“Wow, Mummy, look at all the pretty feathers.” Sophie climbed off my lap.
“Sophie, you can’t go over there yet.” I tried to grab her arm.
“Hey Miss Sophie, why don’t you come stand by me for a minute.” Trey distracted her from going to the table. “I want to show you my egg.”
“Your bum nut is still the prettiest, Mr. Trey.” Sophie ran her finger across his egg. “I love those feathers over there.”
“Me too. I can’t wait to touch all of them,” I heard him say.
Trey winked at me once he had Sophie next to him. It was then that I realized that there was something worse than the effect his dimples had on me.
Seriously? This is ridiculous.
“Be careful girl, these Hawthorne men are charming,” I heard Imogen say next to me.
Chapter 9
Trey
I should have been watching the trays being brought in, but I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to keep looking at Chloe, although it was a little harder now with the bunny head off.
Shoot, Mia is watching me. Has she figured me out?
“Wow, Mummy look at the pretty feathers,” I heard Sophie say.
Feathers? For Easter eggs?
“This is the final round, boys and girls. You have ten minutes to get your feathers and decorate,” Mom announced. “Then we can have some lunch. I know you have to be hungry by now.”
“I’m definitely ready for lunch.” Asher leaned back and stretched. “I might as well quit. I never win anyways. Trey, are you going to win again?
“Of course I’m going to win again,” I called back to him. “Miss Sophie just said mine is the prettiest.”
I looked to Chloe as I called Sophie over to me. I wasn’t expecting the adorable blush when I winked.
Am I shameless to be using the daughter for Chloe’s attention? Nah, I like Sophie. I wouldn’t do that. I don’t need kids to get a woman’s attention.
“What’s with the goofy look on your face, Three?” Murphy stood looking at me. “Never mind, I know what the look is, but let it go.”
“What?” I asked, focusing on my egg.
“Don’t ‘what?’ me. Just this morning you asked Mom for your own Mia.”
“Yeah, and…?” I asked without looking at her. “She’s not Mia.”
“Oh please, if she were any more Mia they’d be matching girls,” Murphy chirped back.
We both laughed at Murphy’s use of “matching girls”. Kids always amazed me. Diana rang the final bell and began picking up all the supplies, then scurried, as only she does, to the doorway holding a full supply tray, then turned with a nod to my mother.
“Lunch is ready if we’re done with our decorating,” Mom announced. “Chloe, we’re so happy to have you here with us for Easter.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Hawthorne. We’re excited to be here and appreciate your hospitality,” Chloe answered. “Easter Bilby, or Bunny as you say, was a perfect touch for Sophie.”
“Where did Bilby go, Mummy?” Sophie asked, rubbing her eyes.
“He went to make sure the Easter eggs are hidden for our big Easter egg hunt after lunch,” Mom said. “It will be lots of fun. Now, are you hungry?”
“Yes, I didn’t eat all of my brekkie,” Sophie said. “I was too tired.”
“Then maybe you need a short nap before the egg hunt?” Mom put her hand out for Sophie to take.
“Go ahead, baby, you can go with Miss Victoria,” Chloe said. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Everyone casually strolled from the dining room to a dining room larger than the egg-decorating one. Mother did like to have her fancy meals for guests, even for lunch. Everyone spread out around the table to their usual favorite spots. Mia stood back with Chloe looking around the room.
“Miss Sophie, are you ready to sit at this very big table to eat like a princess?” I asked.
“Mummy already said we’re gonna have lunch at this house, so I guess so,” Sophie stated proudly.
“Okay then, come sit by me, Miss Sophie, and tell me all about your plane ride,” I then turned to Chloe. “Chloe, I’d love to hear all about you and your visit to our part of the world as well.”
“Of course, I’ll sit on the other side of Sophie,” Chloe said, following us.
“Did you know Easter Bilby was here?” Sophie asked, following me to the table.
“Yes, I saw him leaving when I got here,” I said with a wink at Chloe, now noticing she was holding a box. “Chloe, do you need help with that?”
“I….um, made some treats from back home. I didn’t really know what everyone would like, so it’s a mixture,” Chloe said.
“You made treats for us?” I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
“I couldn’t help myself. I love making biscuits,” Chloe said nervously. “Would you like to taste one, Trey?”
She bit her bottom lip and scrunched up her nose in the most adorable nervous tic I’d ever seen. I was pretty sure she wasn’t trying to flirt with me, but she was. She wasn’t offering anyone else a taste. I looked around the room at several pairs of eyes watching us.
“Mummy, you can’t have biscuits before lunch,” Sophie scolded.
“You’re so right, Sophie,” Chloe said. “We’ll have them after lunch, or after the Easter egg hunt.”
“Mummy, if I eat all my lunch, can I do the Easter egg hunt?” Sophie pleaded, climbing up into her chair at the table. “I won’t run, I promise.”
I exchanged a look with Parker. I knew not to ask too many questions. Parker knew something though. He was watching Sophie closely, too. I would find out later what was going on.
Lunch was a flurry of conversations and jokes. There was a lot of talk about who was going to win the hunt this year.
“Does everyone do the Easter egg hunt?” Chloe asked, leaning close enough to whisper to me.
Her breath on my neck made the moment explosive to my senses, which were already in overdrive. I could feel the family talking around us, I could hear Sophie talking to me, but right then, my attention was focused on Chloe’s breath sending goose bumps down my neck, until the doctor in me heard the little cough beside me.
“Yes, we all hunt, usually in teams, and it not only can, but will, get intense. So eat all your vegetables,” I said with a grin. “Now, Miss Sophie, I see you finished most of your lunch. Do you like chocolate milk with your biscuits? I placed my hand on her back.
“I love moo juice, it’s my favorite,” Sophie said around another cough.
Okay, pulse seems alright. Why is this little one looking so ill?
“Parker, can you help me make some chocolate milk for Sophie?” I nodded toward the kitchen, hoping Parker picked up on the meaning behind the question.
With a nod, Parker excused himself to follow me to the kitchen.
“We’ll be right back with your moo juice, Miss Sophie, and maybe your mommy will let us try her biscuits,” I said. “Does anyone want coffee or tea?”
Diana scurried into the kitchen behind us, pushing her glasses back up her nose. “What is going on in my kitchen?” She looked at the spilled milk and syrup drips on her pristine counters. “Since when do you two make chocolate milk?”