Page 102 of The Husband Game

“So,” Charlie said brightly. “I’m going to whip up a quick vinaigrette to marinate the chicken in. It would be better if there was a little more time for the flavors to mingle but it’ll still help.”

Dustin leaned against the counter, staring intently as Charlie combined olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisked.

His tongue peeped out a little as he watched and it made Charlie smile. He rarely thought of Dustin as cute but this was adorable.

“Huh, seems simple enough,” Dustin said, clearly surprised. Charlie plopped the raw chicken into the marinade and flipped it a few times with a pair of tongs.

Dustin might not cook much but he had a well-equipped kitchen.

“Yep. I like to make up a few homemade dressings to use throughout the week. I use them for salads and marinades and stuff.”

Charlie smiled brightly, still a little on edge. Anything involving food and people other than his therapist and Taylor—and now Jamie and Ava—always made him hyperaware of everything he was doing and saying.

He pushed the bowl of chicken away and cleaned up a little.

“What’s this?” Dustin asked, pointing to the covered bowl.

“Take a look.”

Dustin peeled off the lid. “Is that rice and … are those cashews in there?”

“Yes.” Charlie smiled at him. “It’s cashew rice salad.”

“Cold rice?” Dustin asked dubiously. “I don’t know how I feel about that.”

Charlie let out a small chuckle. “I was skeptical the first time I tried it too but brown rice, red bell pepper, green onions, dried currants, and roasted cashews and sunflower seeds are a surprisingly good combo.”

“Hmm.” Dustin still eyed it dubiously. “What’s it flavored with?”

“Another homemade dressing. There’s olive oil, low sodium tamari—which is kinda like soy sauce but without the soy—lemon juice, garlic …”

“Huh. Sounds good. I’ve never had anything like it but I’m willing to try,” Dustin said.

“It’ll fit in your nutrition plan,” Charlie promised. He’d reviewed the info from Dustin’s nutritionist until he had it memorized. “Brown rice is a great slow-digesting fiber and it has a lot of crucial vitamins and minerals. Oh and healthy fats in there too.”

He’d gotten the recipe from the nutritionist he’d seen.

She’d gotten through to him that even if it was hard for him to look after the Charlie inside—because at the time, he’d struggled to think he deserved to be taken care of at all—the meat suit he operated in needed to be looked after.

“You can’t expect a car to run without fuel and oil changes,” she’d said, sounding very pragmatic. He’d liked that about her. “The human body isn’t so different. We want you to eventually find peace within yourself and hopefully believe you as a person deserve it too. But for now, focus on treating your body like a vehicle. Take proper care of it so it doesn’t break down.”

Something about that approach had finally clicked for him.

So what if he didn’t deserve to be taken care of?

If he wanted to keep his body running, he had to make changes. And recipes like this reminded him food could be delicious, not some terrifying thing he was constantly at war with.

“Plus, this combo tastes yummy,” Charlie explained. “Taylor’s dad always begs me to bring it over in the summer when they have cookouts.”

“I’m definitely intrigued. Slightly dubious, but willing to give it a try.”

“That’s fair.” Charlie shot him a smile. “Next up is a salad with vegetables.”

He chopped a few cucumbers and tomatoes, tossed in some arugula, and added a few feta crumbles.

He tossed it all with a splash of olive oil and red wine vinegar and a small sprinkle of oregano, salt, and pepper.

Fat and sugar were the most difficult to re-incorporate into his diet. He’d been terrified he’d immediately balloon up the moment he let them cross his lips. But fat helped him feel full longer.

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