Cooking for the Rich.

Chapter 46

"Are you joining us for dinner tonight Poppy?" Mrs Lachlan asked raising a perfectly groomed eyebrow. I usually joined the Lachlan's on a Monday and Tuesday for dinner. That way I wasn't intruding on their family time but I still got the extra time with Cody and his family.
"No," I replied, not sure how to keep the secret. I was a rubbish liar and everyone I knew could see straight through my lies. I avoided eye contact and carried on setting up the table for dinner for four.
"What's the fourth place setting for then?" She asked, confused.
"For me," a voice from behind us came. Perfect timing Mia. Mrs Lachlan rushed over to her daughter wrapping her in a hug then calling for her husband to join them. Mia sent me a grin before I disappeared back to the kitchen to finish getting dinner ready. I'd made Mias favourite of butternut squash and pumpkin stuffed pasta with a sage butter sauce with a white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake for dessert.
"Your sisters here," I told Cody as he worked away at the dining table. He'd often work down here when he wanted some company. He ran his hand through his already messy hair before sighing and shutting his laptop down. Missing out on the contract at the beginning of the week was really starting to take a hit to him. Checking that nothing was going to catch fire I quickly went over and wrapped my arms around him. He leant back in to my touch.
"Go get changed dinner won't be long," I told him placing my lips against his cheek.
"Okay," he said, hearing the exhaustion in his voice. I knew he hadn't been sleeping properly. He was stressed and there was a lot of pressure on him. We'd barely spent any time together in the last week. He'd been working longer and longer and when he wasn't working he'd been at the gym trying to shake off some of the tension. He stood from the table. His shoulders automatically slouching slightly.
"I love you," I whispered running my thumb along his jaw. He bent his head to rest in my neck, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me closer to him. I squeezed him back trying to say all the things I needed to in that hug.
"I love you too," he said pulling back and looking into my eyes just for a moment before leaning foreword and kissing me softly.

"Get a room," a voice from behind us came. Cody pulled a face before turning to see his sister. Leaving me to be able to check on the dinner. Cody hugged his sister leaving one arm around her as they spoke.
"Sucks about the contract," Mia said.
"Fucking sucks," Cody replied, I could feel his stress coming back already.
"You'll find something," Mia reassured.
"I hope so," he said running his hands through his already messed up hair. "Colin working?"
"Yeah he did want to come and see you two but works comes first," she said with an eye roll.
"Cody you really need to go get changed. I'm about to serve," I told him, stirring the sauce.
"Yes boss," he said, leaning to give me a kiss on the cheek.
"Smells great baby," he whispered at the same time. I smiled to myself, loving the way that Cody always made me felt. So warm and happy and loved. With one last smirk he headed back out the room leaving me with Mia.
"So university?" I asked Mia as she hovered nearby.
"It's a lot of work," she said with a sigh. "Looking forward for the paperwork to be over with so I can start on placement."
"You think you're ready for dealing with a bunch of noisy crazy kids," I asked with a laugh as I drained the freshly cooked pasta. Making pasta was one of my favourite things. I found it so therapeutic and so delicious.
"Not quite But I'm excited for it at the same time," she said nervously.
"You'll be fine," I said with a reassuring smile.
"Now go wash up. I'll be in with dinner in just a second." She smiled back and nodded before heading out the kitchen too. Tossing the pasta in the smooth butter sauce. I placed in the bowls, finishing with a fine dusting of Parmesan before placing them on the trolley with more cheese if they want.

I sat cross legged on the bed. Cody laid full length beside me with Mia horizontally in front of us. After dinner we'd all come up to Cody's room just to hang out with each other. Catch up for a while.
"I can't even believe that Tanya broke up with Dustin," Mia gossiped to her brother whilst I sat trying to remember if I'd ever been introduced to these people.
"Well she shouldn't of cheated on him with her therapist," he replied. The lives of their friends were so dramatic.
"Poppy got told the story of Wills self discovery," Cody admitted to her. She sat for a moment thinking before bursting into laughter causing the pair of us to laugh too.
"I miss Will," Mia sighed leaning her back on to the bed.
"He misses you too. When you come back for Christmas we'll have to go out like we used to."
"Oh god. I don't think I can drink quite as much as I used to. Remember when you two started taking me out with you when I was sixteen." They both laughed at the memories.
"Dad was so pissed when he found out," Cody laughed. It was nice hearing stories about the two of them and seeing them both so relaxed and happy after the last few stressful weeks they'd had.
"Hey Poppy," Mia said distracting me from my thoughts.
"Yeah," I replied, sitting myself up slightly from my slouched position.
"The stylist is coming over in the morning and I was hoping you'd help me pick something's for the Christmas parties coming up." I wasn't exactly great when it came to fashion and I wasn't too good at telling people if I thought something was ugly.
"I don't..." I started before Cody interrupted and convinced me to agree.