“You want food?” I stuck my tongue out at him and went into the kitchen then impulsively hugged the white countertops. “A big, fancy kitchen like this—I’m sure you don’t take care of it properly and satisfy its needs,” I said.
“I haven’t heard any complaint from you,” Mark said, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing me.
I am scarily becoming used to this.
“Let’s see what you have in here,” I said loudly as I browsed through his cupboards and fridge. “Eggs? Check. Bacon? Check. Some lemons, and you even have asparagus!”
“I’m an adult. I can shop for stuff,” Mark said defensively.
“You went out and bought asparagus?” I asked incredulously.
“Okay,” Mark admitted, “Liz gave me the asparagus because she made Wes buy her a whole crate of it, and she was afraid it was going to go bad. But I bought the eggs.”
“They’re very nice eggs,” I assured him. “Look, they even have a picture of the hen who laid them! Adorable!” I selected four from the carton.
“You like eggs Benedict?” I asked him. “I hope so, because that’s what we’re having. And I’m making muffins, though they aren’t going to be as nice as Chloe’s.” I sighed. “I guess it’s a good thing I don’t live anywhere near Frost Tower, not that I could afford it. I’d spend all my disposable income at that bakery.”
Mark was looking at me warily. “You’re not making sugary muffins, are you?”
“No, I am making a loaded breakfast muffin with cheddar, sausage, and spinach, since you have some in your freezer.”
“Good,” Mark said, relieved.
“Also I’m making chocolate muffins with a chocolate glaze.”
“So a cupcake.”
“No,” I insisted as I measured out the wet ingredients. “A muffin. It’s not going to have icing; it has a glaze. It’s practically healthy!”
“Do you need any help?” Mark asked uncertainly as I took my emulsion blender out of the cart.
“Nope, this is a special time between me and your glorious kitchen. I envy you for being able to start your morning here. Shoot, the light here is so good that I’d just put a table up by that window and sew and basically just go between the coffeepot and the window all day. I may have to come over here more often with an array of goodies!”
“Actually,” Mark said as he and Beowulf perused the cart of goods I had brought, “I’m thinking of moving.”
I paused in shock. “You’re leaving?”
39
Mark
Brea seemed hurt.
“You can’t like this apartment that much,” I argued. “It’s small, and it has a crazy neighbor.”
“Small!” she choked out.
“I mean, relatively speaking. It’s not even the entire floor! I don’t have two stories. I’ve been looking at bigger places. For example, there are several two-story units in Frost Tower, which would be convenient, because I could just take the elevator down to my office.”
“Ohhh ha ha,” Brea said with a relieved laugh. “I thought you were likemovingmoving, like away.”
“Away where?”
“I don’t know. Aren’t you from Connecticut?”
“I am not moving back home,” I said emphatically. “Here.” I handed her my tablet, which had been sitting on the coffee table. “See if you like any of these places.”
“You’re the one buying it,” Brea said, uncomfortable.
