Lucas and Haley both glared at Nathan and Haley gave him another slap on the back of his head.
"Ow" he groaned rubbing the sore spot, he glared back. "Come on...you guys know you were thinking the same thing. Now who's in"?
Peyton stood pulled pot and pans out of the cabinets. "The nerve of them" she thought bitterly as she placed what she needed on the kitchen's island. Peyton opened the cook book, flicking the pages to find a simple Spaghetti recipe. She gathered the ingredients, stopping when she heard a little voice.
"Mommy...what are you doing" Anna asked curious at why her mother was cooking when her daddy always did that".
Peyton picked up her daughter and place her on the stool next to the island. "I'm cooking".
"You're silly mommy...you can't cook"! Anna giggled at the thought of mother cooking , remembering the time she had burnt popcorn.
Peyton shook her head" not her too" she thought. "Well I can't cook, but I can try...how about that"?
Anna nodded as her curly blonde hair bounced.
"So you want to pick the desert"? The little girl's eyes lit up.
"Can I pick" Ian asked walking into the kitchen.
Nathan placed everyone's money in the middle of the coffee table he watched as Lucas shook his head. He got from the chair and slapped him on the back. "Don't worry bro...Peyton won't find out".
"You guys are horrible" Haley shouted as she reached for a pillow for her back.
Nathan rolled his eyes at his wife. "This is coming from the woman who threw in twenty dollars".
Haley scowled, and Nathan chuckled at the thought of rendering her speechless.
"Aunt Peyton is going to find out" James told the adults his eyes still on the television.
"Why do say that" Nathan asked raising an eyebrow at his son.
"Ian and Anna aren't here any more, there probably in the kitchen so they're going to tell her".
The adults glanced at each other James was right and if the twins told her things could get ugly.
Peyton's eyes widened as she watched her children argue back and forth. How was she going to get out of this one?
"Mommy said I could pick the desert"! Anna screamed, the girl sure had a set of lungs.
"Well I want to pick too"! He shouted back.
"You're not going too"!
Peyton used her fingers to whistle. "Hey, there will be non of that. If you can't pick a desert together, then there won't be one. Got it" she yelled, surprised she had said that, before she hadn't known what to do.
"Got it" They said in unison.
Peyton spent the remaindering of the hour cooking, as Anna and Ian watched. She was just about finished when the doorbell rang and Anna took off for it.
"I'll get it" she yelled running toward until Lucas scooped her up in his arms.
"How about I get that with you"?
"Daddy" she whined. "I had it under control". Anna could be very independent at times
He laughed and kissed her forehead. "I'm sure you did". Lucas opened door and found Brooke with his mother and sister.
"Hey Luke, I hope you don't mind...I kind of tagged along with your mom and Caitlin".
"Brooke, why are you asking? You do it all the time".
She slapped him on the arm. "Funny" she said hello to Anna and walked into the house, leaving Lucas to greet his mother and sister.
Peyton took the chocolate chip cookies out of the oven letting them cool. After setting the table she headed back to living room.
"P. Scott, tell me that's not an apron you're wearing".
"No it's a new dress I bought" Peyton said sarcastically as gave her friend a hug.
"Well you always did have weird taste" Brooke replied.
"Yeah sure" Peyton then greeted Karen and Caitlin and they all sat down at dinner. The adults all except Peyton had been hesitant but surprisingly the kids had dug in first. When they did taste the food they were very shocked, it was actually really good.
When dinner and desert was over everyone left and Peyton cleaned up the kitchen while Lucas put the kids to bed.
"You surprised me tonight".
She dropped the dish towel she was holding and turned to Lucas. "So am I really that bad of cook"?
He moved closer to her sliding his arms around her waist. "Well as of today...you can cook".
"I'm guessing the cookies weren't too salty then"?
He smirked at her. "They were... the best". Lucas kissed gently on the lips.
Peyton returned kissed, the only times her and Lucas had kissed during the past six years had been New Years. She pulled away instantly seeing the confused look on his face. "Sorry I don't kiss anyone who makes bets on my cooking skills" she said remembering what the twins had accidentally told her when she was cooking.
He held his head down, knowing he had been caught. "Hey I didn't bet against you".
"Sorry you're still in the doghouse"!
Lucas laughed, "Fine, the kids want us to read them a bedtime story".
"Okay then, I'm almost finished so I'll meet you up there in a second".
Lucas kissed her forehead and left the kitchen.
Peyton stood there in the empty kitchen. A overwhelming feeling of sadness and regret consuming her. Frowning she wrapped her in hug. "Don't get too attached Peyton" she whispered to herself.