with him.”

“Have you told him?”

“What?” He swallowed and looked up at her. “Of course.”

“Oh. It’s just that you’re not the best person to express his feelings,” she said, peeking at Mac’s oldest boy through the window. “And, well, you need to tell Aidan how good a job he’s doing.”

“I just said I do tell him.” Mac cut apart the baby back ribs.

Hannah sighed. “Not what he told me. When I complimented him on doing good with the chicken fingers he said his dad should take lessons from me on how to compliment good work.”

Mac stared. “He said that?”

She nodded, forking salad into her mouth.

“Okay. I’ll talk to Aidan about work.”

“He’d like that a lot. I’ve noticed how much he helps run things around here. When you’re not around, he knows what needs to be done, and maybe he takes his time doing it, but at least he knows. He’s pretty responsible for a sixteen-year-old.”

Mac finished the last of his chicken fingers. “Almost seventeen-year-old. His birthday’s in two weeks.”

Her eyes opened wide with excitement filling her. “Really? Do you have a birthday party?”

“What with cake and ice cream?” He frowned.

She nodded.

“Get a grip. He’d be mortified. Besides, boys aren’t into parties. Maybe girls are but not us boys.” He eyed her through narrow slits. “What are you thinking, Hannah?”

“Nothing,” she lied and pushed food around her plate.

“Don’t give me that. I can see the wheels turning from here. Spill it.”

Her eyes met his. “Well, I was just thinking maybe, I don’t know, I could make him a cake. Something simple. Like chocolate with butter cream icing and we could surprise him with it after dinner on his birthday.”

Mac grinned. “Did you not just hear a word I said?”

She scowled. “I did. But doesn’t mean I have to agree. Birthdays are special and should be celebrated. I never had a birthday cake,” she said suddenly.

He frowned, holding his fork mid-air. “Really? Never once?”

She shook her head and toyed with her food staring at her plate.

“Doesn’t surprise me,” he said matter-of-factly. “With your asshole parents nothing surprises me. Make the cake, Hannah.”

Oh, my God. He agreed? She smiled wide from across the table. “Really?”

“Sure. But I’ll have no part of it. You make sure Aidan knows that cake’s all your idea.”

Cake recipes ran through her mind. “Now you’re just being dramatic. A cake won’t mortify him.”

Dropping a rib bone on his plate, Mac wiped his hands on a napkin. “You’re probably the only person who can get away with giving a seventeen-year-old almost-a-man kid a birthday cake.”

Smiling, she realized she’d never felt at home anywhere like she did right now. Not even when she worked in one of her bustling restaurants did she feel more comfortable than she did while at the MacDevin household. Planning a birthday party for Aidan seemed like the most natural thing in the world to her.

“You know I’ve got to hand it to you, Hannah. I never thought you’d get my boys to test your kid’s menu, especially Aidan. But you were pretty slick back there.”

“I was, wasn’t I?”

“You have a good way with kids. It comes natural to you when you speak to them. You’re never fake. If you were, my kids would pick up on it instantly and that pedestal of yours would be dust.” His voice, that Southern drawl most notable when he relaxed, romanced her ears, the sound sizzling her skin with the need to have him naked and sweaty lying over her.