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He looked relaxed, like he belonged there. Stacey didn’t say anything about a boyfriend, not that the girls had spent much time together. The man happened to look up from the magazine and caught Elizabeth staring. Damn. She felt herself blush.
He put the magazine down and stood up. “Hi, I’m Jacob. You must be Elizabeth. Stacey told me you might be coming by a little early.”
He reached his hand out to Elizabeth, and smiled a wide, confident smile. Elizabeth stepped forward to shake his hand. She couldn’t help but notice his eyes were the color of the sky.
“Hi. It’s…uh… nice to meet you.” Elizabeth returned his handshake a little nervously and found herself tongue-tied. She returned a shy smile and could feel herself blushing a little as they made eye contact.
“I guess maybe you can help me in the kitchen. I can’t seem to find where Stacey hides the bowls.”
Jacob told her to follow him and led Elizabeth back into the kitchen. He opened a cabinet over the dishwasher and gestured to a shelf of bowls and other kitchen items.
“Oh, thanks. Stacey said to look in the cabinets but wasn’t specific about which one.”
“Yeah, I heard her. She doesn’t do much work in here and isn’t great at finding her way around the kitchen. Kitchen duty is usually my job, along with the grocery shopping. She spends most of her time at the hospital and taking naps. My schedule makes it a lot easier. I work normal hours, mostly, so it works out best this way.”
As Jacob talked, he started getting bowls, trays, and cups out. Then he started going through the refrigerator and began throwing ingredients together. Elizabeth, enjoyed watching him work. She could tell he knew his way around the kitchen, and he looked good doing it too.
Cooking started to get serious as Jacob began chopping and dicing, while he directed her on what she needed to do. In no time at all, the oven was stuffed full of spicy chicken legs and stuffed potato skins. Small crock pots had hot dips simmering and melting, while trays were being filled with vegetables, cheese, meats, and fruits.
“Wow. You really do know your way around the kitchen. This is the most cooking I’ve seen since last Christmas when I was watching my mom cook and bake for holiday gifts, and Christmas dinner. This all looks and smells AMAZING!” Elizabeth closed her eyes as she took in a deep whiff of the aromas wafting throughout the space.
“Thanks. Cooking is one of my many talents.”
“Cooking better be your main talent. I don’t let you live with me because you look good.” Stacey returned and was dressed simply in a gray knee-length pencil skirt, white oversized long sleeved shirt, and simple flip flops. Her hair was lazily pulled up into a messy ponytail on the top of her head.
“I’m glad you two met, and it looks like you have everything under control here, Jacob. I guess I’m not needed.”
She walked over to him and put her arm around his waist, giving him a side squeeze, stealing a carrot off the cutting board, and popping it into her mouth while he continued to chop vegetables and arrange trays of food.
“Yeah, and I am sure this is just what you planned, isn’t it, Shorty? Always having people over and expecting me to cook for you.”
Glancing quickly at Elizabeth, he continued. “She’s been doing this for years. Since, like birth.” He slapped Stacey’s hand as she reached for another carrot stick.
Realization washed over Elizabeth. “You’re brother and sister?” she asked, with an unexpected feeling of relief. “My parents didn’t mention anyone else living here but you Stacey, not that it really came up.”
“Your parents are really nice, but I’ve had such a weird schedule, trying to finish up my last semester of school and working; I haven’t been home much during the week,” explained Jacob.
“Yep, and now that his school years are officially behind him, I planned this party with some of our friends, so we can all show him how proud we are of his determination. I invite the people; he cooks the food. Win-win for everyone.” Stacey stood on her tiptoes, planted a kiss on the side of her younger brother’s cheek, and went into the pantry to get out some drinks.
“Oh,” replied Elizabeth, a little uneasily. “I didn’t realize you graduated from college also. I just did too. I feel like I am intruding now. I really don’t need to be here.”
“Don’t be silly,” exclaimed Stacey, rushing over to put her hands on Elizabeth’s shoulders. “Someone new is just what we need around here. We’ve all known each other for a long time. Everyone will love having you here and getting to know you.” Stacey squeezed Elizabeth’s shoulders with reassurance and flashed her that winning smile Elizabeth remembered from the driveway.
Now I feel uneasy and out of place. Talk about a party crasher.Elizabeth smiled her small, shy smile. “Okay. As long as you’re sure.”
“We are.” Stacey finalized the statement by placing some bowls in Elizabeth’s hands and started out of the kitchen. “Take these and follow me. We have a dinner party to get ready for.”
For the next hour or so the girls put out cups, plates, silverware, and food. Lots of food. They set up a drink table and placed some desserts around to make the setting complete.
Jacob opened a bottle of wine and poured three glasses. They all sipped wine and talked while they finished preparations. Once everything was ready, Stacey and Jacob started cleaning up the kitchen, so Elizabeth refilled her glass with wine, and went out to get some fresh air.
“She is really quiet, seems a bit shy,” Jacob said to Stacey as he rinsed the dishes, handing them to his sister so she could load the dishwasher.
“Yeah, I talked to her a little today and helped her with some of her bags. She seems quiet, but it could just be she’s tired from moving out of the dorms and back home. I say we introduce her around and make her feel at home. You can never have too many friends.”
Jacob looked at his sister with a gleam in his eyes and shook his head. “Of course, the social chair of the township thinks that. And I agree, I think it might be good to get to know Elizabeth. I already like the little bit I know.”
“Really, Jacob, you’re too much.”
