Page 28 of Just One Silver Fox

“But it was a wedding. It’s probably supposed to be celebratory.”

“It looks like my mom’s chicken pot pie,” he said, peering at her phone. “She always says it’s easy.”

“I’ve never made pastry before.”

“Isn’t it made already?”

“Yes, but it’s still intimidating.”

He held up the package of frozen phyllo pastry and wagged it at her in what was probably supposed to be a menacing way. “Boo!”

Sonia laughed. “Your fault if it comes out wrong.”

“Absolutely,” he agreed easily. “It says twenty minutes preparation.”

“And thirty minutes to cook.”

Nate made an anguished cry, then stole a kiss that had her sizzling all over again. “I’ll make the call,” he whispered in her ear.

“What call?”

“Pizza. My treat.”

Sonia didn’t tell him that she never ate pizza.

“What do you like on it?” he asked when she didn’t answer.

“I think we shouldn’t waste the meal kits.”

“Okay, tell me what to do to help while I still have the strength.”

And he’d wanted to get on the road to Boston.

“I thought you didn’t cook.”

“I don’t, but I’m not completely hopeless.”

Sonia gave Nate a knife and a cutting board. “Dice the onions?” Too late, she wondered if she was being insensitive, but Nate got to work.

“Absolutely,” he said. He held the onion with the Hook and peeled it easily, as if he’d done it a thousand times.

Maybe he had.

“It doesn’t look like you’re lousy in the kitchen.”

“I’m lousy at cooking. I manage prep work well if I’m motivated.” His stomach growled again and they laughed together, the balance between them restored. They stood beside each other in the small kitchen to work, their hips and elbows brushing, and Sonia could smell his skin. She felt good and surprisingly happy.

“Just so you know, I would put that ten bucks toward the pizza,” he said when they were reviewing the next step.

“We can do this!”

“So long as we don’t die of starvation first.Make a roux.Seriously? What’s that?”

Sonia reviewed the part of the video and began the roux. “What does your sister do?” she asked when Nate was chopping vegetables and she was stirring. “Besides terrorizing you, I mean.”

“And preparing for the Apocalypse,” Nate added with a sidelong smile that made Sonia’s heart skip. “Don’t forget that bit.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

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