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“Come on. Tell me. I’ll stay quiet.”
“Manischewitz White concord grape is like Five Buck Chuck.”
Raj glanced down at his and Tabitha’s glasses of much more expensive wine. “That’s funny. Does it pair well with anything?”
“Old ladies.” Nora shook her head. “It’s fine. They tried, and now that Barak has feelings out of his system, this’ll go better.”
“I’m sure,” Raj pretended she was right. Michael came back from the kitchen and skirted past Steadman to stand next to Angela. Even their dog had disappeared rather than be near him.
Yep, this was shaping up to be quite the night.
Chapter 15
Raj was impressed by the effort Dr. Kandal had put into this meal. The first course was artisan bread, a gluten-free option, and a dairy-free Caesar salad.
Then she brought out sealed identical appearing meals on similar plastic plates for Nora and Barak. Their salads bore a special seal and ‘kosher’ stamp and were set right next to their glasses of the notorious white concord grape.
Nora acknowledged the work. “Thank you. I didn’t expect… how do you get everything to match?”
“Dr. Feldsher. She was my chief once. I called the kosher caterer she recommended, ordered the food, and then set up our menu around your meals.”
“It’s exceedingly generous of you, ma’am,” Barak seconded, keeping his food far away from the rest of the table.
The family style salad being served to everyone else was thoroughly enjoyed by Raj, and he added a generous serving of olive oil and sunflower seeds to his salad.
It had been almost a year since his growth spurt started, and his stomach remained a bottomless gnawing hole.
At the main course of chicken, salmon, and asparagus with a side of rice, Raj waited for the appropriate moment until digging in.
Tabitha helpfully said, “Would you like to eat my rice and asparagus?”
“Sure,” Raj said, halfway through taking her plate. Then he remembered he was supposed to eat like a civilized human being, not a starved medical student post call. “Don’t you want them?”
She dumped her entire plate onto his, except for the chicken. “I’m on the carnivore diet.”
“The carnivore what?”
“The carnivore diet. I only eat meat and an occasional nightshade.”
Raj swallowed a fast spoonful of rice, lest he lose his appetite. He’d kissed her a lot. Everywhere. “You eat poisonous nightshades?”
“No. Most nightshades are vegetables,” Tabitha said. “You’re underestimating the health benefits.”
“This sounds exciting,” Stella Magi commented. “Tell me more.”
To Raj’s utter horror, Tabitha launched into an entire ten-minute lecture about the wondrous anti-inflammatory properties of a meat only diet and the additional benefits of eating nightshades once a day.
And she wasn’t referring to the poisonous belladonna plant, merely potatoes, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes.
“Which is why the body is improved by the wonders of alkalosis,” she finished, full of enthusiasm.
The medical doctors at the table had the most interesting expressions by now, and Raj was wondering if he should have vetted his date better.
Fortunately, Dr. Kandal was willing to be magnanimous. “I have an uncut tomato in the kitchen if you want it.”
“No. I’ve already reached my alkalization limit of the day. It might upset my karma,” Tabitha said. “When this is over, we have to stop by Texas Roadhouse for some steaks to last me the rest of the week. You’ve got to try one, baby.”
Raj dropped his fork. How had he not noticed she ate almost nothing but meat and wine? His interest had been toward her bedroom, not the contents of her fridge.
