After the Storm (KGI #8)(71)

“Eat,” he said. “You need to catch up. All of you do.”

But he needn’t have worried that Travis and Cammie would suffer any such hesitancy. Travis dug into his pile with gusto. Donovan leaned over to help Cammie, cutting the pancakes into neat squares before drenching them in syrup. She beamed her delight back at him and then picked up her fork with the hand that wasn’t attached to the IV and began stuffing bites into her mouth.

Eve seemed delighted—and inspired—by her siblings’ enthusiasm and soon she followed suit, downing a good portion of her own plate. Donovan sat back, eating but mostly watching and enjoying the sight of his family enjoying a meal together.

Yeah, this was right. No matter his brothers’ warning—he understood their concern—Eve was right for him. He felt it to his bones. He’d known that his brothers had known from the moment they’d met their wives that they were the one. Perhaps Sam had been longer to come around than the others, but they’d all known, and maybe Donovan had never truly appreciated the scope or depth of their feelings, the knowledge that their woman was the one. But he got it now because he felt the same exact way, and if his brothers felt even a tenth of the intensity that Donovan experienced when he looked at or thought about Eve, then he well understood their drive to possess their women. He just wasn’t as stubborn as Sam and he wasn’t going to waste time trying to deny what he now knew his destiny to be.

“This is really good, Mr. Van,” Cammie said in a sweet voice. “Thank you for making us breakfast.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” Donovan said, grinning over her attaching Mr. to his name. “But this counts as lunch. The morning is all gone now. But be thinking about what you’d like for supper. I have a pretty well-stocked pantry and you know what? If I don’t have the stuff on hand to make you what you want, I’ll be sure to get it. Sound like a deal?”

Cammie nodded vigorously, her mouth full of pancakes.

“I’d really like some fried pork chops,” Travis said wistfully. “Evie makes the best pork chops and mashed potatoes and gravy, but it’s been a long time since we could afford to have it.”

Then he flushed, color invading his cheeks as he realized all he’d said.

Donovan leaned forward, giving Travis a gentle, reassuring smile. “That sounds like a perfect dinner to me. But I don’t think Eve should tackle the kitchen just yet. I may not make them as good as she does, but I’ll do my best.”

“Oh I don’t mind,” Eve protested. “You’ve done so much for us, Donovan. I don’t mind cooking for us at all. It’s the least I can do.”

Donovan shook his head adamantly. Not that the idea of Eve in his kitchen preparing them all a meal wasn’t a very appealing prospect. But they’d have plenty of time to get to that. For now he only wanted to pamper and spoil them all. “You need to rest. I can handle supper. I just want you to sit back and do nothing and recover. It’s what I want all of you to do.”

“He’s right, Evie,” Travis cut in, his tone every bit as resolved as Donovan’s. “You shouldn’t be cooking right now. You’ve taken care of us for a long time. It’s time that someone took care of you.”

“Bravo,” Donovan softly agreed. “Very well said, Travis.”

Eve flushed, but pleasure shone in her eyes as she stared back at Donovan and then over to Travis.

“Will you be taking care of us from now on?” Cammie asked.

Though the question was asked innocently enough, Donovan could see the anxiety in the little girl’s eyes. As though she feared that Donovan would turn them out and send them on their way.

Even Travis glanced at Donovan, clear question in his eyes. There was a shadow there as if he feared the same, that he wondered if this was a temporary situation and that Donovan would hurt Eve.

Donovan reached for Cammie’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. But he included both Eve and Travis in his declaration. He wanted them all to understand exactly where he stood.

“Absolutely I’m going to take care of all of you from now on. And I’m glad you brought this up because there is something I very much wanted to discuss with you and Travis both.”

Cammie’s eyes widened and even Travis looked surprised. But then a guarded look entered Travis’s gaze, as if he feared the worst.

“I like Eve very much and I want her to stay with me. Forever,” he said, not mincing his words.

He wanted Eve to hear him say it when it wasn’t just the two of them and it could be thought he was speaking in the heat of the moment and saying things he didn’t really mean. By declaring his intentions in front of her brother and sister, she would realize, hopefully, that he was utterly serious and committed to making this work.

“But I want you both to stay as well. I want us to be a . . . family,” he said, gauging their reaction to his statement.

Travis looked surprised—and relieved. Cammie looked delighted.

“Do you mean that?” Travis asked hoarsely. “You want us all to stay with you?”

“Yes, I do,” Donovan said quietly. “I know I’m not your real father, but I’d very much like to be a father to both of you. I’d be proud to call you my own and I’d always love and protect you.”

“I don’t like my real daddy,” Cammie said sadly. “He scares me. He’s not a good person, Van. I want you to be my daddy.”