believed her real personality would elicit outright disapproval.
That vibrant light in her eyes, the light he hated and loved equally, dimmed whenever they were around her family. But family was supposed to love you no matter what. It made him angry that they wouldn’t immediately embrace the amazing woman she’d become. And that just wouldn’t do.
“We’ve been to all three of your family’s restaurants,” Ian said from the other end of the table. “All top notch. Delicious food.”
“Thank you.”
“Cole makes the best chicken lime tacos I’ve ever eaten,” Penn blurted, doing her best to pretend she didn’t care that Dave was holding his finger near her face, but not touching. Apparently, Dave hadn’t grown up.
But once again, Penn had come to his rescue to further validate his cooking skills, because that’s what she always did, had always done, for three damn years.
Why had he kissed her in the bathroom? All it did was scramble his brain and make him forget why he was really here. To return her kindness and help her win that cup. At least he’d had enough sense to walk away before he fucked her.
Don’t be a perv, Murphy.
“Tacos?” Cathy laughed. “Well, he definitely learned the way to your heart.”
“We had to have them once a week when we were kids because of Pennie,” Dave explained.
“Well, I’d make them every day if she asked.” It’s not like he could ever verbalize a thank you. Cooking was the only way he knew how to say it, without having to say it.
“Sounds like something a boyfriend would say.” Christine smiled at him from across the table. She seemed like the quiet one, but so far, the blatant teasing had come from her.
He was not boyfriend material.
“You two have separate rooms, right?” Cathy looked horrified. “Because Mom and Dad didn’t let Ian and I sleep in the same room until we were married.”
Penn groaned, and not in pleasure. She hid her face in her hands, mumbling her words. “We’re not dating, Cathy, of course we have separate rooms.” Then she looked up, right at her father, as if the validation of their “just friends” status was necessary.
“You Madewood boys sure do love the spotlight,” her mother said, then quickly took a sip of her pink-colored drink. Her blond hair was sculpted into a perfect bob, which she habitually tucked behind her ears.
Cole’s stomach dropped. He hated when the conversation turned to their celebrity status—a side effect of being adopted by a rich socialite. But it was something he wanted no part of. “Some of us more than others.”
“I thought it was just awful how someone put your brother’s private moment online last year,” Cathy said.
Last summer, Neil and his girlfriend, Carson Kelly, were taped having sex in the kitchen of his new restaurant, before they had opened the doors. Luckily, the business hadn’t suffered because of it.
“I called Pennie as soon as I saw it,” Cathy said as little Andy snuggled up between them and sat in her lap. “Some people have no boundaries.”
“Cathy might have a Google alert set for ‘Madewood,’” Ian said, outing his wife.
She waved him off. “You make it seem like I’m a stalker.”
“Not a stalker, honey.” Ian winked at her from across the table. “Just nosy.”
Cole hated the fact that people wanted to be nosy and get the details on his private life. He did his best not to indulge in anything that might be considered a good news story. If there was going to be any press on him, he wanted it to be about the Boys and Girls Club, not about who he might or might not be screwing.
The interrogation continued while they ate their meal. Mostly from her siblings. Penn’s father remained quiet at the head of the table.
Cole scarfed down a T-bone steak with scalloped potatoes and a Caesar salad. It was delicious. His steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare.
When their plates were cleared, Penn visited with her niece and nephew at the other end of the table. She was good with them. Smiling and happy. Interested in what they had to say. She’d be a great mom.
Parenting was something Cole had never learned. It wasn’t until Vivian had taken him in that he’d experienced the unconditional love of a real parent. But after the many years as an alone and neglected child, what if he came by those traits honestly? If so, he should steer clear of procreation.
“Perfect timing,” her father said as a server brought around a tray