She peeks over and rolls her eyes. “Mrs. Burberry. She scolded me yesterday for having too many chocolate chips in the pancakes. Too. Many. Chocolate. Chips.” Maize blows out an annoyed breath. “Whoever heard of such a thing?”
At the mention of pancakes, I grab myself a couple.
“Don’t worry, Maze. I love your grub.” I flash her a grin.
“Don’t call it grub, or you’ll be on my shit list too.” She folds her arms over her chest.
“Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise?” I ask.
Grayson chuckles, coming up behind me. “Gavin in the doghouse?”
“No. The girls are in a no-sleeping phase.” Maize groans. “By the time I get one back to bed, the other wakes up, and I’m nearly rocking myself to sleep with a kid on the boob.”
“Ugh, spare me the visual.” Grayson winces, then continues, “Don’t your kids have teeth? Sounds like you’re on the brink of exhaustion and full of bite marks.”
Smirking, I add, “From the girls or Gavin?”
Maize punches his arm, then smacks me in the chest. I nearly drop my food, but somehow save it. “I only nurse them at night for comfort, not that it’s any of your business. And where Gavin bites me isn’t any of your concern either.”
“Easy, damn.” Grayson rubs his bicep and moves to the pastries table. “Just messin’ with ya. What do I know about babies?”
“Should know plenty since most of your friends still act like one,” she states, glancing at me.
“Hey.” I scowl.
Maize rolls her eyes, though she’s used to our antics. “It’s the truth.”
Once she walks off, Grayson and I take a seat. “So you wanna hang out tonight?” he asks.
“Can’t. Harper and I have plans,” I tell him before taking a large bite of pancakes. “Maybe tomorrow.”
“I wouldn’t mind if you were ditchin’ me for some ass, but this only friends shit you’re feedin’ everyone doesn’t cut it.”
I chuck a piece of my food at him. “Shut the hell up. You’re just mad because you’ll be drinkin’ alone on a Friday night.”
“And jerkin’ off to thoughts of Kenzie,” Gavin says, appearing from behind me.
“Dude.” I glare at him as he stands next to the table. “That’s my cousin.”
“Like you weren’t thinkin’ it.” Gavin shrugs, snagging a piece of bacon off Grayson’s plate. “I better go check on Maize. Girls kept her up half the night, and since I’m the one who got her pregnant, she threatened to castrate me at four this morning.”
“Ouch. I’d take an extra plate with you just in case. Cover your junk.” I snicker.
As Gavin goes to the kitchen, more of the ranch hands enter. It’s filled with guests and workers, all eating and talking.
“Better watch out for Cinnamon Roll. She nearly bit off my hand this morning,” Payton says as he digs into his eggs. “Feisty little shit.”
I chuckle. “Didn’t work with goats in Montana?” That’s where Payton’s originally from, but he grew up handling horses and cattle.
“Not these breastfed, clingy types.” He grunts. “Texas animals are a pain in my ass.”
“Better get used to it if you’re stayin’ a while,” Luke interjects.
Payton shrugs but doesn’t clarify how long he’ll be here. He’s new to the ranch, but I know his time here may only be temporary. We aren’t close because when I’m not working, I’m with Harper.
When I’m done eating, Maize and her workers replenish the buffet. I put up my dirty dish, say my goodbyes, then leave with Grayson trailing me. When I make it to my truck, my phone bings with a text.
“Harper?” Grayson smirks as he goes to the side-by-side he drove here.
Harper: I’m all out of coffee! Are ya able to bring me some from the B&B? It’s an emergency! ;)
“By the love-sick look on your face, I’d say I’m right,” Grayson taunts.
“Shut the fuck up,” I grunt, typing my response.
Ethan: Of course, be there in fifteen.
Going back inside the B&B, I run into Maize again, and she gives me a suspicious look as I fill a to-go cup with coffee.
“Forget somethin’?”
“Just grabbing it for Harper,” I admit while adding creamer and sugar.
“You know we all have a bet goin’ on for when you two will finally hook up.”
I look at her with horror in my eyes. “Excuse me? Y’all better not.”
She shrugs with a devilish grin. “According to Grandma, all the Bishop men are as stubborn as mules. And since you’re actin’ like one, we started placing bets.”
“What are the stakes?” I ask, curious.
“Up to five thousand now.”
“Jesus. Prepare to lose then.” I shrug as if it doesn’t bother me. “And don’t let Harper know about this. Y’all will embarrass her.”
“Don’t worry, we won’t. We swore we wouldn’t tell her until your wedding day.”
Groaning with an eye roll, I place the coffee lid on and leave.
I should be used to their hassling by now, but it gets old, especially since most of them took the hard route to find their spouses. Well, except Riley. He married Zoey the first night they met in Vegas. Aunt River nearly smacked him across state lines when she found out.