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“Plates and forks.” He finds my favourite oval shaped presentation plate as I’m boiling the kettle. “Make yourself a chai or coffee too. This cake has to be eaten with a hot drink.”
He reveals the caramel coloured cake. It looks like a simple sponge covered with almonds but I know that it’ll be far from simple. My stomach growls hungrily.
“I’m sure you’re not just here to ply me with tea and cake,” I comment as he slices the rectangular shaped sponge into squares. He places them onto the plate, piling them neatly before setting them directly into the centre of the surface.
“Here.” He suddenly appears beside me and takes the almost boiled kettle. Watching as he pours a small amount of water into our cups, swirls the teabags around the bottom and then dumps the water into the sink before clicking the boil on the kettle again. “Always wash the teabags first or they get such a metallic taste to them.”
“I’ve never noticed but I usually drink coffee.”
Flashing his teeth at me, he helps me finish the drinks and then pulls out a bar stool for me to sit on. One would think this was his house, not my own. I feel like such a blundering idiot in comparison to his ease and grace in my own kitchen. “As for my visit, I’m here simply as a friend. Out of concern and because I enjoy your company.”
“Oh. Concern?”
“Yes, I’ve noticed recently that you’ve not seemed yourself. Your early visit yesterday has been testament to that.”
“So it was a problem?”
“Not at all.” His hand covers my wrist as my hand grips the handle of my cup. “Eat the cake; it’s one of my best.”
I do as I’m told, hungry for the first time in over a day and sip my tea as I swallow. “It’s lovely.”
“Thank you.” He looks around my kitchen. “As is your home. It feels so warm and full of love in comparison to my third floor, one bedroom apartment.”
“Home is what we make of it.”
“Something my mother tells me.” He gets such a look of love to his eyes that a lesser woman would have swooned.
“Do your parents live in London? I’ve not seen them in the restaurant.”
“They do, but they’re visiting my sister in Turkey for a few months.”
“I bet you miss them.”
“Surprisingly, I miss my mother’s cooking.”
This definitely makes me smile. “Is she better at it than you?”
“I learned a lot from her but not enough. When she comes back I’ll take you to her house for dinner.”
Blinking, I stammer, “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“Not at all, you can’t intrude in a Turkish household. We love guests.” He sips his own tea and takes a large bite out of a cake square. “So, how are you and why have you not been yourself lately?”
I wasn’t prepared for his question any more than I was prepared for his visit. Shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I try to lie. “I’m fine. I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Of course.” He places his hand on my wrist again and dips his head to draw my eyes to his. “But if you need an ear, I’ll give you mine. I’m only an away call.”
His language muddling makes me giggle. Unfortunately it makes me giggle right as Nathan steps into the kitchen, takes one look at us sitting at the breakfast bar sipping tea and eating cake and reacts in a way I never would have thought him capable of.
A scream rips from my chest and my hand flies to my mouth when Nathan grabs Kerim by his collar and shoves him up against our American style fridge. Magnets fall to the ground, clattering around their feet.
“Nathan!” I yell in horror. “What are you doing?”
“Me?” He releases Kerim who calmly smoothes himself down. I step to his side, wanting to apologise profusely. “What are you doing?”
“I feel my presence may be causing offence,” Kerim sighs, shaking his head and frowning at Nathan. “But I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone with a man in clearly such a state of distress.”
“This is insane,” I hiss, grabbing Nathan’s arm and ripping him backwards. I put myself between the two of them and glare at my fiancé. “Are you crazy?”
“Are you?” He asks, his eyes swimming with hurt. “Did you plan this?”
“You think that little of me?”
“I showed up unannounced,” Kerim states, raising his chin indignantly.
“Do you make a habit of showing up at the houses of your staff unannounced?” Nathan tries to step towards the man at my back but my hand on his chest stops him. I honestly can’t believe this is happening.
“Yes,” Kerim steps forward too and my arm presses against his chest. “When I feel as though they’re going through something, that’s exactly what I do. I never imagined it could be this.”
