Page 119 of Her Summer Hope
At that moment, Murdock lumbered in, his demeanor one of suspicion as he looked around. "I smell food, but Maddy isn’t wearing an apron."
Maddy smirked at Kyle before turning back to Murdock. “Kyle cooked.”
Murdock paused. “I’m out…just gonna go find a squirrel or something…”
“Wait, it won’t be a total disaster,” she assured. “I watched him the whole time.”
He still looked skeptical.
Wyatt entered with his usual flair, a cheeky grin plastered on his face. "Speaking of disasters, I heard Murdock's been voluntold to do the dishes tonight. That's a horror show I've got to see."
“Hey, I wasn’t briefed on that,” Murdock grunted and shot a threatening look toward Kyle.
John followed Wyatt in, chuckling. "As long as Murdock's cleaning skills are better than his tea party skills, we might just survive the experience."
Murdock gritted his teeth, crossing his arms. "You guys keep it up. Just remember, I know where each of you sleeps."
Madison couldn't help but laugh. "Gentlemen, how about we focus on eating first? Murdock, you can critique the stew to your heart's content."
Kyle nodded, shifting Emmie to a more comfortable position. "Maddy's right. Let's give our resident food critic the first taste.”
“That son of a bitch eats MREs and rodents by choice!” Wyatt jabbed. “He isn’t gonna know good food if it bites him on the ass.”
“You forget who saved your ass last night at Paddy’s when you were trying to cozy up to the wrong girl?” Murdock growled.
Wyatt held his hands up in surrender. “Fine, go ahead. But I’m not trusting your word on food.”
Murdock turned to Kyle. “If I’m being ordered to do the dishes, then I expect this stew to be nothing short of miraculous."
Wyatt leaned in, a conspiratorial whisper to John. "Ten bucks says he asks for seconds."
John grinned, accepting the challenge. "You're on. But if he smiles, I'm doubling it."
Once dinner was finished and the kids were occupied with drawing at the table with Aiden and John, Madison and Kyle settled on the porch, their bodies sinking into comfortable chairs as they admired the view.
The sky transformed into a canvas of deep blues and purples, the first stars beginning to twinkle above them. Crickets serenaded them from the shadows, and the evening breeze carried the sweet scent of honeysuckle.
“It’s getting cold at night now,” she mentioned, shivering.
Kyle patted his thigh and she moved over to his lap, where he wrapped her in his arms. She hummed and snuggled down into his solid warmth, wishing they had time to be together tonight.
"Thank you for today, Kyle," Madison said softly, her gaze lingering on the horizon. "It was wonderful."
"Anything for you and the kids," he replied, his voice low and sincere. He shifted in his chair, turning to face her. "Madison, I hope you know how much I care about all of you."
She looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and a vulnerability she hadn't allowed herself to show before. "I do, and it means more to me than I can say. I've been through so much, and trusting someone again hasn't been easy. But with you... it feels natural, like it's meant to be."
Kyle reached for her hand, his fingers gently intertwining with hers. "You're incredibly strong, Madison. You've built a life for yourself and your children despite everything. I want to be there for you, to support you and protect you. If you'll let me."
Tears shimmered in her eyes, but she blinked them away. "It’s hard, but…I trust you. Not just because of what you've done for us, but because of who you are."
"You can trust me with anything, Maddy. I would never do anything to hurt you. I couldn’t. Let's take this one step at a time," he said softly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll prove it to you.”
As the evening wore on and it was time to return home, Kyle helped Madison gather the children, their sleepy faces illuminated by the soft glow of the porch light. The ride back was quiet, the kids dozing off in the backseat while Madison and Kyle talked.
When they arrived at Madison's house, Kyle walked them to the door, his presence providing comfort and safety. As they stood on the doorstep, their eyes locked, and it felt as if an unspoken promise passed between them.
"Goodnight, Madison," Kyle murmured, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face before he leaned in and brushed her lips with his.