Page 251 of Scoring the Player
“A Wolf. Is that a Brod & Taylor?” I bend down to peer inside.
Blue chuckles, and it hits me that my head is stuffed inside of the proofer. “Sorry,” I mutter, backing out.
“Please,” she chuckles. “I get to tell all of my friends thatThe Silencerplayed with my toys.”
Blue and I laugh. “Wow,” I say, recognizing the ingredients for the recipe on the counter. “You did prep.”
“Yep. Before we hop on, please help yourselves to the canapés.” She gestures to the tray.
“Thanks,” Blue and I reply.
“May I offer you champagne, Chenin, or Lambrusco?”
“Chenin,” I answer.
Blue thinks it over.
“I have IPA too,” she offers.
“Perfect.Driving.”
“I can drive us home and skip drinking,” I offer.
“All good,” he says. “Have fun.” He turns to Kim. “Restroom?”
“Sure. There’s one in the hall on the left,” Kim answers as she retrieves the drinks.
I use the restroom after him. When I return, he’s in an apron, sitting on one of the island stools, and eating a mushroom canapé.
“That one’s yours.” His elbow points to a crisp apron sitting on the chair.
“Thanks,” I reply to Kim, who’s taking a sip from a champagne flute.
As I raise the neck loop over my head, I feel a tickle in the middle of my chest and take a deep breath.
“He’s nervous,” Blue whispers, rubbing my back.
“I still get jitters when I attempt a new recipe,” Kim shares. “Let’s start from the beginning. Which brand of puff pastry did you use?”
“I made it from scratch.” I roughly recite the recipe.
“Wonderful. I have one chilling in the fridge that I made a few hours ago. I presume you made adjustments for an in-season fruit?”
“Yes, quinces.”
Blue reaches for the grocery bag and brings it over.
Ohh.
He winks at me. “Figured you’d need it to replicate your version.”
He unloads the fruit and places it on an empty spot on the counter.
“Excellent choice,” Kim murmurs, picking one up. “Why quinces?”
“I considered cranberries and pears at first. Each would work with the Banyuls glaze, but they felt kinda blah.”
She nods. “Go on.”
