Page 40 of Why Not Both?

“To start making dinner.”

“I thought the point of going to your parents’ place for dinner was not having to cook? I mean, I don’t have a lot of experience myself, but that’s what Adalie and Derek are always telling me.”

“Lis is very territorial of the kitchen,” her father says as he comes up the stairs, Cerberus walking beside him looking up adoringly. “She always has been. Hello, Lissy.”

“Hi, Dad. This is Spencer. A friend from work.”

“Friend or friend?”

I burst out laughing. Lis rolls her eyes.

“You guys. Can’t a woman and a man be just friends?”

“Of course they can,” Linda says. “But a mother can hope. You two would make adorable babies.”

“I’m sorry, Spencer. My mother is baby crazy. But Daze and Sophie have stated outright that they won’t be having kids until after they’re married, and they’re not even engaged yet. So I bring a man home, it’s all Mom can think about.”

“It’s not a problem,” I say, grinning. “I think she’s right. We would make adorable babies.”

She rolls her eyes again, but I notice the blush creeping along her cheeks. Then turns and escapes into the kitchen. I’m not sure if I should follow her or stay with her parents, but then her father makes the decision for me, holding out his hand.

“I’m Dan. Nice to meet you, Spencer.”

We shake and he sits next to his wife with just a bit of space between them. Which Cerberus happily jumps right into.

“I don’t want to pry,” Linda starts, and then stops. “Well. Maybe I do. May I ask what you meant about not having experience with dinners with your parents?”

Shit. I’d said that, hadn’t I? I sigh, deciding to answer, but keeping it short. “My mother passed away when I was young, and my father and I are estranged.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Linda says. I notice her eyes are a little brighter than they’d been before.

Dan puts a hand on her knee. “Linda wants to be a mother to everyone. She’s taken in a bunch of Daze’s friends. Some of them came out to their parents and it didn’t go so well. So Linda would always try to be their surrogate mother.”

I smile at that. “Every kid deserves a mom like that. I think you and my mom would have been good friends.”

“So what is the real relationship between you and my daughter?” Dan asks, changing the subject. Though this one isn’t a lot easier.

There’s a crash in the kitchen and Lis appears, waving a wooden spoon. “Just because I’m in another room, doesn’t mean I’m not listening. You leave him alone. No third degree.” She walks up to me and takes my hand, glaring at her parents. “In fact, Spencer, why don’t you join me in the kitchen? I can protect you better in there.”

I laugh again but follow her.

“I don’t need protecting. Your parents are pretty great.”

“They are. But they like to tease. And they like to push buttons and ask hard questions.” She huffs as she gathers a few ingredients and starts cutting and mixing. She moves around the kitchen, finding exactly what she needs in the first place she looks.

“You learned to cook in this kitchen, didn’t you?”

She flashes me a smile over her shoulder. “I did. This one and my granny’s. She taught me how to make cabbage rolls. It’s one of my favourite things to make. But it takes forever, so I usually make a huge batch and freeze a bunch. I have some at home. I can bring them to work this week.”

I love how she casually throws out that she’s going to bring me food. Feeding people really is her love language. “I’d like that.”

She whisks something and then sets the bowl aside.

“Your mom and granny taught you to cook?”

“And my dad.” She organizes some meat in a pan and then pours the stuff from the bowl over top. “I used to spend nights with Granny, and she would tell me stories and we’d cook. She had this ring that I loved. It had a blue stone that would sparkle in the dining room light whenever we sat down to eat. That sparkle always reminded me of family dinners.”

“Where’s the ring now?”

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