“Internal cameras are shut down when the men are home.”
I let out a sigh of relief.
Thank God for that.
I poured the sauce over the eggs and set the pan aside. I handed Mace a plate (three eggs, three thick pieces of bacon, three muffins, it was a lot of food but he was a big guy) with a fork and knife and turned my attention to my own plate (one egg, I wasn’t a big breakfast type of person).
We stood in the kitchen, plates on the counter, bodies sideways, eating standing up (I real y needed to consider investing in a dining room table, how I was going to do that and send money home, I had no idea but I figured it was time to start pushing the guitar lessons gig).
I was busy eating and my mind was busy thinking.
Instead of feeling relaxed and happy that Mace was there and we were “good”, not to mention we’d had great sex (twice), I was tense and slightly freaked out. I couldn’t shift from what had gone down the last week, my despair of the last year, straight into back together with Mace al is hunky dory.
First, I was worried about our conversation this morning, not only the “more” Mace told me we had to talk about but also I was worried for him and whatever he was going to tel me about his sister.
And second, my life was stil a shambles.
With my head fil ed with these things, it took awhile for me to feel the pleasant warmth sweeping up the back of my neck.
I lifted my gaze to see Mace’s eyes were on me. They were warm and sweet and his lips were turned up at the ends.
“What?” I asked.
“Missed your cooking, Kitten.” Came his soft answer.
“Don’t know anyone who can whip up eggs benedict like she was makin’ toast.”
I was guessing he liked his eggs.
There it went, freak out obliterated.
I smiled at him.
He smiled back.
He had a great smile.
Why did we spend a week fighting with him? My brain asked me.
Oh shut up, I told my brain.
Mace’s attention went back to his plate and he forked into another egg. “Hank’s started a col ection.” I was chewing so I swal owed, chased the eggs with some coffee and asked, “A col ection?”
He didn’t answer my question, instead he said,
“Everyone’s in, including Marcus, Malcolm and Tom. Hank’l go after Tod and Stevie and Shirleen when you and I come out. They got about fifteen large so far.” I was confused and not fol owing. “Fifteen large what?”
“Fifteen large dol ars.”
I stared at him.
“Sorry, Mace,” I explained. “I’m not fol owing.” His eyes went from his plate to me. “For your folks.” Gut kick. It wasn’t unpleasant but for a moment it was paralyzing.
I jerked out of my temporary paralysis and asked, “Hank did a col ection for my Mom and Dad and, in one day, they’ve got fifteen thousand dol ars?”
Mace nodded, eyes back to his plate, he kept talking.
“Luke’s loaded, so is Lee. Darius has got money put away.