“Yes, but nothing like this,” he said. “At home, I’m a sandwich and chips kind of guy. It’s hard to cook for one person, especially when you don’t know how.”
“You’re right about that. Cooking for one is difficult, unless you enjoy eating the same thing for every meal for the next few days,” I said as we sat down to eat. “But if you ever want to learn how to cook, I’ll be happy to teach you what I know.”
“Really? I might take you up on that offer.”
“You know where to find me for the foreseeable future,” I said. “I usually cook one night and have leftovers the next night, but with three of us eating, I’ll probably be cooking every night.”
“You know you don’t have to cook for us,” he said.
“I know, but I enjoy cooking, and it’s a nice way to say thanks.”
The doorbell rang, causing Diablo to bark and me to tense. Even though I knew the farm was well protected, I couldn’t help the unease that filled me when someone unexpected showed up.
“That’s probably Diesel and Falcon,” Ink told me, but I didn’t relax until I heard Ink’s voice a few moments later. “Hey, guys. Come on in.”
Two young men followed Ink into the kitchen. They looked familiar, but I couldn’t say for sure if I’d met them before.
“Daphne, this is Diesel, Duke and Reese’s son, and this is Falcon, Dash and Ember’s son. They’re going to drive your car back to your house and spend the night there.”
“Hi. Nice to meet you,” I said and smiled. “Thank you for helping out.”
“No problem,” Diesel said. “Is there anything specific we need to know about your house?”
“I don’t think so, but you can call or text me if you have questions. There are two guest bedrooms upstairs. The bathroom is in the hallway between the two bedrooms. There should be plenty of towels and washcloths under the sink. I’m not sure what’s in the fridge but help yourself to whatever you like.”
“Thanks,” he said. “We’ll let you know if we have any questions.”
“Byte’s right down the street if anything comes up,” Ink reminded them.
“We know,” Falcon said, sounding mildly exasperated.
“I’m guessing your dads already gave you this speech,” Ink said and shook his head. “Damn. When did I become part of the old crowd?”
“About ten years ago,” Falcon replied.
“Rhetorical questions aren’t meant to be answered, you little shit,” Ink teased.
“Noted,” Falcon laughed. “If you’ll get us the keys, we’ll get going.”
“Oh, right,” Ink said and turned to me.
Picking up my keys from the counter, I handed them to Falcon. “Here you go.”
“Thanks,” he said. “We’ll let you know if anything comes up.”
“I sincerely hope it doesn’t,” I said and walked them to the front door.
Once they were gone, I returned to the kitchen and started cleaning up from dinner. “No wonder I thought they looked familiar. They look just like their dads.”
Ink laughed. “Yes, they do. It’s weird sometimes. I knew Duke and Dash when they were younger, and those boys look exactly like they did. It’s like living in a time warp.”
“I can only imagine.”
“It’s the same with some of the girls, too. Raven looks like Ember, who looks like Annabelle. Harlow looks like Harper. Blaze looks like Annabelle. But there are a few that are a good mix of their parents.”
“I don’t know how y’all keep everyone straight.”
“There weren’t as many of them when I joined the club as there are now. It’s easier to keep up when people are added one or two at a time.”