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Without saying a word, he swapped their plates.
She stared at him with her mouth hanging open. “Why did you take my meal and give me yours?”
“Because we both know you’ll want my dinner, and I’ll be stuck eating yours. I saved us both some time.”
“I wasn’t about to do that.”
“You used to do it all the time.”
“Ten years ago. I don’t behave the same way.”
“You weren’t about to ask for a piece of my fish?” He dipped his head and looked at her with obvious skepticism.
Annabelle opened her mouth, but when he quirked an eyebrow at her, she quickly closed her lips.
Picking up her knife and fork, she grumbled under her breath.
“What did you say?” Dante asked.
“Isaid, you’re a dick.” She smiled tightly.
“I have a big dick?”
“No, I said—” She broke off when he started laughing and shook her head. “Funny.” She rolled her eyes but was unable to hide her smile.
They both dug into their meals.
Annabelle groaned when she ate the fish. “Delicious, and the chutney is next level.”
“The salmon is excellent too. Here.” Dante extended his fork to her with pieces of salmon and vegetables.
She ate what he offered and moaned again. “Oh my goodness.”
He chuckled.
“I wish I could cook like this.”
“You could, if you wanted to,” Dante said.
“Please, remember I’m the woman who burned the eggs the second weekend in our apartment as a married couple.”
“You got better though.”
She nodded and chewed. “Because I started spending time in the kitchen with Chef while you worked. I learned to make a few dishes.”
One memory in particular came flooding back. “Then one night you cooked dinner, and I was late.”
Looking across the table at him, sadness filled her eyes. “You didn’t show up until after ten, and I’d made my first roasted chicken. I was so proud. But by the time you arrived…”
She shrugged, but he felt the extent of her disappointment.
“Thatwas the final straw, wasn’t it? That was the night you decided to leave me.”
Annabelle set down her fork and knife. “I admit I needed attention. I didn’t think you cared about me. I loved you, but I wanted more, and I couldn’t figure out how to get more, so I went back to the life that I knew. And of course, my decision made you hate me.”
Dante put down his silverware too. “I never hated you.”
“If you don’t now, you did. You weren’t happy when I left.”
