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Adam twisted, showing him the scrape that had all but faded. “It’s fine. Almost gone, actually. I was hoping it would scab over, but it just kind of faded.”
Brian snorted. “Well, maybe next time you’ll get a good scab. I have a feeling you’ll be in another scrape in no time. In the meantime,” he said, bringing something out from behind his back, “here’s something to occupy you for a few minutes.”
Adam took the paper bag and reached inside, pulling out a book. “1000 Fun Facts for Immature Adults.”
That sent him rolling with laughter, and even Sage giggled. She loved the play on words, and she knew that her son would be up late tonight reading. She glanced at Brian, and he was grinning at Adam’s delight.
“I thought you might like that,” he said, then handed her a bottle of wine.
Sage blinked, appreciating the gesture. Oliver, of course, and a flavor she loved. She very rarely indulged, but maybe they would have a glass tonight. “Thank you,” she said, heading to the kitchen to put it in the fridge. “Come on in and make yourself at home. I’ll get the steaks on.”
Brian followed her. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Sage glanced at him as she turned the burner on for her cast iron pan. “Nope. The potatoes are about done, and these will only take about fifteen minutes. Have a seat, please. Can I get you a beer, or a water?”
“I’m good, right now,” he said, taking a seat at their kitchen table.
Adam wandered in, his head already buried in the book. “Brian, this is cool. Thank you.”
He settled into one of the chairs and continued to read, and Brian smiled at her. “He’s easy to please.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t get too excited. It will be read cover to cover by tonight, and you’re going to have to deal with the information dump tomorrow. He says he emails you every day.”
She turned back to the stove and the hot pan. The ribeye steaks had already been oiled and seasoned, and she put them in the cast iron, then set her time. Four minutes on each side, then five minutes in the oven, and they would be perfection. When she glanced up, Brian was leaning against the counter just a few feet away, arms crossed over his broad chest.
“I’ve never seen them done in cast iron.”
Sage smiled. “Then you’re in for a treat. I love them this way. Crispy on the outside and tender pink on the inside. Unless you’re one of those that needs their steak well-done,” she frowned.
Brian held out his hands. “Oh, no. Medium rare is perfect. And I’m okay with the emails. He’s a smart kid. You’ve done a fantastic job with him.”
Sage took his words to heart, nodding a little. “I feel like I have, but occasionally he catches me flat-footed. I feel like I’m always trying to get ahead of that brain of his,” she laughed.
The timer beeped, and she flipped the steaks, then turned the microwave on. There was a bag of broccoli in there, and she would cheese it up when it was done. “If he ever gets to be too much, just tell him you have work to do. I don’t expect you to entertain him.”
Brian shrugged, his smile crooked. “I don’t mind it. Kind of reminds me of my little brother.”
“And where is he?”
“He’s stationed in New Mexico, at Holloman Air Force Base. He does something with guided missiles, though I’m not sure what exactly. Not sure he can even tell me.”
Sage nodded, assuming Brian meant he did something top secret. She’d never dealt with the military, per se, other than some of the vets she dealt with on the streets. Seemed like a lot of the homeless they dealt with were veterans.
“Does he like what he does?” she asked and poked at the steak. Yup, it was getting there. Grabbing an oven mitt, she picked up the cast iron pan and slid it into the oven, pulling the glass 13x9 of potatoes out. Oh, they looked delectable.
Brian leaned in and sniffed appreciatively. “That smells so good. I was hungry before, but now my mouth is watering. Is that parmesan?”
“Yes,” she confirmed. “I cut the little potatoes in half and mix a parmesan, butter and seasoning paste on the bottom of the dish. Then I put them face down to bake and they make this delicious crust.”
Using a fork, she picked out a small one, and held it out to him. He took the fork from her, his fingers brushing her own. He blew on the bite, then popped it into his mouth. Sage watched him chew, fascinated, when she really shouldn’t be.
“That is fantastic,” he said around the bite.
Sage grinned, ridiculously happy that he enjoyed it. Cooking for a man had never been a priority to her. Feeding her son was a priority, and she’d gotten good at it for him.
When the steak timer went off, she pulled it from the oven and transferred the steaks to a cutting board to rest. Then she added cheese to her steamed broccoli. Adam sighed as she set the bowl of broccoli on the table. “I knew there’d be something green,” he grumbled.
Sage smirked. “Well, yeah. Duh. You always have something green at dinner.”
