Page 228 of Sing with Me

Smoke was rising from the empty pan.

“Too hot. What did I say?” Skye turned the burner down. She dumped all the zucchini and squash into the pan. They made a loud sizzling noise.

Skye stirred and tossed the vegetables.

“How did you know they’d fit?” Diehl said.

“Once you’ve cooked for a while, you’ll figure out how much.”

“Just like those spices. You hardly measured.”

“I eyeballed them.” Skye handed him a wooden spatula. “Stir it every now and then.”

When Diehl looked up, Skye was heading toward the screened-in porch.

“It’s still humid outside.” Skye turned on the fan. “Do you want to eat out here with the ceiling fan on and watch the sunset or do you want to eat inside?”

“Sunset.” Diehl didn’t hesitate. “It’ll cool down soon.”

Skye set the dining table on the porch with a tablecloth and two place settings. “At least the screen will keep the mosquitoes out.”

“Is this the top floor?”

“Yes. But someone else has the rooftop deck. I got this corner porch.” Skye came inside and wiped down the island counter. “How are the vegetables?”

“I’m still stirring them.”

Skye sprinkled some salt and pepper on the zucchini and squash. “Since the curry is strong, we’ll just make these side veggies as plain as possible.”

She poured a small cup of water into the pan, and it made another loud sizzle. She quickly covered it with the lid to contain the steam. “We’ll check it in a couple of minutes.”

She stirred the curry. Using a clean spoon, she scooped up a small amount of curry for Diehl to taste. “Be careful. It’s hot.”

Steam was rising from the spoon. Slowly, Diehl tasted it. “Not too spicy. I’m okay with it.”

“Then dinner is almost ready.” Skye opened cabinets where the plates and serving platters were. “The nice thing about a small kitchen is that everything is right here.”

“Are the rest of your kitchen things in storage?” Diehl asked.

“How did you know?”

“I guessed. As a chef, you must have more than these things.”

“Well, I’ve collected platters and dinnerware, but really, I repeatedly use the same frying pans.” Skye put three serving platters on the island counter. “Two years of keeping things in storage remind me that I can do without so many things in life.”

Diehl nodded. “Fourteen years in my house in Atlanta tell me that I don’t need such a big house.”

“I don’t need a big house myself. I need a functional house.”

Diehl took the dinner plates from Skye. “Someday, I’ll build you a functional house.”

“You will?”

“Yeah. Brooks Properties buys, sells, and builds both commercial buildings and residential homes.”

“Are you trying to advertise something to me?” Skye chuckled. She transferred curry, vegetables, and rice onto their platters.

Diehl took them out to the table on the porch.

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