Page 14 of Thanks for the Memories
I will gladly be one of thosepeople,but I don’t say it out loud. There are just some things that are better unsaid, so I’ll take his wink as an invitation.
“You definitely need to make more time for yourself. Burnout is a real thing. I was just listening to a podcast about it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he teases. “Do you have any more helpful advice for me?”
“Um—yeah.”
Hmm … there are so many things I could say to this, but all of a sudden I’m tongue-tied.
“Take your vitamins, get plenty of sleep, exercise, meditate, eat good food.” I pause. “Well, the food part shouldn’t be a problem for you. It’s definitely a problem in my house.”
He gives me a curious look. “Why is that?”
I sigh. “Three women living together who don’t have any kitchen skills. Lila practically survives on Lucky Charms and, luckily for Gabby, her boyfriend who’s also our neighbor, enjoys cooking for her.”
“And you?”
“I get by.”
He twists his mouth to the side. “I have an idea. I know what we can do for the rest of the day. Unless you have something specific in mind.”
Focus, Reagan.
I shake my head. “I’m open to anything.”
Dante waves to the server and grabs the check before I have a chance.
“We’re going shopping and then going to your place—if that’s okay.”
I’m so confused.
“Um, yeah that’s fine.” I pause. “What are we shopping for?
“Food.”
Dante leaves a few bills on the table and grabs my hand, leading me out of the café. I still don’t quite know what we’re doing, but he seems pretty excited about it, so that’s good enough for me.
Chapter Five
“It’s supposed to be your day off,” I whine as I unload grocery bags onto the counter.
I’m not sure how we ended up back at my place, but here we are. Because of our conversation about healthy eating habits, Dante has decided that I’m in need of a good, home-cooked meal. Which is probably true. The problem is, he wants to cook for me right now, and I feel guilty about it.
“What’s your point?” he asks, looking in the refrigerator.
“So, a day off means taking a break from the kitchen. You should be sitting with your feet up in front of the TV or lying on the beach. Not cooking for grown women who should be able to function on their own.”
He laughs as he begins rinsing vegetables.
“First of all, I rarely watch TV. And this is different. Do you know how long it’s been since I could just leisurely prepare a few meals? At the restaurant, things are happening non-stop. I don’t get any downtime to just experiment and have fun—not that I’m complaining. I’m fulfilling my dream with Golden.”
Wow, I never thought of it like that.
I lean against the counter next him. “Well, I still feel bad that you’re spending your day off slaving away in the kitchen for me.”
He leans his face closer to me, putting his lips in close proximity to mine. “You shouldn’t feel bad. I want to slave away for you.”
Our eyes lock as I inhale a breath, making my chest rise. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to stop myself from wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him. Thankfully, he pulls his face away before that happens. We definitely have a fun and flirty banter going on, but that doesn’t mean I have a green light to make a move.
