"Pour it in," he says."I've done a mixture of chocolates.I think the new milk chocolate will bring the truffles a sweetness you'll like."
"New chocolate?"I ask, even as I pour the cream over the contents of the bowl.Small swirls of melting chocolate twist out through the white surface of the cream, but I know better than to mix it.I need to let it sit so that the hot cream can do what it's supposed to.
"Yes."Nate turns, and I don't think he's going to say more until he produces a bar of chocolate, snapping off a piece and holding it out to me."It's a recent invention.A man in Rhiland made chocolate using condensed milk.It's meant to be for drinking chocolate, but it works well for things like this too."
I take it from him."And I can just eat it?"
He nods."It's nice, you'll like it."
Slowly, I open my mouth and put the square of chocolate in.It melts on my tongue, bringing with it a sweetness I don't really expect from chocolate when it's eaten pure.Usually, I eat it when it's already been made into truffles or otherwise had some sweetness added to it.But this is silkier.
Nate is watching me with his warm brown eyes and an expression of adoration on his face.
"It's good," I say."Much nicer to eat than the usual chocolate."
He chuckles."That's because you have a sweet tooth," he responds."But it's too sweet to only use it in the truffles, so I've mixed it with some plain.It's probably ready to be mixed, if you want to do the honours?"He holds out a whisk to me.
I smile and take it from him, letting my fingers brush against his as I do."You said you made the peanut butter for Ernest?"I ask as I start to mix.
Nate nods."He's been enjoying it on bread, apparently."
I frown."I'm not sure I'd like that."
"Have you ever tried it?"he responds.
"No..."
"I can have some sent up to the mountain solar for breakfast tomorrow if you want to."
"Perhaps," I respond."Usually, I have whatever pastry you've sent up rather than bread."
"You do?"
"Is that a surprise?"The ganache is getting thicker and browner as I mix it, causing me to need to put a bit more effort in.
"I thought you might want to have the same breakfast every day," he admits.
"I know you'd tell me if you thought I wouldn't like something," I respond."So there's no need to.If you've sent something up, I'm going to like it."
It's hard to read the expression on his face, which is unusual for me when it comes to Nate.Usually, he's the one person I can consistently understand.Then again, I suppose I did manage to miss that he was in love with me until Veronica pointed it out.
"All right, I think this is done," I say, pushing the bowl of ganache towards him.
Nate picks up the whisk and gives it a check before nodding."It looks good."He takes the whisk out and drops it into the box that's going for washing.
"What now?"
"It has to sit for an hour."
"An hour?I can't help the shock that creeps into my voice."I thought this was a quick one, so that you could go to bed?"
"It is quick," he responds.
"It's going to be more than an hour before you can go to sleep," I point out.
"Mmhmm, which is an hour longer that I get to spend with you."He smiles at me, which makes my insides feel like the melted chocolate in the ganache.
"I do like that," I respond, making my way around the table so that I can put my hands on his chest.
