Chloe twists her body toward her, exasperated. “That’syour first question?”
Ali shrugs, popping a candied pecan in her mouth.
“And on that note.” I raise the lid of my Dutch oven with a flourish, releasing an orange-scented steam. “Dinner is served.”
“UGH, I CAN’T EATanother bite. I literally do not have enough skin,” Ali moans as she leans back in her chair, clutching her stomach. I glance around the table at the people I care about most, and soak up the endorphins. Seeing the pleasure in their faces after filling their bellies with something I made is by far the best part about cooking. It’s what keeps me going, even when I’m exhausted and frustrated by the most challenging aspects.
“The talent in this one. Best meal of my life. You really outdid yourself, Lex.” Jake’s eyes are alight with pride as he slings an arm over my shoulder, fingers drifting through the ends of my hair. “Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I’m going to take out the trash, and then I’ll get started on the dishes.”
“Jake Taylor takes out the trash?” Ali whispers to Chloe.
Jake breaks into an easy laugh as he stands. “Happily. Have to earn my keep. I’m just grateful Lexi’s tolerated me crashing with her for so long. I know being with me isn’t always easy to deal with.” He heads into the kitchen, pulling out the trash bag and knotting it.
“When you come back, we’ll have dessert. I made a peach pie,” I tell him.
Jake claps a hand over his heart before slinging the bag over his shoulder and heading out the front door.
Chloe turns to me, eyebrows raised. “You baked? You hate baking.”
Ali flicks out her wrist as if to say,Isn’t it obvious?“Duh, Chlo. She baked because sheloveshim.” She lets out a dreamy sigh. “Andclearly, it’s mutual. I feel like I just had dinner in a Nicholas Sparks novel.”
“He’s breathed life back into you, Lex,” Chloe agrees. “But I think you’ve saved him, too.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Nice guys like Jake, who are thrown into this industry where they’re surrounded by piranhas, tend to get eaten alive. But you’re a life raft, holding his head above water. You keep him from drowning.”
I’m not quite sure what to say to that, so I stand up and begin collecting the plates.
“Can I get you guys anything? Tea? Coffee?”
“Just dessert for me.” Ali smirks. “Cut me a big slice of that infatuation pie.”
“TONIGHT WAS INCREDIBLE.YOUare incredible.” Jake’s hands slip around my waist, pulling me against him after I place the last dish he dried back into the cabinet. I drape my arms around his neck.
“Thank you so much for doing this. It meant so much to be able to introduce you to Ali and Chloe.”
“They were great. And of course I wanted to meet them. They’re a part of who you are. And I want to know every part of you.” He smiles, running his eyes over me. “Look at you. You’re glowing.”
“I’m just so happy. Making food for the people I love… it’s just such a rush. I really should do it more often.”
“Love, huh?” Jake’s eyes are fiery as they bore into mine.
I open my mouth, and then close it again. Jake laughs as he pulls me toward him.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to make you say it. But you should know that just because I’m not saying it either, it doesn’t mean I don’t feel it.”
We stand there for a moment, the air between us charged.
I break the silence first. “How about an episode ofGolden Girlsbefore bed?”
“Yes.” He flashes that devastating, dimpled smile. “That sounds perfect.”
THE FOLLOWING WEEK, Icall my dad after lunch service. I’ve been so busy that I hadn’t returned his last two calls, and the guilt was starting to eat away at me. He picks up on the first ring.
“Lexi Loo!” he crows, his voice brimming with an extra decimal of excitement that immediately sends my guard up. My mind races with the possibilities as I wait for him to explain the source of it. Maybe he and Fran are expecting a baby of their own somehow? Or perhaps they’re planning to move even farther away, maybe to live with Fran’s parents in San Diego. But instead he simply says, “What’s new with my baby girl?”
For a moment, I’m not sure how best to answer the question. What’s new with me? Well, let’s see. I’m now dating a celebrity who wrote a wildly popular song about me, and if the amount of time I spent listening to him murmur in his sleep this morning is any indication, I’m falling head over heels for him at a speed that’s quite frankly alarming.
