Love in the Kitchen

Chapter 25

Clint's POV
When I woke up, I noticed the amazing smell that must have been coming from the kitchen. My stomach growled as I turned to see what time it was. It was almost seven, I'm surprised Chelsee hadn't come to wake me yet. I sat up and got out of bed. My collarbone still pretty achy. I walked down the hallway and before I reached the top of the stairs I heard Declan's voice from behind me.
"You do realize she'll beat the crap out of you if you go down the stairs without supervision right?" I turned towards his room and his arms were folded, giving me a don't even think about it look.
"That may have slipped my mind." He chuckled as he shook his head at me.
"Come on crippled. Lets get you down these big bad stairs." He said and came to step in front of me. "Just put your hand on my shoulder so I know you're steady enough." I nodded and did as he said. We slowly made our way down the stairs.
"How was practice?" I asked trying to make conversation.
"It was good. Nothing to wild." He said as we continued on down. "How are you feeling? Aunt Chels said you were pretty dizzy leaving the hospital. I knew I should have came to help her but, you know how she is. No I got it. I'll be fine." He said wording his aunt perfectly. I laughed and agreed with him.
"Yeah I made the nurse get a wheel chair. I wasn't about to have her drag me out of there. I'm feeling a lot better now that I got some rest though." I said and he nodded.
"That's good." He said and I let go of his shoulder as we started down the hallway to the kitchen. When we walked in there wasn't anyone there.
"Where's Chelsee?" I asked and looked around.
"She's over at the restaurant. Ryan was testing out a new recipe and wanted her to come over to try it. She should be back anytime. I'm sure those two are just gabbing away." He said and opened up the oven. "I hope she comes soon. I'm hungry and this is calling my name." He took a giant whiff and then the back door opened.
"Oh good, go ahead and take that out ya snoop." Chelsee said as she hung her jacket up. He held his hands up in innocents and she then looked over at me. "You didn't walk down here by yourself did you?" She asked me seriously and I shook my head holding my hands up like Declan's.
"I swear." She laughed and headed over to the pan Declan just pulled out from the oven.
"Would you go tell your sister dinners ready?" She said as she got a serving spoon out and put it in the casserole.
"Chloee dinners ready!" He yelled and Chelsee glared over at him.
"Really?" She said and I laughed as he smiled at her. "It wouldn't have killed you to walk into the den and just tell her."
"I'm preserving energy." He said and she rolled her eyes as Chloee came in from the den. She got excited when her eyes locked with mine.
"Clint you're awake!" She screamed and came to sit in the seat next to me. "I'm sitting by you." She said proudly.
"Only after you set the table miss." Chelsee said and pulled out the salad from the fridge. She hurried out of her chair and Declan helped her get the plates and cups from the top shelf she couldn't reach. "Would you stop eating the top of the casserole and take it to the table you bottomless pit." She said and Declan popped one more piece into his mouth before he did as she said. I just smiled as I watched them. Chloee again sat down next to me after she finished and then Declan sat down next to her. Chelsee brought over the salad along with a pitcher of juice. "Go ahead and dig in guys."
"That looks amazing." I said as Chelsee snatched the spoon from Declan's hand.
"Hey." He said and she smiled over at him.
"The crippled always get served first." She said and gave me a scoop. I started to laugh as he looked over at me with a fake dirty look.
"You won't be able to use the crippled card long Hamilton." He said and I just laughed even harder while Chelsee put salad on my plate.
"It has it's advantages." I said as I looked over at Chelsee. She smiled as she gave Chloee a small scoop of salad. She scrunched her nose as she looked at it.
"Yuck." She said and Chelsee raised her eyebrow at her. I've freaking missed this woman's facial expressions.
"You'll eat all of it or no dessert." She said and Chloee hunched over in her chair as she slowly took a leaf into her mouth. Chelsee shook her head at the disgusted look Chloee had on her face.
"You know Chloee. Salad will make you grow up to be as beautiful as your Aunt. Just look at her and all the salad she eats." I said and she looked at me and then over to Chelsee.
"I'd rather be ugly." She said and we all laughed. We went on and had great conversations with the kids about their day. Declan wouldn't stop talking about this new girl at school and Chloee kept talking about her 'boyfriend' at school. Declan kept teasing her saying he was going to beat him up for not asking his permission. She would then look at both Chelsee and I for help. When I would agree with Declan she would gasp in shock. Chelsee just laughed at all of us and assured her that we wouldn't be beating up this Caleb in her class.
I was in the kitchen with Declan still while Chelsee took Chloee up to get her ready for bed. Declan was putting the dishes in the dish washer and I thought this would be a good time to talk to him about a certain something. "Dec could I talk to you about something?"
"Yeah sure man." He said and closed the dishwasher. He started it up and leaned into the counter. "What do you want to talk about?" He asked.
"Well, I've been thinking through some things the last few months." I said trying to figure out how I'd ask. "I mean I know I wasn't with your aunt then but-" I paused for a minute and he smiled.
"But?" He said coaxing me to continue.
"Well, I was wondering if you would be ok if I asked your aunt to marry me?" I said and he chuckled a bit.
"Sky said you'd be asking me this while you were here." He said and my eyes went wide. How did she know that?
"What did she say?" I asked now curious.
"Just that, also that I better damn well say yes." He said and looked at me seriously.
"Well what do you want to say?" I asked now scared as hell.
"I only have one condition." He said and I nodded for him to continue. "You don't ever hurt her like you did ever again. Or I'll make sure you have two black eyes. Are we clear?" He said and gave me a dead pan look.
"Absolutely." I said seriously. That would never be happening again. He then had a huge smile grow on this face.
"Then I am completely cool with you asking her." He said and then came around the counter. Then paused in front of me. "Also...." He paused for a minute and thought about something "Please make her a mom." He bit his bottom lip and I could see small tears forming in his eyes. "For real." He said. I stood up and gave him a hug.
"I will." I said and we heard Chelsee coming down the hallway. We pulled a part and he gave me a nod.
"I don't think she's going to get any sleep with the way you two kept teasing the poor thing." She said as she walked through the door. She then looked between the two of us. "What's going on?" She asked.
"Just burying the hatchet." Declan said and then headed for the hallway. "I got to finish some homework before bed. Night you two." He said and waved to us both.
"Night." We said at the same time. Chelsee then looked back and me weirdly.
"What was that about?" She asked me curiously.
"The kid knocked me out cold Chelsee. We were literally burying the hatchet as Dec said." I told her, trying to throw her off the scent of anything. She just smiled and shook her head.
"Whatever you say." She then turned her body towards me. "Did you want to shower tonight or in the morning?" I looked her up and down then licked my bottom lip.
"Is that an offer?" She gave me an unimpressed look.
"If I'd have known what a perverted patient you'd be. I'm not sure I'd have agreed." She said jokingly. "Upstairs now sir and keep your dirty thoughts to yourself." She said as she waved me towards the hallway.
"Not possible." I said and she lightly smacked my butt. "You realize that just makes me worse right?" I said laughing. Walking up the stairs I sobered up a bit from my dirty mindedness to keep from falling back on her.
"Oh so now he's a man of little words." She said through laughter.
"I'm trying to concentrate. I'll continue with my flirty banter in a moment." I said as I continued upward. She chuckled behind me and I finally got to the top stair. We walked down the hallway together and she peaked into Declan's room.
"Hey don't stay up to long." She said.
"Yes ma'am. I'm just about finished."
"Great, also what the hell is that dent from on the side of your truck?" I stopped walking and turned to look at her in his doorway. She was leaning on his door frame and had her arms and legs crossed over.
"Ummm...." There was silence for a moment and I had to suppress my laughter. "My friends and I were messing around with the golf cart after practice. We may have lost control of it."
"Oh you may have lost control of it?" She said and I could tell she was trying not to laugh herself. "I'm not paying to fix that, I hope you know." She said seriously.
"No worries, I'm actually looking up right now how to fix it myself. I was hoping to have it fixed before you saw it." He said and I laughed out loud. She looked down the hallway at me and I hurriedly covered my mouth. "Obviously I lost out on that game. Promise I won't do it again. I've learned my lesson. I jammed the hell out of my shoulder."
"Good, you deserve it." She said while looking at me and I laughed. She then looked back at Declan. "Also watch your language. Stop researching dent repairs and go to bed."
"Will do. Love you." He said and came to give her a kiss on the cheek.
"Love you too. Night." She hugged him and then he looked down the hall at me.
"Night Clint." He said with a nod and then went back in his room. I gave him a nod as well and turned to make my way to bed myself. I got to the bed and laid down.
"I showered this morning. I'm ready for bed." I said and she came over and tucked me in.
"You need your meds first." She said and grabbed the bottles from the night stand. "Here ya are." She said handing me the pills and then replacing the bottles where they were once more. I took my water from earlier and swigged it down. She placed the remote to the tv by me and then took off her shirt while she walked off.
"Umm whoa girl. I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to jump you earlier. You're not helping the situation!" I called out as she walked into the bathroom. I heard her laugh and it made me smile. I'm going to hear that for the rest of my life and I couldn't be happier about it.