Asmoday
Despite us living in the same residence and me making meals for her every day, Daruka managed to avoid me for the next three days.It was late Thursday evening before we were in the same vicinity for more than the thirty seconds it took her to grab a bite, mumble a thank you without making eye contact, and flee again.
Imagine my surprise when she didn’t rush away this time.
“What are you doing?”
I glanced over my shoulder to where she lounged against the kitchen doorframe, dressed in yoga pants that were more loosely fitted than her typical leggings, and a dark purple tank that emphasized her fantastic boobs way more than I needed to notice.
I’d been fantasizing a lot about those boobs since I inadvertently got a glimpse when she decided to take a dip in the moat that was supposed to encourage people to stay away, not go for a swim.
Of course, when the townsfolk had built it, they hadn’t taken into account the potential for a mermaid to move into their midst.
I turned back to the ceramic counter in my outdoor kitchen, where I’d just finished trimming the fat off four large briskets.The smokers were already on, belching smoke into the air and letting the entire town know that I had begun preparations for the annual Valentine’s weekend festival.
Yes, I too was shocked that a bunch of misfit monsters enjoyed a holiday like Valentine’s Day so damn much that they’d created a festival around it.But, like all the rest of us, I leaned into it, contributing my culinary skills to the volunteer signup sheet that the vampire posted in the coffee shop every January first.
(By the way, wait until you see how this town celebrates Halloween.)
Daruka took a step outside and let her gaze wander around my setup.“This is nice.”
Hell, yeah, it was.When I bought the historic building, I’d replaced the hundred-year-old crumbling brick patio under the covered porch with smooth stone pavers.I’d then enlisted River and the yeti to help to build the long ceramic countertop, install the sink and grill, and swap out the old ceiling fans that had probably been installed back when electricity was first invented.
Next step was to hit up the genie who owned the mercantile store.I had to use up one of my wishes to get him to install the vent fan over the outdoor cooktop, because I wanted it to be done flawlessly.No accidental fires with this setup.
Last, I’d ventured out into the wild—a.k.a.the human world—to purchase the four smokers lined up right on the edge of the porch, mostly protected from the elements but positioned so their smoke went outside rather than into my building.I liked the smell of smoking meat, but I didn’t want my entire life to be permeated with it.
“Thanks,” I responded.“And to answer your question, I’m smoking brisket for the festival this weekend.”
She squinted at the smokers, and I answered her next question before she could ask.
“Brisket, when done right, takes around twelve hours to cook, and that’s after all the prep.”I waved at the slabs of meat lying on the counter.“And then it needs to rest for a few hours before it’s ready to eat.”
She frowned.“I don’t know much about cooking.”
I quickly wiped my hands on a rag and snagged a second apron.“Want to learn?”I sounded desperate.
I didn’t care.
She hesitated.Was she about to turn around and continue hiding from me, from her attraction to me?
With her gaze deliberately fixed over my shoulder, she accepted the apron and slipped it over her head, then tied the ribbons behind her back.
Not going to lie, I struggled not to pump my fist in the airTheBreakfast Clubstyle.
“Come over here.”I patted the countertop.She moved next to me, but with a significant enough gap between us to make it clear she was still trying to keep her distance.
Her issue was definitely the fated mates thing, which sucked, but we’d figure it out.
I hoped.
Probably not tonight, though.Tonight, I just wanted to figure out how to become friends.
Because not talking to Daruka at all was damn near killing me.
After a brief explanation of the next steps before the meat went into the smokers, I asked, “Do you want to spread the mustard or the spices?”I nodded at the jars I’d lined up along the edge of the counter and the bowls of spices I’d already mixed together and placed between each slab of meat.
Daruka eyed the display.“Which do you prefer?”
