AllFreeNovel
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“Our cook,” Stanford says.
“She was,” Nathan says quietly. “Thirty years ago.” He directs it to Crew, but Stanford hears him.
“What do you mean? She made my breakfast this morning,” Stanford says, frowning. “She always makes my eggs just how I like them.”
I know from experience that it’s better to just go along with him when he gets his timing mixed up. Arguing simply doesn’t matter. And one of the sweetest things I’ve seen is how gentle Nathan is with him, even when I know it breaks his heart.
“She makes perfectly poached eggs,” Nathan agrees, easily switching gears. “And her hollandaise sauce is excellent.”
“Oh, you are so an eggs benedict guy,” Crew says, also adjusting on the fly. He leans in toward Stanford. “But so am I.” He winks.
Stanford grins. “I like mine with smoked salmon instead of ham.”
“Never had it that way,” Crew says. “But I have had it with pulled pork instead.” He puts his fingers to his lips and kisses the tips with a smack. “Delicious.”
“I’ll have to make you eggs benedict my way,” Michael says. “I use crab cakes.”
Crew grasps Michael’s arm with one hand and puts the other over his own heart. “Yes. Oh my God, yes.”
“I want to try that too,” Stanford says. “That sounds amazing.”
“Michael’s an amazing cook,” I tell him. “You need to try his stuffed French toast too.”
“I can’t wait,” Stanford says. “I love brunch.”
“Me too,” I tell him. And I do. I’ve always loved brunch, but since Michael became my personal chef, Ireallylove brunch. And I’m even willing to give up the regular naked brunches we have at Nathan’s if Stanford is able to come.
“Oh, Stanford, hey, I brought you something,” Crew says, reaching for the gift bag. He slides it across the floor to set it at Stanford’s feet.
Stanford’s eyes light up. “A Christmas present?”
“Yep,” Crew tells him. “I hope you like it.”
Stanford leans over and digs through the black and silver tissue paper Crew and Michael stuffed in on top of the skates. He withdraws a skate, holds it up, and reads Crew’s signature.
His eyes widen, and he looks up at Nathan. “Look at this!”
Nathan smiles and nods. “Pretty great, right?”
Stanford looks at Crew again. “You got me skates signed by Andrew Mars? That’s amazing!”
He really does look like a little kid in that moment.
Crew opens his mouth, but Nathan says quickly, “Of course. He’s your favorite hockey player, right?”
“Definitely!”
Crew clamps his mouth shut. Nathan is grinning, and I know it’s in part because his grandfather is so happy. But it’s also because Stanford is excited over a different hockey player now.
I can’t wait to hear the banter between these two about this.
We visit for another thirty minutes, enjoying the cookies and listening to Stanford talk about Andrew Mars who was, evidently, an amazing hockey forward in the nineties that Stanford tried to recruit, unsuccessfully, to the Racketeers for years.
We finally decide it’s time to go when Stanford starts to nod off. Crew and Michael both shake Stanford’s hand. I hug him and give him a kiss on the cheek, and watch Nathan hug him as well. Val leans over and hugs him, and whispers something in his ear.
Then Stanford calls out, “Kick ass tonight, McNeill!”
Crew and Michael are nearly to the door. Crew stops and turns back with a grin. “Will do, Mr. Armstrong.”
