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“No, please stay out here,” I said and waved my hand dismissively.
His mouth dropped, and I burst into laughter.
“Of course you’re welcome, Ezio. You can drive the vehicle inside so it’s not blocking our drive, please.”
Dan put his arm around Caleb’s shoulders and whispered to him as they walked up to the house.
“I’m going to start cooking breakfast,” I told Caleb as I jogged past him and Dan.
I had a sneaking suspicion that Dan’s arrival timed with the hybrids’ arrivals was not coincidental.
“Do you want help?” Branson asked, as he followed me inside.
“Sure, can you grab the large metal bowl from the top shelf?”
While he got the bowl, I opened the fridge and took out the pack of five dozen eggs, a pound of bacon, and a gallon of milk.
He rinsed out the bowl, then set it on the island for me.
“Pancakes or waffles?” I asked as I began cracking the eggs into the bowl.
“Waffles would be my choice,” he said, “but pancakes are easier to cook multiple of at once, and if you’re making it for so many people, the pancakes seem like the easier option.”
“We need to buy more waffle makers, so I have the option to make multiple at once,” I said and grabbed the flour to start making the pancake batter. “Pancakes are good, too, though.”
“What?” Caleb shouted from the dining room where he and Dan were talking.
“Uh oh, sounds like something important is happening,” Branson commented.
“Why don’t you go check it out and report back?” I suggested. “You can be my spy.”
He chuckled. “I’m a bit large to be a spy.”
“You’re the muscle part of the spy group, not the one who climbs through the air ducts, obviously,” I said with a smile.
He swatted my butt as he walked by. “I like the way you think.”
It wasn’t often I made food for a lot of people, so I really wanted to do it right. Losing myself to the tasks at hand, I was able to get the food ready without distraction or interruption. When I finished, I smiled proudly at all of the food. “Breakfast is ready!” I shouted.
“We know,” Dan said from the other side of the island.
I jerked my head up, eyes wide. Dan, Caleb, and Branson all stood, smiling as they faced me.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize you were all here.”
“That became apparent when I asked you something and you ignored me,” Caleb said.
“What were you all talking about?” I asked. “What proposal did you bring?” I looked between Dan and Caleb.
“You know we have a few houses built already, enough for most of the ones who came today, but we need more,” Caleb said.
I nodded. They had moved forward with building several houses deeper in the forest on the chance that our announcement would bring hybrids to us. Clearly, it had been a good idea.
“I’ve offered to send my construction crew to help build more, but I have a favor,” Dan said.
“What kind of favor?” I asked suspiciously.
“I’d like to borrow Branson for a job. It’s going to take him away for two weeks,” Dan explained.
