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She flushed, and he pointed to one of the stools at the island. “Have a seat, please.”
“Let me at least help you.”
He shook his head. “No, you need your rest. Besides, I’m cooking dinner for myself, and it’s as easy to cook for two people as it is for one.”
That appeased her a little, and she climbed onto the stool. Remembering what the doctor said about her being dehydrated, he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and a beer bottle. He opened the water bottle and set it on the island before her.
She drank some water as he took a large swallow of beer before boiling a pot on the stove. He grabbed another pot and began making the pasta's tomato sauce. While the sauce simmered, he took the meatballs from the microwave and set them on the counter. He heard the soft growl of Jane’s stomach behind him, and, without speaking, he pulled a bag of raw veggies from the fridge and arranged them on a plate before adding a dollop of dip in the middle of it.
He set the veggies and dip on the island in front of her. “Eat up.”
“Thank you.” She reached eagerly for a carrot as he turned back to the stove. He stirred the sauce, tasting it and adding more oregano before adding the meatballs. As they heated, he dumped the spaghetti into the boiling water. He took another swig of beer and turned toward Jane.
“Jane, are you…”
He stared in surprise at the empty veggie plate. Jane was licking dip from her finger, and she gave him a look of shame that made his stomach tighten.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “That was rude of me to eat all the veggies.”
“It’s fine. Would you like more?”
“No, that’s good,” she said. “Um, dinner smells delicious.”
“Thank you. It’s pasta with my famous meatballs.”
“Famous?” She said with a small smile.
“Well, not world famous, but family famous,” he said.
She laughed. “You like to cook, huh?”
“Love it, actually. When I was younger, I almost went to culinary school.”
“Why didn’t you?” she asked as he set the island with plates and cutlery.
“Amy wanted to start a clothing line but had no interest in the business side of it. I saw her potential and wanted to help her achieve her dream, so I went into business instead.”
“That was very selfless of you,” she said.
He shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable with the way she was looking at him. “Not that selfless. I’ve made a lot of money from Amy’s dream.”
“She really is very talented.”
“Yes, she is,” he replied. “I’m sorry about commenting on your clothes like I did.”
She shrugged and stared at the plate in front of her. “It’s fine. My clothes are awful, and I should dress better for my job.”
There was an awkward silence as he finished making the pasta. He scooped some onto both plates, spooned the sauce and meatballs over it and sat across from her. She inhaled deeply before giving him a tentative smile. “It smells delicious. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
They ate in silence. He had piled Jane’s plate high with spaghetti, but she only ate a little before pushing it away and giving him an apologetic look.
“It’s delicious. I’m just full, and my stomach…”
He didn’t need her to finish the sentence. He should have considered that she probably hadn’t eaten a real meal in who knew how long. Pasta wasn’t exactly a great meal to give someone who was starving.
“It’s fine.” He started to put the leftovers away and waved her off when she jumped up to help. “No, sit and relax.”
