The SubZero refrigerator had been stocked for an army. Once she’d selected two steaks, potatoes, and kale, shetskedas she pulled a bottle of Champagne from the bottomshelf.
“What did you say?” Alexander asked, dropping a pile of logs in a metal bin next to thehearth.
“Champagne should never be stored in the refrigerator for more than a few hours, you know.” Elizabeth waved the bottle at him, then set it on thecounter.
“Idoknow. Apparently, my caretaker does not.” Alexander stacked logs and arranged kindling while Elizabeth chopped potatoes. Mischief glinted in his eyes. “We could drinkit.”
“Not tonight. Steaks.” She pointed to the package of meat. “There’s a bottle of Bordeaux in the wine rack that’s appropriate for what I’mmaking.”
“Where did you learn about wine?” he asked, striking the match and lighting thekindling.
“Parents. Any daughter of theirs had to be able to host a dinner party appropriately.” She seasoned the steaks as the potatoes started to sizzle in the pan. “We traveled to Paris, London, and Rome every year. Family holiday. Every trip included cooking classes for my mother and me. Dad and Darren got to spend the time drinking orgambling.”
You’re late. Dinner was supposed to be ready when I gothome.
In her memories, Darren chided her, and she braced her hand against the counter forcing deepbreaths.
Alexander cut her off with a kiss that left her breathless. “I see the fear in your eyes, Elizabeth.Why?”
“Memories.” Elizabeth’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she pulled away to start heating up the cast iron pan for the steaks. “Darren…screwed me up. In a lot of ways. I stopped doing all these things I enjoyed because he expected me to do them. I loved to cook until he insisted that I have dinner ready every night before he came home. He never raised a hand to me or even yelled,but…”
Alexander tenderly stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “He mistreated you. Even if he never laid a hand on you. And one of these days, I plan on laying him out flat and telling himso.”
“The part of me that’s an adult says you should be the bigger man and let it go.” She shot him a quick smile. “The part of me that thinks he’s a vile, petty, childish prick wants towatch.”
Alexander bellowed out a laugh. “Then the next time you go to Seattle, I’ll go with you. Now, can I help you at all withthis?”
“No. Go unpack. You have ten minutes before I could use an extra set of hands. This is a simple meal with steaks thisexpensive.”
“Simpler, perhaps. But not simple. I fall more in love with you every moment.” Alexander left her with a quick kiss and a promise to not only unpack but to build a fire in the bedroom forlater.
Elizabeth watched him walk away, and any doubts she’d had melted away. She’d fallen in love with him,too.
