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“Want to make some tea and we can talk about it?” Avery asked, feeling trapped in the small room.
She received a playful eye roll, which she took for a win.
“Fine, but let’s try something else. The orange zest was good, but it’s in the citrus family, and too close to the lemon I remember as a kid.” Quinn gave an exaggerated shudder.
Avery opened the cupboards to study the producer-stocked selection. “Okay, we’ll try this one.” She pulled down Sweet and Spicy, hoping the flavor profile would be different enough that Quinn would still like it.
Quinn blew into the cup when it was ready. “My uncle will be flabbergasted you got me to drink tea.”
“We’ll make a tea drinker out of you yet. I don’t think this one needs honey, but let me know.” Avery sat down across the table from Quinn.
An awkward silence descended upon them. Avery racked her brain, trying to come up with something to say. The only thing in her brain was a line from Aspen Lake’s new single. The song had been playing in the car on the way to the cottage, and her brain was repeating one specific line.
“Do you want to play a video game?” Quinn asked, breaking the silence.
“Sure, what do they have?”
“There’s a Switch with a few two-player games.” Quinn stood, motioning for Avery to follow. “This is a winner, by the way. The flavor slaps you on the tongue, and no cleaning solution in sight.” She raised the still-steaming mug triumphantly.
“Glad you like it,” Avery said, wondering why she suddenly had the conversational skills of a dull rock. She wished she could at least be a shiny amethyst or something, but three days alone with Quinn made her afraid they would run out of things to talk about.
Avery stopped thinking about talking as they lost themselves in the video game.
“You’re a much better E-bowler than a real-life bowler.” Quinn fell against the couch after a spirited game.
“You should see me at tennis. I could go E-pro.” Avery smirked, navigating to the game. “Care to try it out?” She wiggled the remote, watching her avatar swing its racket.
“Sure, but how about after dinner? I’m starving.” Quinn patted her stomach.
It wasn’t until Avery’s stomach growled in response that she realized how much time had passed.
“I can get it started.” Avery put down her controllers and walked toward the kitchen.
“Be still my heart.” Quinn tapped her chest.
Avery peeked in the fridge. “It’s not that big of a deal. I’ll make some homemade spaghetti. Sound good?”
Quinn laughed. “So you’ll boil noodles, open a can of sauce, and put it on a plate? I take back my heart comment.”
“Just you wait,” Avery teased, pulling tomatoes, garlic, onion, and basil out of the fridge. “Do you like meatballs and meat sauce, or would you prefer vegetarian?” she asked as she washed her hands.
“Meatballs, with no meat in the sauce,” Quinn responded, sounding less skeptical.
“Go read or hang out. I’ll let you know when dinner’s ready.” Avery shooed her out with a spoon and got to work.
The only thing missing while she prepared dinner was her phone for the cooking playlist she’d created. There was a speaker with some music, but it didn’t have the nuanced selection she needed to get in the mood for the meal.
The simmering garlic, tomatoes, and lots of basil brought Quinn back into the kitchen, her nose sniffing the air. Avery worked on browning the meatballs, watching in amusement as Quinn took in the vibrant homemade tomato sauce.
“There might be a sliiight possibility you know how to cook,” Quinn acquiesced, dipping a spoon into the sauce. “Damn, that’s great.”
“Thanks. I had an Italian ex-girlfriend who was appalled at American tomato sauce. She dumped all my cans in the garbage and showed me the fresher, tastier way.” Avery left out the part where she had dug them out of the trash later because she couldn’t afford to waste a perfectly fine jar of sauce.
“Well, I’d say it was a success. Do you know any more dishes?” Quinn gathered some plates, taking them to the table. “Oh, and do you want wine?”
“Yes, to wine, and yes to a few more dishes. These three days will probably tax the amount I know, but I’m willing to share them.” Avery transferred the browned meatballs into the sauce before testing out a noodle. “Perfecto,” she said, taking the noodles from the stove. “Do you have any favorite meals?” Avery asked, pulling out fresh parmesan from the fridge. She’d miss the little TV fairies keeping her fridge stocked. Maybe she could sneak some pantry items into her bag before she left the show. Would that be uncouth? Perhaps, but it might be needed depending on how the finale played out.
“I know how to make oatmeal, pancakes, and eggs a few different ways,” Quinn replied, coming up behind her. She put her hand on Avery’s hip as she reached for the bottle of wine.
