“That smells incredible,” Cade said as he snagged one of the carrots from the pile of veggies I’d chopped earlier.
“What are you making?” Wilder asked, stepping up to the other side to peer around me. Just like with Kieran, his comforting scent of ink, books and pine was strong enough to cut through everything else. I swear, if the library had an intoxicating scent, it would be his.
“Bacon for now. It has a way of making anything taste better,” I said. “I went for a leaner cut, but a little flavor and fat never killed anyone. Especially when it’s paired with the right things.”
The door banged open, breaking the spell the pack put me under.
“She’s back! Thank the hockey gods! They heard us,” Murphy, the second-line center, called out as he walked in, being as extra as usual.
He eyed the guys around me, and I had a feeling he wasn’t too pleased about their show the other night. Tension quickly rose in the air, but the guys retreated, giving Murphy space to get what he needed. Though, I never felt their eyes leave me.
Maybe if they took the time to explain what happened, the other players would understand, but they were too busy keeping everything to themselves.
“I’m starving. Did you make any of those smoothies?” Murphy asked, ignoring the guys completely now.
“Yes. Yours is in the fridge. Your name is on it,” I said, waving a hand over my shoulder.
He snagged one, shaking it up before taking a sip and groaning. “These are fantastic. I could get used to this. We have to convince Coach to keep you.”
“From the sound of it, it’s not up to Coach,” Lennon supplied. “It’s up to the owners.”
Murphy gave him a side-eye but didn’t argue. “We’ll convince them, then,” he said to me. It was a promise. His smile faltered as he gave the others a quick glare and walked out.
For the next hour, every time the guys tried to strike up a conversation, another player walked in. The arena was coming to life now that practice was only twenty minutes away.
“Finally,” Mason groaned dramatically when the last player had their smoothie and practice started.
On practice days, I was only required to feed them one meal, but I made sure they had snacks and other quick things to grab when they came in at other times. I’d noticed a few of the rookies liked to come in and skate a little extra afterwards.
“Hey, nobody asked you guys to hang out,” I pointed out.
“It sounded like a good idea at the time,” Lennon said with a sigh. “But I have to admit, this isn’t my thing. I’m going to leave it to the rest of you.”
“I’ll join you. We’ll catch up with you later,” Kieran said, giving me a wink before they both left.
Cade, Mason, and Wilder made no attempts to step away. In fact, Mason was already sprawled out on one of the stools, leaning over the counter and watching me work. He let his eyes roam lower when he saw I was watching, making it clear he was enjoying the view.
I’d opted for workout pants that hugged my ass, and he was clearly a fan. Then again, the delta was always looking at me like that.
I swear they were going to be the death of me.
“Is it going to bother you if I watch?” Wilder asked. He was eyeing the stove, so I took it he meant an entirely different level of watching than the other two. It was a welcome distraction.
“Of course not.” I grinned. “If you have questions, ask away.”
He’d mentioned he was familiar with baking, but hopeless with cooking. Maybe he’d learn a thing or two. I could certainly do the same with his baking.
I threw a mix of greens into the pan, sautéing them with a little olive oil, explaining my plans as I went.
“Sprinkle some of that bacon, would you?” I asked Wilder.
He washed his hands quickly before doing as I asked. Honestly, I was used to cooking alone. It was kind of nice having someone in the kitchen with me. I glanced back, catching Cade’s gaze. The alpha might be quiet, but his presence was almost loud. I felt him standing there, watching us, smiling slightly to himself, observing more than anything.
It didn’t feel oppressive, and I honestly loved having him close.
Mason shifted, singing along to my music as he played some kind of game on his phone, commenting and flirting from time to time, but he seemed to be just existing with us now.
It was the exact kind of presence I needed in my life. The easy kind where they weren’t obligated to be here or forcing themselves. Hell, Lennon and Kieran went off to do other things, which only made me feel better.
