“I’ve added rosemary. What to add next?” I murmured to myself, scanning the shelves for inspiration. My gaze landed on a jar of sundried tomatoes. “Hmm, a little Mediterranean twist might be just the thing.” I moved some jars and congratulated myself when I found one full of olives.
As I chopped the tomatoes and olives, the rich, earthy scent grounded me in the present. For a brief instant, I allowed myself to forget the darkness lingering on the edges of my consciousness and lost myself in the vibrant colors and flavors before me.
“Hey Liza,” Rosalie said as she walked into the kitchen, the tall shelves that lined the wall dwarfing her frame. Her red hair was pulled back into a tight bun, emphasizing the slight flush that colored her cheeks. She seemed off, hesitant, her eyes darting about the room as if searching for an escape route.
“Rosalie, hey. What brings you here?” I asked, keeping my face down, trying to sound casual despite the turmoil churning inside me. If she picked up on it, she didn’t comment.
“Uh… I just wanted to check in and make sure you’re doing all right. You were so out of it last time.” Even her voice sounded odd.
“I’m fine, honestly. I’m working on some new recipes right now, but we can chat while I do that.”
After a moment of silence, she cleared her throat awkwardly. “So… how are things with Liam? You two have been spending a lot of time together lately.”
“Uh, yeah, we have.” Heat crept up my neck. “He’s been helping me with my training, trying to teach me how to control my power and stuff.”
“Is it going well?” she asked, fidgeting with the hem of her sweater.
“It’s not easy, but I’m getting there.”
“Good,” she murmured, and I detected the relief in her tone. “I’m glad you’re making progress.” She stared down into the bowl. “What are you making?”
“Sun-dried tomato and olive bread.” My hands worked deftly as I folded the chopped ingredients into the dough. “I figured it might be a nice addition to our next pack dinner.”
“Sounds delicious.” Rosalie watched me knead the dough as if it held the answers to all her questions.
Unsure of why the girl was acting so uptight, I decided to give her something to do. Maybe she just needed to have busy hands. I’d promised I’d keep paying her till things settled down, but maybe it was worrying her more than she was letting on.
“Why don’t you put on an apron and make some of those tomato and mushroom souffles you made for Mrs. Henderson? They were so delicious. Ty and I can have them for dinner.” I moved along the worktop so she could work beside me.
“I’d love to, Liza.” For the first time since she’d arrived, her stiff demeanor relaxed, and we began our food prep in a companionable silence.
It didn’t last. I watched Rosalie’s eyes glaze over for the third time in as many minutes. “Earth to Rosalie,” I said, waving a hand in front of her face. “What’s going on with you today?”
“Sorry.” She blinked rapidly and grinned sheepishly. “I just... have something on my mind, I guess.”
“Clearly.” I nudged her with my hip. “So, are you going to tell me what’s bothering you, or do I have to guess?”
Rosalie worried her lower lip with her teeth. Finally, she sighed and said, “Okay, so you know how Liam is really hot, right?”
“Uh, sure,” I said, startled by the sudden change in topic. “I mean, he’s my brother, but objectively speaking, I can understand why someone would think that.”
“Right, well,” she said, her cheeks flushing a pretty shade of pink. “The thing is, I think I saw some kind of… bond between him and Sabrina.”
“Wait, what?” My lower jaw dropped, and I stared at her in disbelief. “Rosalie, are you sure about this? I mean, Sabrina’s human, and humans don’t form bonds with shifters.” I thought back to the way Liam had looked at Sabrina, and her flirting, but surely that was just sexual chemistry.
She shrugged, her shoulders rising and falling with indifference. “I’m just telling you what was there. There was definitely some kind of thread connecting them. I wouldn’t have mentioned it if I wasn’t sure.”
Clearly, arguing would be pointless. Rosalie had made up her mind. “I’ll talk to Ty about it. If anyone can confirm whether or not there’s a bond between Liam and Sabrina, it’s him.”
“Thanks,” she said, and she seemed relieved that I’d taken the matter out of her hands.
As we returned to our tasks, my thoughts were anything but focused on the food in front of me. A bond between my brother and my best friend should be impossible, and yet Rosalie had been so certain of it. If she was right, everything could change, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
“Hey,” Rosalie said. “I wasn’t gossiping. You know I wouldn’t say anything if I didn’t think it was important, right?” She opened the oven and placed in her souffles.
“I know.” I gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re just looking out for everyone involved, and I appreciate that.”
“I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
