Nat beams from her wheelchair and puts her hand dramatically on her chest. “Me? Never.”
I laugh, my heart swelling with love for my niece. She’s fun, dramatic, and a total con artist.
She’s perfect.
“Yes, you,” Mrs. Potts says, wagging a finger. “Now be a good girl and eat your vegetables. I’ll see you after dinner.”
Nat wrinkles her nose and pushes at her broccoli. “Oh, all right.”
Jackson points his knife in Caden’s direction. “Cat, now this was a smart hire. He knows his shit.”
“Daddy!” Natalie gives him a disapproving look. “No swearing during dinner.”
Jackson rolls his eyes at her. “You just shush it. She’s gone.”
Everyone looks around, and Mrs. Potts has indeed left the kitchen I designed when we finally had the money to renovate it.
The air relaxes a bit.
Gwen shrugs. “It still doesn’t hurt to watch your language in front of the minor.”
“Anyway.” Jackson’s eyes narrow on his future wife before turning back to me. “We need more like him.”
The words make me bristle. Jackson doesn’t mean to knock my hiring practices. It’s just his nature. He’s demanding, exacting, and has high standards. It’s part of his creative genius.
To cover my irritation, I offer Caden a sardonic smile. “You have a fanboy. How cute.”
Caden’s gaze slides to mine and locks in place. His eyes are such a strange color—not light and electric like Gwen’s, but dark and mysterious, a shade or two lighter than navy. I’ve never seen anything like them. I ignore the way my stomach dips.
Caden picks up a fork. “The man appreciates quality when he sees it.”
I have an odd, irrational urge to stick my tongue out at him.
My oldest brother, Wyatt, speaks for the first time, and I realize I hadn’t even acknowledged he was here. “Tomorrow we can go out into the cane fields.”
Caden forks a piece of barbequed chicken breast. “Sounds good. I’ve got some thoughts.”
Wyatt’s handsome face is alight with interest. “I’m anxious to hear them.”
“Let’s head out at first light,” Caden says.
Jackson juts a fork in his direction. “He taught me a few things, and that’s saying something.”
“Jackson thinks he knows everything, so that isdefinitelysaying something.” Wyatt nods at Caden, his expression satisfied. “Looking forward to it.”
“I aim to please,” Caden says.
I roll my eyes so hard I might pull a muscle.
Caden shifts his focus to me. “I’ll need to get set up in an office tomorrow so I can review all the schedules.”
“Your office is right next to mine.”
That was an excellent idea when Burt was manager, but now it seems ill conceived. Not anything I can do about it, though, so I’m the consummate professional. “Stop by when you’re done with Wyatt, and I’ll walk you through our systems.”
A sharp nod. “Anything you can give me to go over tonight would help me get a jump on the morning.”
My chin tilts. “I’m heading back after dinner. I’ll pull some stuff together. Also, if you get the paperwork done tonight, I’ll make sure you’re set up in our systems first thing.”