Page 38 of Devil's Last Dance

“I’ll need to be informed first so I can arrange guards for you.”

“Guards.”

“I will not risk you, Candice, nor will I risk our son. I assume you wouldn’t leave him behind. If I’m not available to go with you. I’ll find someone suitable.”

“What has changed?” she asked, putting a hand on her hip and looking at him.

“Nothing has changed. You wouldn’t talk to me. Before Luke was born, you never told me what you wanted. All you had to do was ask.”

She nodded.

Antwone tapped his fingers on the counter and she glanced at them and then at him. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?” she asked.

“I’m starving and I hope you’re willing to cook for me as well as for you.” He winked at her and she couldn’t help but laugh. He did look so helpless.

Opening the book, she sighed, and then glanced through the recipes, trying to find something that would be delicious. “A fully stocked fridge?” she asked.

“Yes, everything you could want. The chef also said something about fresh herbs in the window. Look around, enjoy.”

She heard his stomach grumble.

Candice was starving as well. She had opted to breastfeed her son. Going to the fridge, she saw some packaged meat in the bottom, fresh vegetables above it, and so many goodies to choose from. Everything looked inspiring. She opted for some of the lovely- looking chicken breast, fresh broccoli, and she also grabbed the Parmesan cheese.

Closing the door, she started to look around the kitchen, opening cupboards. With each door she opened, she felt a little more at home. She found some pine nuts, granulated garlic, and there was an abundance of fresh basil.

“Would you like to know what we’re having for dinner?” she asked, turning back toward Antwone.

“I’m happy to watch.”

She nodded, and then got to work making the pesto. There were fresh lemons, and she always loved her pesto to have a citrus kick.

Adding lots of washed basil leaves to the blender, she didn’t bother to toast the pine nuts. Sometimes she did, other times she didn’t as she tended to burn them, which always made her pesto taste horrible. It was a lot easier to just add them in without that additional step. She grated a lot of cheese, and seeing as she hated the taste of fresh garlic, she only added a sprinkle of the granulated stuff. Her mother had loved the taste of fresh garlic, but she never had.

With the garlic dealt with, she zested and juiced a whole lemon, and then blended, adding a little oil. She didn’t like hers to be too oily, and so she cut open another lemon and added it to the pot. Once it was blended, she gave a taste, added some salt and pepper, and this time mixed it by hand.

“So good,” she said.

She put the spoon into the pesto and allowed Antwone to have a taste.

“That is good, but I would have gone with the fresh garlic.”

Candice wrinkled her nose. “Would you like to cook?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Nah, I’m happy to watch you.”

She looked at him and realized it was the first time since they’d been married that he had laughed in her company.

Leaving the pesto in a small bowl, she found a skillet, along with a chopping board and some knives. She got to work on the chicken, which she seasoned with salt, pepper, granulated onion, and garlic. She added some oil to the pot, and then added the chicken, loving the sound of the sizzle. It was a good and welcoming sound.

She allowed it to get some good color on each side, and then brought a pot of water to boil. She prepared the broccoli, keeping the stalk as it was good. The stalk and pasta went in at the same time, along with a good pinch of salt. Once that had cooked for a few minutes, she added in the broccoli florets.

Everything was coming together.

She gave the pasta a quick stir and then a quick taste to check for the bite. Satisfied with how it tasted, she drained the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water. She tossed the pasta and broccoli into the chicken, added the pesto, along with some of the cooking sauce.

Candice couldn’t resist a small grating of parmesan, and she gave it another stir, and then was ready to serve it.

She had to go hunting for some bowls, and was able to find them, decant the food, and now Antwone was already there, carrying their bowls into the dining room.

---