But today, today is going to be a long and grueling day for him. Playing catch up, I’m sure. That’s why I decided to make a big dinner. I haven’t cooked much since I’ve been home and it’s high time I pull my weight around here. Sure, I throw things together quick and easy, like sheet pan dinners or food I can throw in the crock pot to set and forget.
I go to the fridge and pull out all the ingredients I need to make homemade mushroom soup for my mom’s recipe, beef stroganoff.
She used to tell me all the time, if you have to use the canned stuff, you’re doing it wrong. We’d laugh, before she was sick our days were filled with laughter and joy. Most times you could find her in the kitchen if she wasn’t out helping Dad on the ranch.
The refrigerator door is still open as I finish pulling out the ingredients I need, cream, butter, mushrooms, and a slew of other ingredients.
It takes a full hour just to make the soup that goes over the beef, but it will be worth it.
While the soup is simmering on the stove, I get to work on the rest of the meal, searing the cube steak on each side until it has a golden-brown crispness on the outside.
Once that’s done, I set it aside, and finish putting the rest of the ingredients in the soup to make it less of a soup and thicker for the stroganoff. Then, I add the meat to that, letting it simmer for the rest of the afternoon.
I tidy up the house while I have the day off and dinner is simmering. First on my agenda is laundry. Both Levi and have let it get a little out of control, us finding the way in our relationship was seamlessly effortless. The day to day domestic part, yeah, I know I’m lacking in my part. So, it’s one of those days that I get my shit together and get things taken care of.
I cue up Alexa to play country music, tie up my hair in a messy knot, and put a bandana in it to hold my hair from falling in my face.
What seems like hours later, I still haven’t made a dent in what needs to be done. I blow out a breath of air and soldier on.
26
Levi
I open the back door that leads into the mudroom slash laundry room and see the piles of clothes that were in the baskets are empty and the house smells amazing.
Taking my boots off quickly to see what Peyton had been up to today is my first task. I was so busy today I didn’t even get a chance to come home for lunch. It was worth it, though. In fact, it may be something I do at least once or twice a month.
Ed handled everything and all went smoothly, but taking a day off always leads to more damn paperwork than ever before.
“Peyton,” I holler out loud.
Walking further into the house, I see everything is cleaned. Top to bottom, it was never messy before she moved in. I had a service come in once a month to do the basics, but for the most part it was picked up.
But what I’m looking at is nothing short of amazing. I don’t think this house has ever smelt or looked like a home. It has Peyton’s stamp on it, and it makes my heart swell with joy.
I walk through the house and into the kitchen and see what smells so damn good. When I open the lid, my mouth salivates. Peyton takes that time to come down the stairs, she’s in a pair of shorts that have rips, a shirt that’s falling off her shoulder, and her hair is in all kinds of disarray.
Fuck, does she look gorgeous. It doesn’t matter if she’s in scrubs, jeans, shorts, or naked. I love her every which way I can have her.
“Hey, you. How was work?” She asks while walking towards me, a laundry basket on the side of her hip.
“It was busy, but good. Seems like you were busy yourself, is this your mom’s recipe?” I ask her.
“Yeah, the house was dirty, and I wanted to cook a real meal. That’s okay, right?” she responds.
“This is your home, Peyton, you do whatever you want to it. I did forget to tell you, I have a cleaning service that comes in once a month. We can make it so the service comes in more frequently and add anything you think we need help with,” I tell her, not wanting her to think she has to clean all the time.
“Nah, I really enjoyed cleaning today, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to take it over,” she tells me with a big smile on her face.