Page 6 of Protecting Clove
“I’d better not. I have to be back at base at seven. I need a clear head.”
Clove pulled a plate out of the microwave and put it in front of him. The slice was large, and he appreciated that she took into account he would eat more than her.
The scent was better than anything he’d ever eaten, but the first bite was even better. It was like a party on his tongue. He closed his eyes and let the flavor sit in his mouth as he experienced it. The first bite almost made him want to cry and shout for joy. This was the perfect meal to come home to after a really bad day at work.
“You like it?”
He opened his eyes and zeroed in on her, seeing the worry on her face. “This is the best food I’ve ever eaten. I mean, really, it’s so good. I guess it’s because you’re a real chef.”
“Well, I’m a pastry chef, but I do know savory, too.”
“What’s the difference?” He shoved another bite into his mouth, thinking he could eat this every day for the rest of his life and be happy.
“Pastry chefs specialize in bread and sweet treats. I know savory, too, but only because I spent a few years being a line cook, then a sous chef at a restaurant.”
He swallowed his latest bite and met her gaze. “So when did you switch to teaching from working in a kitchen?”
“When I was pregnant with Neo. Before her, I worked ten hours a day, and you can’t raise a child that way. I started teaching in another state, and then when I took off, I moved to Colorado and just got the job here in San Diego last year.”
“Do you like it? Teaching?”
She shrugged. “It allows me to be home with Neo in the afternoon and evening. I’m trying to save up money to send Neo to a private school, which is why I deliver groceries on the weekend. I know she won’t last long in public school.”
He nodded. “Yeah, she’s something else. However, I don’t know much about the school system. I think they have some really good schools for smart kids, though.”
Clove shrugged. “She is a good kid, but I worry about her. She has a few friends at daycare, but they don’t understand her. She blows the workers away, too. At the last place we were at, the director asked me to leave because she was arguing with the workers.”
“Arguing about what?”
Clove shrugged. “Simple stuff. How far the sun is from Earth, the color of the sun, the closest star, and what kind of star it is. You know, kid stuff. And don’t get her started about dinosaurs.”
He chuckled as he ate more, marveling at how good it tasted even after consuming half of what she’d served him. She’d gotten everything perfect, and it didn’t taste like any chicken pot pie he’d ever had before. This was heaven compared to the food he’d grown up on.
“I gotta say, this is the best food I’ve ever eaten. I don’t know what you did to it, but this is amazing.”
Clove’s smile stretched wide though she waved off his compliment. “It really is a simple recipe.”
His phone buzzed, and he groaned. Her eyebrows bunched together as she narrowed her eyes and stared at him. “Is something wrong?”
“I hope not. Getting texts after a bad day isn’t a good thing. Let me look.” He pulled out his phone, relieved to see the message from Trip. They didn’t have to be at base until noon. He sighed and sat back, relief pouring through him.
“Good news?”
“Yeah. I can sleep in.”
Clove giggled. “I’ll make sure Neo is quiet in the morning.”
His lips tipped up. “Sorry about being a jerk that morning.”
“No, I get it. I should have thought about where I’d asked them to place the piano. Honestly, I should get rid of it and get a keyboard she can plug headphones into. Keyboards are better now and can give a real piano feel.”
“Why did you move the piano with you? I assume that increased the cost of moving.”
She shrugged. “It was my mother’s piano, and she asked me to never get rid of it. I mean, that’s a nice sentiment, but it needs to go. I should donate it to a school and buy something else that is easier to move.”
He was almost done with the meal she’d heated for him and he wanted more but didn’t want to be rude and ask for another piece after she stated again that her finances were tight.
“Thank you for the food. I really appreciate it.”
