“Is Eric around?” Ron asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure he heard your truck. We were going to head inside for some lunch. It’s Chuck’s turn to cook,” Ben stated then cringed.
“Sorry, sweetheart, but we can’t take responsibility for what Chuck came up with for lunch,” Charlie teased as he took her hand and led her toward the main house.
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She noticed that Ron headed back toward his truck smiling.
“Aren’t you staying, Ron?” she asked, feeling a little concerned not knowing any of these men.
“You’re in good hands, Stacy. Eric will be here shortly,” he stated then got into his truck. The other cousin followed them inside the house.
Stacy absorbed the décor, the large fireplace, and the huge kitchen. It was a cook’s fantasy come true. Then, to top it off, there was a walk-in freezer. Holy crap.
Some bulky-looking guy was burning something by the stove.
“Smells like shit, Chuck!” Ben teased as he waved his hand to a chair by the table for Stacy to sit on. She smiled but didn’t move.
“Fuck you Ben—”
Chuck stopped midsentence as he stared at Stacy. “Who is she?” he inquired, eyeing Stacy from head to toe but zoning in on her breasts as smoke filled the stove behind him.
“Chuck! You’re burning something!” Charlie yelled, and Chuck turned off the stove and threw the pan into the extra-deep sink and ran water over it. It made the smoke and the smell worse.
“Do you need some help?” she offered.
Chuck eyed her over again. “I got it, doll. Why don’t you sit down and let whichever one of these bozos who’s trying to get into your pants make you something to drink. I’ve got it covered,” Chuck stated angrily.
How dare he speak to her that way and assume that she was sleeping with Ben or Charlie.
“I’m the new cook, Chuck, not the new fuck toy. So maybe you’d like to haul ass out of here and let someone who knows what they’re doing cook.”
Charlie and Ben roared with laughter as Chuck threw down the dish towel and scowled at her. “You’re the new cook? I thought I was cooking?” He directed his question toward Charlie and Ben.
“Nope. Max and Eric hired her.” Charlie offered the information as Chuck turned red in anger.
“She’s a tiny little thang. How the hell is she going to cook breakfast for twelve men by five in the morning and cook lunch by noontime and dinner by seven o’clock every night?” he asked.
Charlie was about to answer when Stacy raised her hand for him to go no further, and she approached Chuck.
“Is this where we drop our pants and have a pissing contest just to see who’s going to be the better cook?” she asked.
Chuck widened his eyes, and Stacy could hear the muffled laughter behind her, but she didn’t bother to look, despite the added sound of more footsteps entering the kitchen. There was probably a crowd of cowboys behind her gawking.
“Honey, a pissing contest would be the last thing on my mind to do with you with our drawers down,” Chuck stated then winked. Stacy smirked.
“How about we cook together and you show me where everything is? If I screw this up, you can have the job because I’ll need to go find work elsewhere.”
He stuck his hand out to shake her hand. “You got yourself a deal, sexy,” he stated, and then they shook hands. He leaned closer and whispered to her with his eyes still focused on her breasts.
“Anytime you want to drop them drawers, you let old Chuck know.”
“Hell she won’t!” someone yelled, and Stacy realized that it was Eric. She looked toward him, and she nearly lost her breath from the sight. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, and he was wearing a dark-blue button-down shirt that was dusted with dirt, cowboy boots, and a scowl that told her she was in a bit of trouble.
“We were just getting acquainted, Eric. This is some real fine cook you and Max hired. She’s got a mouth on her and a body—”
“Enough! She’s with me and Max. You got it?” Eric stated firmly as Charlie and Ben continued to find the entire situation amusing.