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“I don’t know. We don’t know the kind of person she is.”

“She seems compassionate, sweet and perhaps a little feisty at times, only because I’ve never met a girl that wasn’t terrified of Gage when he gets all Gagey. But I don’t know… there’s something about her that seems like she’s a good one. You took a chance on all of us. Why can’t we do the same for her?”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Well, the house is still standing.” Calix chimed from up ahead. “She didn’t burn it down, now only to hope she followed my directions and cooked an edible dinner.”

“It better be edible.” Gage snapped.

“Oh Gagey poo. I see swinging your axe did little for your mood today.” Enzo teased.

“Shut it Enzo.”

“Maybe Gage needs a female figure around to give him the love his mother never did.” Enzo retorted.

Gage stopped walking and turned to face Enzo. “You leave my fucking mother out of this.” His nose was touching Enzo’s and his finger was pointed right near his eye. After a beat, he turned around and continued to walk with the others.

“I think I peed myself a little.” Enzo rebounded.

I shot a glance over at him, silently pleading for him to leave Gage alone. They always seemed to have this love hate battle going on, but for whatever reason, Scarlett seemed to bring out the worst in both of them.

We kicked our shoes off and walked in to find Scarlett standing in the kitchen with an apron tied around her waist, her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun with flour spread across her hair and face.

“Oh my God! You’re home!” She looked over our shoulders. “It’s dark out, of course you’re home.” She spat off, frazzled.

“Have a good day?” Enzo asked, walking into the kitchen to look over her shoulder.

She looked at him, and I saw it there in her eyes. She was smitten with him. Great! I thought. I hate being the bad guy!

“I did. I changed all your bed linens, washed the sheets, and folded them. Washed your clothes and put them back in your drawers, cleaned the house, and harvested the vegetables in the garden. I also collected the eggs from the henhouse and went hunting to replenish your stock of fowl and rabbit.”

“You did all that today?”

“And I cooked.” She laughed, using her arm to brush the fallen piece of hair out of her face. “I’m just so appreciative of you letting me stay here. It was the least I could do.”

“I can think of something else.” Gage mumbled, walking up the stairs.

“Name it! I’ll do it.”

All the boys looked around at one another. “I think you did plenty today.” I smiled.

“Wait.” Enzo said, counting on his fingers. “That means tomorrow we can sleep in. We don’t have to wash clothes, change our beds or work in the garden because she’s already done it.” He started hopping up and down. “You’re amazing!”

She laughed a beautiful, melodic laugh. “I really am thankful.” She looked directly at me as if she knew what I had to tell her.

“Ok.” I looked around and saw Enzo still.

“We’re going to go take a shower and talk about you staying here and while you’re getting cleaned up after us, we will vote on it. Know that no matter what we decide, it’s not a reflection of you. There are just certain dynamics we have to maintain.”

“Understood.”

She looked down and continued stirring the bowl of whatever she was mixing.

“Let’s head to the showers, boys.”

“Dinner will be ready when you come back down and the cake will be in the oven.”

“Cake?” Calix called over his shoulder to Dresden.