Page 23 of My Pleasure

“Thirty years ago, huh? Right around the time necklace production started?” Meryn prompted.

Caiden’s smile evaporated. “Shit.”

“My uncle is in charge of the proctors at the Academy. He has made it his life’s work to keep things fair for everyone. Do you want me to talk to him?” Kiera offered.

She felt Hunter shaking his head over her. “Not until we find out why Keran hates the word ‘uncle’.”

Meryn swung her head to look at her. “Dude, that’s like a super red flag.”

Kiera slumped against her mate. “I know.”

Meryn strummed her fingers on the table. “So, we need a new word for uncle? Because I know the guys are gonna wanna spoil those kids.”

“Ojisan,” Ryuu suggested.

“Tío,” Pierce added.

Hunter laughed. “We’ll give Keran options.”

“You gonna bring the kidlets by?” Meryn asked.

Kiera nodded. “They might be overwhelmed at first, but I think they need a bit of family chaos.”

“We’re really good at chaos,” Meryn said.

Everyone looked at her. She sighed. “I’m really good at chaos,” she corrected.

“But in a good way,” Pip said, snuggling close to Meryn.

“We left them at Hunter’s parents’ house for now. I think that’s the best place for them to stay. I don’t want them hearing about any of this,” she said, waving her phone about.

“You couldn’t ask for a better couple to watch the kids,” Caiden said. “They both helped enormously when we were raising Amelia.” He looked up at Hunter. “Why don’t you invite your parents over with the kids for dinner? It might be easier for them to meet everyone if their new grandparents are with them,” he suggested.

“I know mom would love a night where she didn’t have to cook. But, clear out space in the fridge. She’s had three stock pots of soup going since this morning that she made for the kids. She won’t come empty-handed,” Hunter said.

Caiden brightened and reached for his phone. “Myra? No, no, everything is fine. We were hoping you and Johann could bring the kids by later for dinner. No, we have everything covered, but Hunter said you were making soup. Hmm. You wouldn’t by chance have made your beef vegetable, would you?” He chuckled. “Caught me. See you all around five? Great.” Caiden hung up and sighed happily. “She makes the best soups.”

“I can’t believe you’re on a first name basis with my mom,” Hunter complained.

Caiden laughed. “Hunter, I’m old enough to be your mother’s father,” he reminded him.

“Okay, grandpa,” Hunter teased.

Marshall coughed politely. “I do not even want to know what that would make me.”

Kiera only stared. She had only heard of the Ironwoods before, she had never had the chance to meet them, and now she was sitting in Caiden Ironwood’s kitchen talking about soup. “My parents were nowhere near as old,” she said, shaking her head.

“How old were they when they passed?” Hunter asked gently.

“Their late seventeen-hundreds.”

Hunter smiled. “That’s my parents’ ages. You have them now.”

“How’d they die?” Meryn asked. Again, everyone turned to stare at her. “What? Isn’t that a valid question.”

Anne sighed. “It is a valid question, but Kiera looks a bit sad talking about her parents, she may not want to talk about it.”

Meryn blinked. “Oh, did they die recently?”