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"Sounds delicious and fast."
Ten minutes later, I was cooking the steak while Reese was preparing the salad.
"Where are the bowls?" she asked.
"Not sure. I keep forgetting because I don't come here too often."
"I'll manage." She opened two cabinets, found a bowl, and then popped open the package, pouring the salad in.
Even the mundane act of cooking dinner was somehow fascinating with her next to me. She made the dressing out of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt.
"I present to you Reese Maxwell's world-renowned signature dish: prepackaged salad."
I laughed. "I’ll take it." Then, leaning into her, I said, "I'll take you."
She pressed the side of her hip lightly against mine.
"You’re full of sass tonight," she murmured.
"I'm learning from the best."
We ate at the dining room table, sitting across from each other.
"It's so peaceful here, and I can imagine that the view is gorgeous in the morning. I don't think I'd ever go back to the city if I had this place," Reese admitted.
"Then why didn't you buy a home outside the city?"
She sighed. "I lied. I would go back because I like dropping by my cousins' homes now and again to see the kids."
I smirked. "But not your cousins?"
She smiled sheepishly. "Them, too, though lately I mostly ignore them when I’m at their places. It's just that... well, the little ones want my absolute attention when I’m there, and I’d feel bad not giving it to them. They're always so excited to tell me about whatever they've been up to. I like to know what's going on with them, especially the oldest one, Paisley."
I liked that she seemed genuinely interested in their lives. She didn't act like kids' stories bothered her.
"You're a great cook," she said after the first bite of steak. “Ever consider being a chef?”
“No. Dad always said his cooking skills were for the family, and I quite agree with him. I don't think I'd have half the fun I do when cooking if I had to do it professionally."
"It’s like me with Christmas decorations. I like to do it for myself but not for the hotel. Gran actually asked me to help her at her house this year, which is bittersweet."
"How so?" I asked, taking a mouthful of salad.
"I'm always happy to decorate, but it also means she knows she can't do it by herself anymore. She didn't come out and say it, but I can read between the lines." She groaned. "Damn, I was starving, and I didn't even know it. I didn’t eat too much at my aunt’s for lunch," Reese said, shoving in yet another mouthful of steak.
We were completely silent for a few minutes while we downed our food. Reese kept looking over her shoulder, glancing out the window.
"We can go outside now," I said, barely keeping from bursting out laughing.
"I can wait until you're done, or if you want to have, I don't know, dessert or something?"
I shook my head. "We can have the dessert once we come back."
"What is it?"
"It's frozen tiramisu. I’ll get it out of the freezer before we go."
"Sure, take your time."
