“Sourdough starter. I need one of those guides. I don’t have a scale so you’ll have to find instructions that just uses cups.”
“What else?”
“Any other recipe—bread, bagels, cake, brownies—anything and I’ll make it work. I hate cooking but I can learn to bake. People do this all the time, so it should be easy, right?”
Royce laughs. “I think you need to wait several days until the starter is ready before you can actually use it.”
“Great, I love projects.”
“I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”
“Your confidence is astounding.”
“My uncle doesn’t bake because he hates a mess. He makes bread sometimes, but he’s quick to make sure to clean up all the flour as he goes.”
“And you think because I’m basically manic right now that I’m going to destroy this kitchen and his pristine space.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“You’re not wrong. And conveniently, I’m not really worried about his feelings right now.”
“This is definitely going to be great,” he ruminates. “I’ll fax these over.”
“Fax? Are you serious? There’s afax machine here?I didn’t know anyone still used them.”
“And that’s why we have it.”
“Whatever, just send it all over.”
“You got it, and Kat?”
“What?” I snap. “Sorry, I’m just?—”
“I know. Just hang in there, okay?”
“Okay.” I swallow hard, squeezing my eyelids shut to stop the tears that want to fall. “Thanks, Royce.”
41
TOM
“What the hell is this?” I ask in disbelief as I step into the kitchen, sweaty and tired from an extra-long run to find flour-geddon has happened in the last hour.
“What?” Kat asks innocently, a measuring cup in her hand and flour on her cheek.
There’s a stack of papers fanned out across the counter, and as I get closer I can see the top one has instructions on how you, too, can make your own sourdough starter.
And under that is ways to grow your own herbs inside, yoga routines for beginners, meditation techniques, journaling prompts, and ten easy high-protein lunches when you’reon the go.
For fuck’s sake.
Royce is dead to me.
Kid is getting a lifetime subscription to something obnoxious so I can delight in his discomfort.
Forever.
Because he’s the only one she could have accessed to make this happen.
