Chapter 119 A Battle of Breakfasts at Dawn
POV Adrian:
It’s late afternoon when Maya steps out of her car, carrying her pink suitcases, a dog dressed as a lion, and a devilish smile on her face. I don’t want to admit it, but for some reason I know her stay at the farm is going to end in shit—big, fucked-up shit. My father is the first to go help her, followed by Sebastian and my mother. Luca and Dominic stand frozen in front of the door, both shooting murderous looks at Maya.
I take a deep breath and head over to help my father. I don’t want to hear my mother’s lecture one more time. After Dominic and Luca said Maya wouldn’t set foot here, there was a sermon that lasted over an hour, leaving the two of them sulking like cranky children. Sebastian, Mikhail, and I were peaceful about accepting Maya’s help. There’s no reason to go against our mother’s wishes. If she wants Maya at the farm with us, then so be it.
“Welcome, my dear,” Mom says with a huge smile.
My parents are leaving tonight. From what they told us, they’ll spend a few days in Dallas and then head to some other cities, looking for the best place to try to get a loan. They didn’t go into as much detail as I’d like, and I decided to ask Dominic later if he knew something our parents hadn’t shared with us.
“Thank you. I’m very happy to be here, just like Louis,” Maya says, crouching down to scoop the dog into her arms. “Say hello to our roommates.” She says it, making all eyes shoot toward our parents. “It’s just a figure of speech. I’m not sleeping in your rooms,” she jokes. “Or am I?” she whispers near me.
“If you want to see my room, I won’t stop you. You’ll be very welcome,” I say with a smirk that doesn’t last long once I meet Dominic’s furious glare aimed at me.
“Dominic, why don’t you take my baby and take him out to pee? Since you don’t want to help with the bags,” Maya says, not waiting for Dominic’s answer. She places the dog in my brother’s arms, and he growls as soon as she turns her back on him.
“I’m not—”
“Here.” She cuts him off, handing two pink tissues into his hand.
“What the fuck is this?” Dominic asks, his face twisted in rage.
“What do you mean, what the fuck is this? It’s for you to use to dry Louis’s little faucet when he pees—unless he poops, then you wipe his little butt.”
Before I can stop myself, I burst into laughter, joined by Sebastian, Mikhail, and Luca. Our parents are too far away to hear this masterpiece. Dominic grips the tissues tightly while Maya remains calm, not looking at all like she’s standing in front of an enraged bull. Looking at the redheaded troublemaker, a thought crosses my mind.
These weeks with Maya are going to be, at the very least, entertaining.
(...)
POV Maya:
I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.
As soon as I burn the bacon pieces again, along with a handful of scrambled eggs, I sigh in defeat. I can’t do this. Fuck. I’ve been awake since four in the morning, trying to prepare something decent for them to eat when they wake up. Do these brothers have any idea how much I’m dedicating myself? Before traveling, Mrs. Moretti gave me her sons’ itinerary—if that’s what I can call it—and what a horror it was to learn that they wake up at five in the morning. I was standing on high heels when she told me that, and I almost lost my balance, shocked.
I can’t wake up every day at four in the morning to make breakfast, especially when I have absolutely no talent in the kitchen. Is there any chance I can pretend she never told me about this? Maybe I can play dumb and go back to sleep. Dejected, I sit down in the chair, thinking about what I can cook for them to eat—something that doesn’t make me go anywhere near the stove. I need to make sure they’re well fed so I can go work at the flower shop.
A crazy idea pops into my head, and without wanting to think too much about it, I hurry up with breakfast, knowing that in a little while the five brothers will come downstairs to eat.
...
With Louis in my arms, wearing his little pajamas, I wait for the brothers to come down. I look at the abundant table and a tear rolls down my face. I’m so proud of everything I prepared. Who would have thought I knew how to cook? The sound of footsteps makes me straighten my posture and adjust my feathered robe. I don’t want to leave any skin exposed—at least not now, since I haven’t applied my bronzer and highlighter.
Dominic is the first to enter the kitchen. His eyes move from the table to me, his raised eyebrows showing that he isn’t as happy with the feast I prepared as I am. Ungrateful. Soon the other Moretti brothers appear. Everyone looks at the table and then at me. What the fuck. I bust my ass to make a champion’s breakfast, and this is how they thank me? With incredulous, surprised faces?
“Good morning, cowboys. Enjoy breakfast. I’m going back to bed—I need my beauty sleep before going to the flower shop,” I say, thinking about the fluffy bed in the guest room that’s waiting for me.
“Maya, wait,” Sebastian says, and I turn to him as he points to the table. “What is this?”
“What do you mean?” I look at the table too. “It’s your breakfast.”
Isn’t it obvious?
“Maya, don’t test my patience at five in the fucking morning,” Dominic growls, and I roll my eyes. “There are five glasses, five oranges, and five bananas. What kind of fucking breakfast is this?”
I place a hand over my chest, shocked.
“You have no idea how many people would give anything to have the breakfast I prepared for you with so much love,” I say indignantly.
Dominic frowns, puts on his tough-guy face, but swallows whatever was about to come out of his filthy mouth. Good. I don’t want food waste in this house. If I made a wonderful breakfast, they have to be grateful and eat their fill.
“Maya is right. There are people who don’t even have anything to eat,” Mikhail agrees with me, making Luca and Dominic curse.
“Well said. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to rest a little,” I take a few steps, but once again Dominic’s voice makes me stop.
“Maya, what’s the glass for? There’s nothing on the table to drink.”
I look at him over my shoulder.