I roll my eyes. "I'm not that bad. And I do try to pay attention." I pat the side of the sieve, catching a surprising number of seeds. I would have thought they'd also end up crushed.
"I know you do." He sets the bowl down in front of me. "You can add the raspberries now."
I nod and pick up the bowl of bright pink powder. I tip it into the bowl with the chocolate and get ready to mix it, unable to help noticing that the whisk is still warm from Nate's hand.
"I don't think you need to worry too much about the lemons," he says. "All you have to do is ask whether the King and your brother think it's acceptable to include them. They deal with the ambassadors regularly, so they'll be able to direct you."
"I suppose I want to make sure that I'm saying why I want to include them. And the recipes that I think they would be showcased well in. Are there any from Gaullesse that use lemon?"
"Hmm." He crosses over to where his journal is sitting on the table and starts flipping through. "There's a tarte au citron," he responds.
"What is that?"
"It's made with a lemon curd."
"Like curd tart?"
"No, not quite. It's silkier than that, and has a tartness to it that curd tart doesn't. I think Princess Veronica would like it."
"Perhaps I should be suggesting that for the banquet. If that's a Gaullessian recipe, then lemons can't be a bad choice politically, can they?"
"I don't know," Nate responds. "The ganache is probably ready." He nods towards it.
"Oh, right. Should I try it?"
He nods.
I take a couple of spoons out of the pot at the centre of the table and dip one of them into the ganache. I lift it to my lips, somewhat aware of Nate watching me. No doubt he's trying to work out if the ganache has gone to plan.
The sweetness of the chocolate, along with the tart pieces of the raspberry scattered within makes a delightful combination on my tongue.
"It's good," I say, setting aside my spoon and using the other one to get a small amount for Nate. I hold it out for him, and his fingers brush against mine as he takes it.
I'm captivated as he puts the spoon in his mouth and tastes the ganache, every movement making it feel like I'm not entirely in the room. This isn't a normal feeling for me, and I'm sure that it's just caused by the things Veronica is putting in my head.
Or maybe because I am thinking about kissing him. Would he taste like chocolate and raspberries if I kissed him now?
Would I?
I shake my head to try and rid myself of the thoughts. I'm only having them because of Veronica's influence. And none of it matters if I don't tell him how I feel.
"I'm going to get the chocolate shells so we can fill them," he says.
I nod, glad that he has no idea what direction my thoughts are taking. I leave the bowl of ganache and head over to where Ember is lounging on top of the oven. She stretches out her neck when she sees me, and I reach out to scratch her behind the horns. "What am I supposed to do?" I ask her.
She looks at me blankly.
"I don't know why I'm asking a dragon for advice. You've never had to try and tell someone that you love them." I let out a sigh. "I'm just going to have to do it."
"Do what?" Nate asks as he walks back into the room.
I turn around quickly, not quite ready to say the words out loud even if I know that I need to. "Talk to my father about the lemons," I lie, instantly feeling bad about it.
"I had a thought about that. Maybe I could..."
"Come with me to talk to him?"
He pauses in his place. "I was going to say that I could write some notes for you."
