Page 33 of Declan
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Come on dinner is ready,” she announced with a warm smile, watching as he walked toward the kitchen, his water glass glinting in the soft light. She placed the warm, crusty garlic bread into a woven basket, nestling it next to the lasagna.
Declan set the glass down gently, then moved to her side, pulling out a chair for her. She shook her head slightly as she settled into the seat.
“What was that for?” he asked.
“What?”
“Shaking your head.”
Elise chuckled. “You have wonderful manners. Stephen did not.”
He raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. “No? Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.” He seated himself across from her.
“You really don’t like each other, do you?” she probed.
“No.” His jaw tightened visibly, a hint of tension etched across his features.
Reaching across the table, Elise placed a gentle hand on hisclenched fist. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring him up. It’s just that you and he are night and day.”
“Thank God,” Declan muttered under his breath, a hint of relief in his voice.
“I agree wholeheartedly.” Elise picked up a knife, slicing neatly into the lasagna, the layers of pasta and rich sauce yielding easily to her touch. She scooped a generous portion onto his plate before offering him the basket of garlic bread.
He selected a slice, laying it carefully on his plate, but paused, waiting for her to serve herself a piece of lasagna and garlic bread before diving in. As he cut into the steaming dish, spearing a piece with his fork, he took a bite and let out a deep, appreciative groan.
“This is fantastic. I mean that,” he praised.
Elise beamed with pride. “Thank you. I love it too.”
“Does it take long to make?”
“No, not at all. Maybe thirty minutes to assemble everything,” she explained casually. “The best part is the noodles don’t need to be pre-cooked.”
“You don’t have to boil them?” he asked, surprise coloring his tone.
“Nope. The only real cooking involves browning the hamburger, and mixing the ricotta cheese with shredded mozzarella, some parmesan, an egg, and parsley. Then it just gets layered,” she replied with a nonchalant shrug.
“Well, it’s great. I could eat this every day,” he declared, savoring another bite.
“I’ll send some home with you,” she offered, her voice warm and inviting.
“I’ll take it,” he accepted eagerly, smiling as he continued to enjoy the meal.
****
Declan couldn’t tear his gaze away from Elise. She was a breathtaking woman, radiating an allure that captivated him, and he was eager to delve deeper into her world to see if there was potential for something special between them.
“Oh, I was able to get us a reservation for next Saturday night,” he mentioned casually.
“Great. I just love that restaurant,” Elise replied.
“It has so much amazing food that it’s hard to make a decision,” Declan said.
“Have you eaten there a lot?”
Declan shrugged with a nonchalant air. “Maybe once or twice a month. I think I’ve tried about everything on the menu.”
