Page 56 of Hot Mess

I scoffed at him. “New cast iron is an abomination.”

I scored a stack of three skillets of different sizes at the last thrift shot. And one lady also shopping scored a selfie and an autograph from Nick.

“Somehow I thought you would be more recognizable,” I said as we loaded my purchases into the back of his car.

“Ever since I cut my hair to film Captain Wonder—”

“But that's just it. You’re the new Captain Wonder.”

He shook his head. “The movie hasn’t been released yet. Once that happens, I’m sure my recognizability will go up. Do you remember that party where we met?”

I wanted to forget that night. “Yeah.”

“You were the only person who recognized me. The entire night people kept telling me the real Nick Sadler was there and I should have my picture taken with him. This”— he gestured back at the store, indicating the lady who had squealed and been super nervous around him— “doesn’t happen very often.”

“So you get the best of both worlds. Super star actor roles and anonymity.”

“Exactly.” He closed the trunk with a thunk. “Where to next?”

“If I’m making you dinner, the grocery store.”

Nick didn’t let me make dinner alone. He didn’t sit in the living room and watch a football game while I did the work the way my father always had. Maybe that’s why Mom always hung around in the kitchen, the living room still had too much of Dad’s ghost in there. Or maybe she just liked her kitchen better.

Nick insisted on helping me. He hand washed all of the new cooking wear while I loaded up the dishwasher and ran the new plates and flatware through.

“You know, I never thought about washing new dishes,” he said with his arms covered in soap bubbles.

“I don’t think most people think about having new dishes. I know I never have. And I might not have thought about it if it weren’t for that woman at the Le Creuset store. She kept wiping her nose and then touching the pots. All I could think of was her germs getting baked into someone’s dinner.”

“Well, that’s gross.” He started scrubbing harder.

“I know, right?”

With the dishes washed we started the cooking process. He still hung out in the kitchen and helped me by cleaning off vegetables and chopping onions. By the time dinner was ready, we were both ready for it after a long day of shopping and cleaning the kitchen.

I made one of my favorites, apple chicken. It wasn’t particularly fancy, but it was comfort food with chicken breasts and baked potatoes. The onions and the apples gave it a sweet and tangy flavor.

“This is really good,” Nick said around a mouthful of food. “Do you cook like this every night?”

I shook my head. “No, I wanted to make something I knew I wouldn’t mess up.”

His smile over my cooking did thrilling things to my insides.

“I have a shoot starting next week. I want you to come with me.”

“So I can cook for you?” I teased.

Nick’s smile turned into an almost pout. “Unfortunately, no. I’m going to have to get back on my diet. I want you to come see what work looks like.”

“Sounds like fun. And, you know, if you give me your food requirements, I can make sure the next time I cook for you it’s within your restrictions.” I knew he ate a certain way to maintain his body. He had to, it was part of his job.

“You’re willing to do that?”

I nodded.

24

NICK

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