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“I can handle that,” he said. “You’re feeding me and all.”
“I am doing that. It’s almost ready too. How hungry are you?”
“Very,” he said, his eyes looking her over.
“Good,” she said. “You’re not getting much more than a kiss. Though I did make you dessert too.”
“I’ll take it,” he said. “Where are your plates?”
“What?”
“Your plates. You cooked, I can set the table. Or aren’t I allowed to touch anything in your kitchen?”
She smiled. “I am territorial about my kitchen but not for that. In the cabinet to the left of the sink.”
He moved back into the house with her following and grabbed two plates. “Silverware?” he asked.
She pointed to a drawer not that far away as she sliced the Wellington. Her beans were done with bits of bacon and almond slivers mixed in. They were just warming. Normally she would have made them very fresh but wanted to have time to talk to Lincoln.
She was thrilled she’d come out and said what she had, but something was telling her that he was still holding back.
There had to be more to it than what he’d said about his reasons for not approaching her.
Just like there was more to her too.
Maybe if she brought it up a little more he’d understand. She could share enough and hope he opened up too.
Once they were seated at the island, him on the corner, her next to him on the side so they could see each other, he filled his plate.
“How is it?” she asked after a minute of eating.
“Sorry,” he said. “Me stuffing my face isn’t compliment enough?”
“I love watching people eat my food,” she said. “It’s very rewarding.”
“I love anyone cooking for me. My mother is a good cook. She feeds me well when I visit. She’d send me packages but couldn’t send me food she’d made when I was in the service. So when I came home on leave she’d feed me like crazy. All my favorites were there nonstop.”
“That’s great,” she said. “I’d do that. What are some of your favorites?”
“I’ll eat just about anything,” he said. “But I don’t want you to think I’m only with you for your cooking.”
It was the boyish grin on his face that had her laughing. She was relieved they’d gotten to this point. “That doesn’t bother me. I enjoy it and it’s a skill I’ve earned, not something I was born with.”
He tilted his head. “I like that.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I’m proud of what I do for a living. I’ve worked hard to get here. I’ve struggled to get men to understand that or accept that it comes with negatives.”
“A lot of time and effort goes into it,” he said. “With my job, I don’t work traditional hours. I can go in at the crack of dawn and get home in the middle of the night. Or get called out in the middle of the night if there is an emergency and someone needs to get off the island.”
She knew that. That Egan was contracted with the State Police and the hospitals if other helicopters weren’t available.
“I work nights and weekends. It’s hard to have a relationship with those hours. I’m not a clingy person and have no expectations because I can’t make promises.” Which was kind of a lie because she did have expectations but not in terms of the time spent with someone as much as their honesty.
“The same,” he said.
“Then we understand each other there.”
“Seems it,” he said.
