Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Three

Cress stifled a giggle, keeping to herself and sliding the cinnamon rolls into the oven and then tearing open the sausage package.

"So does Thorne actually own the house, or is it his parents that they... loaned him?" Cinder asked. She walked in and leaned her elbows on the counter.

Cress shook her head. "No, it's his. His parents bought it but they put it in his name for when he turned twenty-five but for whatever reason gave him early access to it last summer, I think."

"That's kinda cool."

Cress reached into the cabinet and pulled out a few boxes of pop tarts, setting them on the counter.

"So are his parents really that bad?" she asked, lowering her voice but grinning almost mischievously.

Cress sighed shortly, almost laughing. "They're very... hard. They know what they want and what they wanted for their son, and Carswell doesn't fit that mold so there's conflict. And they're not to thrilled he's with a Lunar even though I told them I was a shell."

"Oof."

Cress nodded, though she inwardly smiled when she thought about how protective he was of her the two times they met up with his parents. She still didn't like being caught in the middle of a family feud, but it sent a pulse of thrill through her mind at having him come to her defense so readily and heroically. She started to say something when a loud bang from upstairs made her jump.

"Stars above--who left Jacin and Thorne alone and unsupervised?" Cinder shook her head, dropping onto the bar stool and starting to open a box of pop tarts Cress had left out. "Don't let Scarlet see these, by the way."

Cress made a face.

"Someone needs to warn me when new people show up," Carswell said, huffing down the stairs. "I was right in the middle of a set and then this big, impending shadow appeared over me just like a nightmare."

"Sorry, I forgot you had music on." Cress grimaced, trying to swallow a laugh.

"Yeah, whatever. Food?"

"Working on it. Go take a shower or jump in the ocean, you're all sweaty."

"Yes, dear." Carswell ducked his head to kiss her, punching Cinder's shoulder on his way back upstairs. "Your Majesty."

Cinder scoffed. "So what's on the agenda today?"

"Um," Cress turned toward the cinnamon rolls, knowing Cinder would be able to tell she was lying. "Honestly I don't think much of anything."

"Nice."

"Hey, where's Iko? She's coming right?" Cress asked, straightening and just now realizing Iko wasn't there.

"Yeah, she'll be here this morning. She had some stuff come up last minute."

Cress breathed a sigh of relief. "Cool. I need her opinion on turning one of the rooms into an office."

"Oh right cause Thorne's a podcaster now!" Winter grinned, scraping the spatula along the bottom of the pan to stir the eggs.

Cress nodded. "Yeah. He's so good at it too, I mean he's always been charismatic but, I don't know, I'd have thought talking basically to yourself, or an empty studio, would be hard but..." she shrugged, smiling proudly.

"Aww, you two are so adorable!"

"Precious," Cinder deadpanned. Though she cast Cress a barely stifled grin and Cress knew she wasn't really annoyed.

As soon as everything was finished cooking, Cress, Winter, and Cinder all set the table for breakfast, though Cress told them they were free to roam around or sit in the living room if they'd prefer.

Carswell and Jacin came downstairs just as Cress was setting out serving spoons. They were actually talking. To each other. And neither of them looked mad.

"What?" Carswell paused, glancing at all the eyes staring back at him.

"Nothing." Cress shook her head. "Food's ready. Hope you're both hungry."

"Starving," Jacin said. He walked around behind Winter and kissed the side of her head before helping himself to a plate.

Carswell and Kai did the same. Just as Cress was setting out some milk and sugar for coffee and front door bell rang and she almost squealed, darting toward the front door. She yanked it open and immediately threw her arms around Iko.

"Stars above this place is beautiful!" Iko said, squealing as she hugged Cress right back. "Oh my--I just can't, it's so perfect!"

"Come in, come in. We just started eating--" Cress caught herself and laughingly shook her head. "Sorry, I always forget."

"No worries," Iko laughed. "I ate on the plane," she added with a wink. "Scarlet and Wolf were right behind me."

Cress paused with the door half open, peering out onto the drive just as another hover was swinging in. Scarlet and Wolf immediately alighted, Scarlet casting a glance over the house.

"My... stars." Scarlet's eyes were wide.

"Come on, come on!" Iko waved them both forward. "They're eating, go get food before it's cold; I'll get your stuff."

"Oh thanks Iko," Scarlet said wearily. She gave Cress a hug and all but stumbled inside.

"Long flight?" Cress asked.

"Yeah. And we got delayed twice."

"Aces." Cress shook her head, grinning when Wolf hugged her. She started to say something but paused when he sniffed her hair. "What--?"

"You smell different."

Cress lightly frowned. "I took a shower last night?"

"No, like... your scent. You smell different." He leaned in and sniffed her hair again, lightly shook his head. "Hm."

"Um, okay, well breakfast is in the kitchen. Help yourselves, I'll be right there," Cress said, waving them toward the kitchen.

Wolf slung an arm around Scarlet's shoulders as they started through the foyer.

Cress hurried up the stairs, grabbing the seven boxes of gifts she'd been assembling over the past few months. She was afraid she'd have to make two trips but managed to get them all stacked on top of each other. She paused at the top of the stairs to make sure no one was paying attention before creeping down and stashing the boxes into the soon-to-be office.

"Where'd you get off to?" Carswell asked when she came back in.

Cress shot him a look, pointedly ignoring him as she filled her plate.