Page 38 of The Love Syllabus

Ugh, why does he have to be such an insufferableandsexy jerk? His beard, his arms, his scowl, his rare smile, the way he looked earlier in those work clothes, muscles flexing as he moved…I find my hands wandering to places they shouldn’t.

But I shake my head and force the thoughts away.Focus, Kerry, I scold myself.

As soon as I step out of the shower, my phone relentlessly buzzes on the bathroom counter. Wrapped in a towel, I check it, frowning at the screen lit up with notifications from an unknown number. The texts aren’t just intrusive; they’re downright vile, each message more aggressive than the last.

Unknown: Answer your phone, Kerry!

Unknown: I know you know who this is. Answer or I’ll make you answer.

Unknown: I need you back. I can’t take this anymore. Where are you?

Unknown: Are you with your new boyfriend? End it now or I’ll end you.

I sigh, unafraid of his threats but still deeply disturbed. “I’m too damn old to be dealing with this.” I fuss, contemplating yet another number change to escape Cory’s latest bout of harassment.

Rubbing my temples, I decide not to let the unnerving texts ruin my evening. After getting dressed, I push aside my irritation and muster a bright smile for the girls.

Upon entering the kitchen, I spot Ari, Syd, and nearly the entire staff standing around, looking bewildered and a bit lost.

“Ms. Tina,” I ask, noticing her concerned frown, “is everything okay? Do y’all need help setting the table?”

She glances around nervously before leaning closer and lowering her voice. “Well, we have a bit of a problem.” Her eyes dart towards the children and back to me.

Syd pipes up with wide eyes. “We don’t have any food! Daddy always has dinner prepared and ready to eat at 6 p.m. sharp. No exceptions.”

Ms. Tina, along with the rest of the staff, exchange anxious looks. “Mr. Grimes has never missed preparing a meal. This is very unlike him.” She confesses, wringing her hands slightly.

Stepping forward, I place my hands on my hips and scan the room. “Hmm, well, I know he and Hudson are tied up in the library, so instead of interrupting him, why don’t we handle dinner tonight?” I suggest with a hopeful lift of my eyebrows.

A staff member gasps, clearly shocked by the suggestion. “We don’t do that here. Mr. Grimes cooks for us.”

I blink in surprise, my curiosity piqued. “Huh?”

“It’s true, Ms. Kind,” Ms. Tina confirms with a nod. “We haven’t cooked a meal in five years. It’s just what Mr. Grimes does. He takes care of us.”

Well, this is interesting. Why in the world would he have a kitchen staff who don’t actually cook, and why does he do all the cooking?

With a mischievous grin, I rally my two mini troops. “Well, there’s a first time for everything! Ari, Syd, how ‘bout we cook dinner for a change? It won’t be fancy, but I have a ten minute recipe in mind. What do you say? Ready to make a mess in the kitchen?”

The girls cheer and high-five while the staff chatter amongst themselves.

Ms. Tina, however, isn’t quite as enthusiastic, a worried frown creasing her brow as she grumbles, “Oh goodness, Mr. Grimes is gonna flip when he sees this.”

“Which makes it all the more fun, doesn’t it?” I smile and even manage to pull a chuckle out of her. “Come on, girls. We’re gonna make my go-to ‘broke girl’ meal.”

I rally the kitchen staff, and I can’t help but let a little of my authoritative Southern roots show through. “Alright, y’all, let’s gather around and pull out the ingredients for a special recipe passed down from my mama. I promise it’ll warm your hearts and bellies!” The staff starts bustling about with newfound energy.

I turn to Syd, who’s waiting to be told her chef duties. “Syd, could you grab all the bread from the pantry? We’ve got a lot of mouths to feed tonight!” She dashes off, her enthusiasm echoing through the clatter of the pantry door.

“And Ari, darling, could you fetch the cheese? Just pick any one that catches your eye!” Moments later, she’s back, her arms laden with an assortment of cheeses—America, cheddar, gouda, truffle, and some I can’t even pronounce. We all gather around the mountain of cheese, each of us googling and pitching in our thoughts on which would melt best between slices of buttery bread.

Muttering to myself as I survey the lavish spread, I chuckle, “Why is this man so extra?”

Nevertheless, we make our decision in the most logical way possible, of course—eenie, minnie, miny moe. We settle on a few selections and then dive into cooking the most delicious, basic meal of their lives.

The kitchen becomes a hive of activity with my Beyonce playlist blasting and laughter mingling with the sizzle of butter as our gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches take shape. Ari and Syd take turns flipping the sandwiches, giggling at the occasional drip of cheese oozing out the sides while I stir a large pot of rich, creamy tomato soup.

Between stirs, I whip up a batch of my excessively sweet Southern tea, pouring my heart into each stir of sugar. The kitchen is a mess with ingredients everywhere, but it’s the kind of chaos that brings people together, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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