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“Uh…do you want a beer or something with dinner? We can eat in here by the fire.”
“Sure.” Hesitation was full force in that single word.
Eli released Sarah’s hands but moved her palm to Sarah’s back, guiding her toward the kitchen. As soon as they got to the hallway, Eli could smell dinner. She must have been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn’t even noticed it before. “It smells amazing.”
“It’s just a simple pasta bake.”
“Well, it sounds delicious. Do you have a preference on beer?”
“Just whatever you’re having.”
Each of them did their own thing. Eli got the drinks while Sarah plated their meals. Then together, they walked to the den and folded themselves onto the couch. As soon as the spaghetti hit her tongue, Eli knew she was in heaven. She didn’t care if it was jarred sauce or not, whatever Sarah had done to it was amazing.
“You should cook for a living.”
Sarah snorted. “No, thanks. But I do cook as often as I can. Eating out gets old so fast.”
“I imagine. I rarely eat out.” Eli took a swig of her beer before setting it on the table next to the couch. “What’s your favorite dish to cook?”
“I like to try new things out.”
“Adventurous.”
“Some days.” Sarah smirked and ate her own food. “Do you not like to cook?”
“It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that I’m not very good at it. Mom did all the cooking growing up, and I was more interested in learning from Dad about stuff on the farm than I was about staying inside and cooking. I wanted to be out there.”
“Makes sense,” Sarah muttered.
Eli could tell she was going to have to work harder to put their relationship, whatever that was, back on the track they had been on. Sarah still seemed to be resisting any type of regular conversation, and an awkward tension had both of them walking on eggshells.
Taking the risk, Eli slid her free hand onto Sarah’s warm thigh, the softness of her worn jeans hitting the palm of her hand and her fingers all at once and sending a jolt of something up her arm and into her chest. “Well, thank you for cooking so much for me. I do appreciate it.”
Sarah’s eyes moved to where they were connected then traveled the line up to Eli’s eyes. She nodded in the slightest, and that pull was back for Eli to lean forward and press their mouths together, but she refused to give in to it.
“I think my sister would like it here,” Sarah’s voice echoed, her tone tense.
“Oh yeah? You should bring her next time.” Eli moved away and shoved forkfuls of food into her mouth.
“I probably should. Maybe I’ll bring my whole family up some day. I feel bad, sometimes. I need to spend more time with my sister and her kids. I feel like I miss everything.”
Eli hummed agreement. “Kids grow up fast. So long as they know you’re there for the important stuff, I’m not sure the rest of it matters.”
“It matters to Kendal.”
“How old are her kids?” Eli finished her plate and shoved it onto the table while grabbing her beer.
“She’s got twin girls. They will be ten next month.”
“They’re about to get fun.”
Sarah gave her a funny look, her brows furrowed and confusion littering her face.
Eli snorted. “I prefer kids who can think for themselves, so teenagers. Little kids are just…so much work.”
Sarah cocked her head to the side as she thought. “They’re each time-sucks in different ways, I think.”
“Do you want kids?”
