Page 55 of For Butter or Worse
Nina looked up to see Jas studying her. “I’m not your dad, I don’t need you to add salt,” Nina joked.
“But?” Jasmine persisted.
She took another bite and chewed, deciding if there was anything she’d add. The truth was that she knew Jasmine just needed reassurance and a second opinion, not advice. “If you wanted another texture, maybe a sprinkle of bread crumbs over the top?” Nina took another bite. “The baked cauliflower loses its bite in the oven. So maybe if you add more crispiness, you’ll really kick it up. That’s all I’ve got, and it’s one of those notes you can take or leave.”
“I’ll try it.” Jasmine tapped her index finger at her chin. “If I do this, I’m going to be stressed the fuck out.”
“I know.”
“And you’re gonna have to listen to my crazy.”
“Can I also taste-test the food while you go off? Because I’m happy to do that.” Nina licked some of the spicy salsa that had dribbled down her finger. “Keep going. You’re heading in the right direction with this menu.”
“Thank you.” Jasmine squeezed her hand. “Margarita?”
“And another taco? Yes, please.” Nina settled onto the barstool at the kitchen island.
While Jasmine went to the bar cart to grab the tequila, orange liqueur and simple syrup, she said over her shoulder, “Now that we’re going to be drinking, it feels like the right time to ask you this.”
“Uh-oh.” Nina sat up straighter.
Jasmine carefully returned to the kitchen, glass bottles in hand. As she opened up the tequila bottle, she asked, “What was it like to kiss Leo?”
Nina was sure her mouth must have opened in surprise. She closed it.
“I mean, I know he’s the scum of the earth, but...was he a good kisser?”
Nina was not someone who blushed, but she had no doubt that she was, judging by how hot her neck felt. Just the mention of kissing Leo immediately took her back to the feel of his hand gently tilting up her head to meet his mouth.
“To be totally honest, like, it was bizarre. I mean—” She cleared her throat, nearly choking on what she was going to say next. “It wasn’t bad.”
Jasmine nodded, like she was somehow picking up on more than what Nina had actually admitted. “Here I was worried you might be trying to shove him over that mountaintop, but for you to say the monster isn’t a bad kisser is, well...that’s something.”
Ah, right.Jasmine was referring to their first kiss on the hike. Because Nina hadn’t told anyone—nor did she plan to—about the impromptu kitchen make-out session. But was her friend right? What did it mean that Nina wasn’t gagging at the mere thought of kissing Leo?
Of course, Nina knew what it meant. She’d had the trickle of thoughts enter, then leave, throughout the day: her opinion of Leo had changed. In fact, she almost felt something more than friendship for him.
“I don’t remember the last time I caught a sunset,” Nina said, trying to shift the discussion and her brain away from the actual kissing.
“Too bad it was with Leo.” Jasmine squeezed fresh lime juice into a tumbler. “Sounds like a romantic date to me.”
It was. Nina sighed and tried to ignore her inner monologue. “He’s taking me out for Halloween.”
Jasmine stopped squeezing the lime. “Come again? You’re spending holidays with the man?”
“I just do what Tom tells me,” Nina said. Though, actually, Leo had suggested the Halloween date. And Nina hadn’t told Tom about it yet, preferring to keep a small sliver of their relationship to herself. For now.
“Well, it’s your favorite holiday. You know I’m coming over to get you all dolled up,” Jasmine said and handed Nina a margarita.
“You don’t have to do that.” Nina clinked her glass against Jasmine’s. She took a sip and savored the cool and salty drink.
“Oh, yes, I do! You don’t know how to use highlighter, and I plan to drink a lot of that good wine you keep in your cute little wine fridge.”
“Bottoms up.” Nina smiled out of the corner of her mouth as she took another sip of her drink. She’d acquiesce to Jasmine because, really, did she have any other choice? And while she wouldn’t tell her best friend, she wouldn’t mind looking better than a freshly frosted cupcake for the next time she saw Leo.
21
NINA
