“They knew where you hid stuff in the house. We drank all the watermelon drink mix.”
“I’m glad, Saylor. We’ll get some more.”
Pippa leaned close and said, “Add bacon to the grocery list. They’re going to eat that entire package. And by they, I mean us.” She pointed at all the women at the table who nodded, confirming Pippa’s statement.
“I’ll get more bacon too,” he promised.
“Max? Did you hide your spatulas?” Hank called.
“Koa torched the last one when he tried to make s’mores for the Littles on that rainy day,” Max told him. “Look in the junk drawer. I stashed the replacements there.”
“Does Koa really burn a lot of things?” Saylor whispered.
“Oh, yeah,” Giana answered for Max, making everyone laugh—including Koa. He scooped Giana out of her chair and sat back down with her on his lap.
“I’ll just keep the Littles company,” Koa said, completely unfazed by their teasing.
Used to hanging out at each other’s houses, the men worked together in the kitchen like a finely tuned machine. They bantered back and forth between each other and those at the table. Koa set the table and entertained the women as he held Giana. Saylor smiled and chatted with everyone.
By the time the guys joined them at the table with the stacks of golden-brown pancakes and a pile of bacon, Saylor looked at ease with the team. The men all claimed their little girl’s chair and held them close. Only Hank sat alone.
As the men buttered pancakes and debated the value of pure maple syrup, Saylor looked from one couple to the next. Max could hear her reciting their names as she memorized each of the men who went with her new friends. He guessed that being a teacher had some advantages. Her recall was excellent. Since she’d already mastered the women’s names last night, matching them with their daddies had come easily.
When she relaxed against him, Max kissed her temple before asking, “Are you okay, baby?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she whispered, calling him by that name in front of others for the first time. When all the Littles gave her a thumbs up, Saylor’s face turned bright pink. Max hugged her tight to reassure her that everything was perfect.
“I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to take care of the problem, but I’ll admit I’m glad to be home,” Max said.
The others echoed his statement.
“You won’t even miss your class, Max,” Hank reminded him.
“Oh, my God! What time is it?” Saylor panicked, looking around to find a clock.
“It’s eight-thirty, Saylor. When do you have to be at the university today?” Max asked. Instantly on alert, he was ready to help her if she needed to leave immediately, however he could.
“Ten. I thought I’d missed a class,” she said, slumping against him in relief.
“Then you have some time to eat a few more bites,” Max told her and offered her a forkful of the delicious treat.
“Why do these taste so good?” Saylor asked.
“Daddies have superpowers,” Aspen answered, and all the Littles agreed. A minute later, Aspen coughed into the crook of her elbow. “Sorry. The pancake tickled my throat.” The group laughed with her as the merits of Daddy-made pancakes gained huge praise.
Soon, everyone had eaten their fill, and the couples headed home. Each little girl hugged Saylor and promised they’d get together again soon. Max nodded at each of his team as they corralled the woman they loved from Max’s home. He understood their silent congratulations perfectly.
CHAPTER 12
“Hey, I’m back,” Saylor called as she walked into Max’s house. His truck was gone but she still announced her presence just in case. The sound echoed in the space.
Trying not to touch anything, she walked to the island and spotted a note. He’d run to pick up groceries and would be back soon. Heading for the laundry room, Saylor stripped off her clothes and dumped them in the washing machine. She’d start a load of laundry after showering. Shivering as she walked naked to the bathroom, Saylor quickened her pace.
After letting the water heat, she stepped into the spray. Her entire room had coughed and hacked throughout the two-hour class. The university had warned the staff in an email she read yesterday that the student health center reported a spike in illnesses on campus in the last week. She hadn’t noticed any problem until today. If her class was anything to judge by, whatever was going around was highly contagious. Rinsing off the germs might seem simplistic, but the strategy had kept her healthy.
Quickly, she washed her hair before spreading conditioner on the tresses. She left that to soak in as she lathered her skin. Saylor hovered under the hot spray. She hadn’t brought any sweats from home. Surely, Max had some she could cinch tight around her waist.
A sudden feeling that someone watched her made Saylor spin around. “Daddy! I didn’t hear you come in.”
