“To cook for me. I’m serious about the skipping meals thing. But if you came over a few times a week and cooked actual food, I’d pay you well. And you could practice your recipes on me, try out different things for the competition.”
Kiera stares at me. “You want to pay me to cook for you?”
“Yes. Think about it. You need practice and money, and I need to eat like a functional human being. It’s a win-win. You could experiment, get feedback. I’m a very honest taste-tester.”
A short laugh escapes her, but there’s wariness in her eyes. “That’s the most ridiculous job proposal I’ve ever heard.”
“Is that a yes?”
She worries her bottom lip. “How much would you pay?”
“What do you make at the bakery?”
“About fifteen an hour.”
“I’ll pay you thirty an hour plus money for ingredients.”
Her eyes go wide, then narrow. “Thirty? River, that’s too much.”
“It’s not. You’d be saving my life, basically. Come on. Let me hire you. You can use my kitchen as your personal culinary laboratory.”
She studies my face for a long moment. Finally, something shifts. “Okay. Yes. I’ll do it.”
Relief floods through me. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. When do you want me to start?”
“Tomorrow?” I say it too quickly. “I mean, if you’re available.”
Amusement flickers across her face. “Tomorrow works. What time?”
“Six? You could make dinner and we could eat together.”
“Six it is.” She extends her hand, keeping this professional. “You’ve got yourself a personal chef.”
I take her hand, and the electric awareness I’ve beentrying to ignore zings up my arm. For a second, neither of us moves, then she pulls her hand back a beat too quickly to be casual.
“Yeah, I should go make myself useful,” she says, breathlessness underneath the snark. “Can’t have Kiki doing all the work while I stand around making dubious business deals. Tomorrow, then. Try to survive until six.”
“Tomorrow,” I echo, watching as she walks away without looking back.
“Smooth,” a voice says behind me. I turn to find Micah grinning with Cricket tucked under his arm. “Very smooth.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, but I can feel the stupid smile on my face.
Cricket laughs. “River, everyone can see you’re into her.”
“Was it that obvious?”
“Painfully,” Micah says. “But I think she might like you too. She kept looking over here earlier.”
“Really?”
Cricket’s smile turns sympathetic. “Really. But be patient with her, okay? She’s been through a lot, and she doesn’t trust easily. She’s going to push back. Test you.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I say.
“Good. Because she needs someone who’ll stick around.”
