Everyone laughs.
Then he tries West’s and nods. “I like this one.”
“And we still have a tie,” Jayne laughs. “I’m out of tie-breaking ideas.”
“We don’t have to break the tie,” I say, leaning against West. “We were happy to cook for everyone and enjoy your company.”
“Exactly.” West nods, sliding his arm around my waist.
“I haven’t been this well-fed in a long time,” Viggo says. “So, I’m happy to come test out your recipes any time.”
“Same.” Jamie grins. “We’re both capable in the kitchen but not like this. Misty, our nanny in Vegas, used to do most of the cooking. She didn’t come with us, though, so now we’re trying to figure out how we’re going to survive. We can make the basics but that’s boring.”
“You should talk to Serena about doing some meal prep for you,” West says casually. “Things you can freeze and then pop in the oven or whatever. She’s really a great cook.”
My face feels hot again, but Jamie looks excited. “Is that a possibility? Because seriously, cooking is the one thing we’re not good at. And when we have the kids, it’s always pasta or something on the grill.”
“We, uh, certainly can discuss it,” I say.
“We’ll exchange numbers before we go,” Viggo says.
When West mentioned it before, I wasn’t sure it was feasible, but I feel a bubble of excitement building in my chest. Being able to supplement my income with my cooking would be the best possible scenario for a second job.
As always, I’m eternally grateful to West for making it happen.
I don’t know how I’ll ever pay him back for everything he’s brought to my life, but my gut tells me repayment isn’t necessary. It just isn’t who he is.
And once again, I’m completely swept up in him.
In this.
In us.
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
West
We land in St. Louis around two in the afternoon, and I have a limo pick us up. It’s not about showing off so much as spoiling Serena. I don’t think she fully understands how much she brings to my life. Much of it is intangible—how peaceful it is to cuddle before we fall asleep, or the companionship when we cook together—but I feel it. Enjoy it. Hell, I’m starting to crave it.
“This is a big car!” Joey exclaims excitedly.
“It is.” Serena grins as she glances at me. “You didn’t have to get a limo.”
“I wanted to. I thought we’d have some fun since this is technically our first date, first vacation, first everything.”
“Not everything,” she murmurs, playfully batting her eyelashes at me.
I hate that we still haven’t gone out on a proper date, but it’s coming. As soon as we get back from St. Louis. We start the second half of the season with a week of home games, so I’m coming up with a plan.
In the meantime, I want us to have a good time. I have a few gifts for both Serena and Joey, but I’ll wait until we get to the hotel to give them to them.
“See the arch?” I ask Joey as we go through downtown and point to it in the distance.
“What is it?” he asks curiously.
“It’s called the Gateway Arch, and it’s more than six hundred feet tall.”