Page 16 of From Fake Dates to Forever Goals

He laughs, his confidence unwavering, and for a moment, I’m left wondering if I’m annoyed or impressed by his persistence.

He’s making me uncomfortable, and he knows it—and loves it.

I’m grateful he can’t hear my thoughts as I watch him, thinking about how adorable he looks in an apron. No one would believe me if I told them Sebastian Kane was in my kitchen, getting ready to cook for me.

Guilt gnaws at me as I stand there, watching him rummage through my refrigerator in search of something to cook. I’m not exactly the grocery-shopping type and usually rely on takeout after work.

“You won’t find anything there,” I assure him.

Sebastian closes the fridge and smiles, holding a carton of eggs in his hands.

“Do you have any cheese?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I head to the fridge and pull out a block of cheese hidden behind a half-empty gallon of milk.

“So, what are we making?” I ask, staring at the very short list of ingredients before us.

“You’ll see. Now get to grating that cheese,” he says, flipping a pan on the stove with practiced ease.

I watch as he whisks the eggs, seasons them, pours the mixture into the pan, and tosses it in the air. It’s clear he’s done this before.

“You’re pretty good,” I admit. If I didn’t know who he was, I could have mistaken him for a chef.

Minutes later, Sebastian serves me one of the best-looking cheese omelets I’ve ever seen.

“This looks…” I dig my fork in, pulling up a gooey strand of cheese.

“Amazing, right?”

I can’t help but agree as I take a bite. There isn’t much in his omelet, but somehow it all comes together perfectly.

“If your soccer career doesn’t work out, you might have a future in the kitchen,” I say, catching myself enjoying his food more than I want to.

“You haven’t seen anything yet. Wait till you taste my steak,” he says, picking up his phone to order groceries.

Within an hour, my kitchen is fully stocked from top to bottom.

“Why are you doing all this?” I ask, feeling a pang of guilt.

“I don’t know. I figured you wouldn’t want to go out until everything dies down. Besides, it’s kind of my fault anyway.”

“Sebastian Kane has a conscience?” I ask, half mock-shock, half genuine surprise. I notice his demeanor shift slightly, so I quickly add, “Thank you.”

He gives me a half-smile. For the first time, I see a different side to him. He’s cocky and sarcastic most of the time, but apparently, he’s also sweet and thoughtful. He’s so comfortable that he doesn’t seem to notice how much he’s let his guard down, showing me a side of him I never thought possible.

Sebastian marinates the steaks and tosses the salad while I bake cookies, one of the few things I know how to make. He comesclose, pretending to watch what I’m doing, just to steal a handful of chocolate chips before retreating back to the stove.

It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a meal like this, and the fact that he took the time to make me food all day makes me glad he didn’t leave when I asked him to.

“I love this movie!” Sebastian calls out as he turns the TV on.

As the movie progresses, I notice Sebastian grows quiet, concentrating on an emotional scene. Tears well up in his eyes, and I can’t help but watch him more than the movie.

I’m amazed by how deeply he responds to the story. When a tear falls from the corner of his eye, I reach out and catch it. Sebastian snaps out of his trance and notices I’ve been watching him.

He looks embarrassed.

“How long have you been watching me?” he asks, wiping his eyes.

---