“They will get larger, the mushrooms, I mean. End of season, they will be longer, typically.” I slice them carefully on the cutting board, explaining and demonstrating the need to swish in water and pat dry. “The real trick to this recipe—well there are two. One is to have a great bread if you are going to serve the sauce as a dip with bread. We are going to have it that way and as an optional sauce with the main protein, like I said. I thought we would be using store-bought bread today, but I happened to grab a baguette or two at Maxine’s.”
“Maxine’s has baguettes?” Quinn stands behind Piper, adjusting her light.
I had forgotten about the video again. I give Theo a smile. “Apparently, they are branching out to take-and-bake breads.” The bite is clear in my voice.
“I think it was just a one-time order,” Theo adds, blushing. “Someone asked if it could be done, and so Maxine tried it.”
Quinn silently raises his eyebrows at me, and I say nothing.
“Can’t believe you darkened the doorway.” Perrin teases. “I thought it was a point of pride not to enter.”
I sigh. “We came by for a special cake order. That’s when I saw the baguettes, and now they are in the oven inside. Also, Maxine gave us the practice cake.”
“There is cake?” Piper asks excitedly.
“I got paid in cake, you could say.” Theo wiggles his eyebrows at Piper, who giggles. I hope he’s kidding, but from what I know of Maxine and how low her prices are, it wouldn’t surprise me.
I pat the mushrooms, dry enough. Piper’s comment reminds me I am being recorded. It’s a ten-minute recipe with not a lot of technique involved. In a way, it is perfect for a home chef. Seasonal ingredients you can’t just find any time makes it special, and it isn’t intimidating with technique or time. If CJ were here, she would like the tie into what I do at Summit House, too.
“Are you going to use a demiglacé or substitute something?” Theo pipes up, getting me back on track.
My smile stretches at his words. “Demiglacé for a more robust flavor, and I keep some frozen in the freezer.” Jack calls that he will get it. With Theo’s gentle prompting, I explain a demiglacé, what can be substituted for it, and how to freeze it so you always have some on hand.
The rest of the video goes without a hitch, thanks to Theo’s constant little questions and observations, keeping me engaged and smiling, although no puns. With him around, the mood shifts. I know he loves food. He knows Stanton and how to set up a cake. I regret that he doesn’t come around and join in the video with me. I appreciate his input, but he stayed out of the frame, only his voice slipping in. I think I could even stand having him in my kitchen, which is rare.
We are done with the filming and taking out the bread baking in the kitchen. Theo moves to butter it expertly while still warm. He must have spent a lot of time in food service.
Another thing to know about him without having to ask.
“I’m dying to try this cake,” I tell him while I absently rub the flat planes of my stomach. “My sweet tooth is ready to get past morels and on to buttercream.”
For a meal without much planning on my part, I have to say it’s pretty good. Flavors from the ground together play well with one another, and this meal is no exception. Standing in the doorway, helping my family clean up, a sense of pride floods through me. They could feed themselves, but I contribute meals to Team Mann. My time to shine.
“Well, who do we have to thank for dessert?” Rita drapes an arm around Bishop, who squeezes her back gently and hands her a cup of after-dinner coffee.
“Theo, of course.”
“Well, thank you, Theo. This is a treat.”
Theo shrugs, standing partially behind me and turning bright red. “I certainly couldn’t eat it myself.” Everyone laughs a bit as he gestures to himself, closer to Liam’s stature than me or my brothers.
I let my eyes roam over his lithe frame. Infinitely fuckable.
Theo explains to the kids that the cake is a practice one, and I show the pictures of the final product.
The taste of the cake is worth waiting for—divine, even. Closing my eyes, I savor it. After all, the cake might have been just a pretty thing, decorative but no real flavor.
“You okay there?” Quinn asks.
“I knew it would be good.” I open my eyes. “I had lemon cakes drawing from the same flavor of the filling. Which is smart and economical, reusing product from the custom job.”
“Ohhhh, say it like a food critic, Matt,” Liam encourages with a smile, as sweet and boyish as Theo’s, before shoveling another forkful of cake in his mouth.
“You do have that food festival coming up,” Baylor reminds me. “You are judging part of that. It’s good practice.”
Theo raises his eyebrows at me with the question written on his face. “It’s nothing,” I assure him. “Just a festival with a kid’s competition and they asked me to judge it.”
“It’s not nothing,” Jack counters and I do my best to blow it off.
