Reign A Romance Anthology - Nina Levine Page 0,281

friendly for an old girl like me.” She washes her hands in a separate sink for hands only, and I smile knowing Tori was particular about not washing hands in the kitchen sink.

Then Mum’s words hit me.

“You’re not old, Mum.” I can’t imagine losing Mum, only I can’t deny she has aged and won’t be around forever, even if it’s what I want to believe. Rhett has renovated the kitchen because it’s Tori and his future in this house. “What else have they renovated?” I ask bluntly. “I hope you had input because it’s your home.”

“Come see the new bathroom.” She smiles at me. “I have my own quarters now.”

She leads me to her room, which is sectioned off to give her privacy. The additional rooms were not visible from the side of the house.

“He’s extended the house and—” I stop and stare at the floor-to-ceiling windows with a small garden and fountain lit up at night as her personal haven. Beyond there, I envisage the orchard. “Wow. You always wanted your little garden outside your bedroom window.”

“Yes.” She beams and seeing her delight warms my heart. “They’ve done a magnificent job.”

I stride over to her and hug her tight. “If ever you want more, you tell me, okay? It’s never a problem, and I wish you’d let me spoil you. I love seeing this smile on your face, and I want to make you happy.”

“My dear boy, you’ve made me happy by coming home.” She tightens her arms around my waist. “Having you home gives me more joy than anything else. Having my boys at home with me at Christmas is the best Christmas present any mum could ask for. I know it’s harder for you, and I understood why you—”

“Hey, let’s not talk about it. I’m glad to be home.”

“And I bet you’re hungry. I have some warm apricot pie in the oven for your dessert. But first, let me get you some dinner.”

Last night, I sat with Mum on the back deck waiting for her homemade pie to settle before I headed to bed. I love Mum’s cooking, only it’s something I can’t frequently eat without the club’s dietician having a coronary if I told her the amount of sugar and butter Mum uses in her cooking. It’s why everything tastes so damn good.

After talking about meaningless things like the stars in the sky and the deep colour of this year’s crop, I went to bed before Rhett and Tori returned. I figured they stayed at the local pub and caught up with Rhett’s old friends.

Something I used to do.

Before…

Pots clang in the kitchen. The day before Christmas and no doubt Mum plans to feed us as though we haven’t eaten in a month. I swear her cooking had something to do with my abnormal height. I chuckle lightly imagining her overlooking us at mealtimes to ensure we ate everything on our plate. Fond memories were made here, most smothered by my nightmares.

“Morning,” I say when I wander into the kitchen.

Steam spirals from a half a dozen pots toward the new exhaust fan positioned over the stove.

“How many people are you cooking for?”

“Morning,” Mum sings without turning around. She keeps stirring a pot while I lean in and kiss her on the cheek.

“Do you want bacon and eggs? Tori collected fresh eggs this morning from the chook pen.”

She gives me a sideways glance, her gaze lowering to my underwear. A grin creeps across her lips. “Put some clothes on before you scare the girl.”

“Scare?” I remark. “Girls find my package impressive in these briefs.”

“Exactly,” she says without another look my way.

“You think she’ll notice my dick is bigger than Rhett’s?”

Mum shakes her head and sighs. “Always a competition right back from when you were toddlers.”

“What’s a competition?” Tori says from behind. I turn to my sister-in-law wandering into the kitchen from the back door. She looks nothing like the girl I knew when she worked on the television reality show, Contest, where she met my brother.

Tori’s hair is cut short in a pixie cut. Her skin is still flawless, but there’s not a hint of makeup, and her usually pale skin is more sun-kissed than I remember.

Unabashed, I fully turn, fists on hips, knowing her lips will part. I worked hard to get this body, and I’m not hiding it. My cock, well that’s good genes.

“The biggest dickus amongst my brothers.”

Her gaze lowers. “Oh,” she whispers, eyes wide. “I…” her gaze lifts and her cheeks turn a