Page 23 of My Haven (Bewitched and Bewildered #16)

When they got home Ryuu, Pierce, and the boys took Meryn to her room to lay down. Genevieve was happy to see that the ingredients she asked for, were waiting for her on the counter.

Looking around she began to really appreciate the kitchen.

The large island had a sink, which made it a perfect place for prep work.

The cabinets were a natural light wood which contrasted sharply with the dark wooden floors.

Herbs hung over the island with the stainless steel and copper pots.

Not only did he have a brick oven, but also a triple oven unit built into the wall.

It carried an old world feel, with modern conveniences like a refrigerator and dishwasher.

“Need anything else?” Caiden asked.

“You wouldn’t happen to have an apron, would you?”

She was intrigued to see that his ears turned red as he pulled a drawer open. He passed her a folded apron. When she shook it out, she realized it was an old Care Bears apron. “Is this yours?”

He nodded. “Amelia picked it out for me after I complained that my uniforms kept getting messy while cooking.”

“Oh my god, that’s adorable.”

“I wouldn’t trade that apron for anything,” he said.

“You must have gotten teased terribly.”

He shrugged. “Not really. I knew anyone who said anything was just jealous Amelia got me something,” he said smugly.

“Good to know you are secure in your masculinity,” she said, washing the vegetables.

He took advantage of her hands being in water to come up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. “There’s not a thing wrong with my masculinity.”

She enjoyed his warmth for a few seconds before moving to rinse the carrots. “You’re a danger to my senses.”

He chuckled. “Good.”

“If you have nothing better to do than tease me, can you find the broth?”

Caiden looked around and frowned when he saw the carton of store-bought broth. “I have canned bone broth if you prefer that.”

“Absolutely. I prefer homemade as much as possible, but not to the point of it being exclusive.”

“How so?” he asked.

She pointed to the carton of broth. “Take the broth for example. In some videos, content creators will blast people for using store bought, so those viewers don’t make homemade soup at all.

Cooking is not an all or nothing endeavor.

If you don’t have time for making broth, then buy it.

If you can’t cut up vegetables, buy them pre-cut.

I always tell my viewers to do whatever it takes to make eating healthier easy on them. ”

Caiden went to a side cabinet and pulled out a large mason jar. “I’ve read a lot of the comments on your videos. People thank you for being realistic.”

She shrugged. “A working mother of two is already struggling for most day-to-day things. Making organic sourdough starter from scratch and growing their own vegetables just isn’t feasible.”

Caiden popped the jar’s lid and handed it to her. “I could have used that advice when I was raising Amelia.”

She added the broth and the vegetables. “How did you end up raising your sister?”

“Unbeknownst to me and my brothers, my parents were actually on an important mission when Amelia was born. To keep her safe, she was left with us.” He exhaled loudly.

“We had no idea what to do. Gods! She was this tiny thing with huge eyes that were just like ours. If she even whimpered, we were tripping over ourselves to soothe her.”

He pointed to the kitchen. “I learned to cook because of her.”

“How so?”

Caiden’s face became unreadable. “She got sick, really sick, and it was because we weren’t giving her the right foods.

As I said, we really didn’t know what we were doing.

So, I learned. Everything. How to grow vegetables, how to make bread, how to can, anything and everything I would need to know, to give her the best food possible, so she would never get sick again. ”

“She sounds very lucky to have had you.” Genevieve hesitated, then asked. “I know Amelia is your sister, but how could she have been so cherished and Meryn so neglected?”

Caiden growled low in his throat. “We didn’t know she even existed!” He took a deep breath and leaned against the counter. “Her grandmother never even told mother that Meryn had been born. She knew mother would have come for her in a second.”

“If she didn’t want to care for Meryn, why keep her?”

“From what I have heard, Meryn’s grandmother believed mother to be one step away from devil worship. In her mind she was Meryn’s savior for keeping her from such an influence.”

“Devil worship? Did she know your dad was a witch?”

Caiden laughed. “Devil worship, as in mother wanted to wear pants and have an opinion.”

“Oh.” She added the chicken, then began organizing the spices. “Would you have taken Meryn in too?”

“In a fucking heartbeat,” he answered immediately.

“That’s a very strong stance,” she said.

“It’s hard to explain. In the paranormal world, kids are few and far between. Most families cherish all children.”

“That orphanage tells a different tale,” she pointed out.

“The orphanage is a recent development, it only came about in the last one-hundred years or so.”

She blinked. “The last one-hundred years is a ‘recent’ development for you?”

He watched her and answered slowly. “Yes?”

“I am definitely in a different world.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“I’m still making that determination. Back to the kids,” she said, measuring out the poultry seasoning.

“The orphanage started as a sort of creche for parents taking long assignments, then it just evolved into what it is today. Because birth rates are relatively low, all children are treasured. It’s the society of Storm Keep that changed, not paranormals in general,” he said.

“So, because kids are rare, you would have taken in Meryn, who wasn’t even a blood relative?”

Caiden nodded smiling. “It would have been hard, but we would have done it and gladly.” His smile faded. “It actually hurts,” he said, rubbing his sternum. “Knowing that she was out there and suffering, when we would have loved her.”

Genevieve took in his expression. The man genuinely felt pain, for not saving his sister’s cousin, when he had no way of knowing she even existed. “I think you’ll make an amazing father.”

His head snapped up to look at her. “Do you mean you are ready to have a child?”

Her hands jerked and she spilled some of the salt she had been measuring. “I mean eventually. I sort of forgot we are this destined pair for a second. You just seemed amazing to me.”

Caiden looked confused. “Thank you… I think.”

She busied herself with finishing up the soup and setting it to simmer. She had known him less than twenty-four hours, but he already felt like a safe haven to her. “This mating thing, does it make you fall in love?”

“Why, do you love me already?” he teased.

When she stayed quiet, he hurried over to her and pulled her against his chest. “Are you not fighting the mating at all?” he asked, looking surprised.

“Why the shock?” she asked, poking his chest.

“Because in all my dreams of you, you looked perfectly happy. I wasn’t sure if you really needed me,” he confessed.

“There’s a difference between being wanted and being needed. Before I met you, you’re right, I didn’t need a guy in my life. My days were filled with doing what I loved and traveling to new places. That doesn’t mean I didn’t want more.”

“You wanted me?” he asked.

She nodded. “In my dreams, I had somewhere to return to. Someone waiting at the door.” She pointed to the apron she was wearing. “Maybe even wearing an apron.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“Isn’t it better to be wanted, than needed?”

He grinned. “I guess that depends on how secure that person is.”

“Exactly. I would prefer to be wanted, to be chosen, than a need that has to be filled. Does that make sense?”

“It does. I was worried that you wouldn’t need me, I never thought about what it would mean for you to want me to be there.”

“Just be patient with me. Your world is scary and I’m doing my best,” she confessed.

“My middle name is patience.”

“It is not.”

“Sure, it is. Caiden Patience Ironwood.”

She laughed and rested her head on his chest. “Can we do a real date?”

“You mean like a meal neither of us has prepared?” he asked.

She sighed. “By going out, we run a huge risk of hating the food huh?”

Caiden rubbed her back. “I have an idea, let me see what I can do.”

She looked up. “Really?”

“If it is something you want, it is my job to provide it.”

“I could really get used to that.”

“Good. Now, the soup has a few hours to simmer. Meryn is probably napping. Let me make a few phone calls. We could sneak away for a late lunch.”

She began to get excited. “What kind of restaurant?”

“It’s a surprise. Go change.”

“Dress code?”

“Comfortable,” he said.

She stared. “Dress and sandals it is.”

“I said, comfortable.”

“Men never really mean comfortable. If I truly wanted to be comfortable, I’d wear sweats.”

He grinned. “Wear jeans and whatever top you want. No sandals, boots would be better.”

“Okay, now I’m really intrigued.”

“Meet me downstairs in an hour.”

“You have yourself a date.”

*****

She was waiting for him in the foyer fifty-eight minutes later. Since he had suggested jeans and boots, she opted for a short sleeve blouse with a dress sweater over it.

“You look perfect,” Caiden said, walking up in a perfectly pressed uniform.

“You look edible,” she said, eying how the shirt was tucked against his trim waist.

“We could stay in,” he said, pointing up the stairs.

“You promised me a date.”

He smiled and looked at his watch. “Our ride should be here any minute.”

She looked around. “Should we wait outside?”

“You’ll see.”