Page 27 of Hunt for the Roses
I laugh as I shake my head and type out another text.
Me: Sounds wilder.
I place my phone back on the counter and resume sauteing my dinner in the wok. As I lower the heat from the medium to low setting, I hear my phone ping again.
Dane: It’s been unsuccessful so far.
Me: If you haven't eaten yet, I could make you a plate.
Dane: That’s tempting…
Me: Ha ha. Well if you decide to come on over, just knock.
I put my phone down to take a sip of the Cabernet I poured earlier and continue sauteing the chicken and vegetables. I place the lid of the wok back on, and turn to lean my lower back against the counter as I continue to drink from my wine glass. A few minutes later, I hear a knock at the door, so I guess Dane didn’t find anything on Netflix after all.
I answer the door and joke with him. “Fell into the Netflix trap of just scrolling?”
It seems like we’re in the same mood right now because Dane’s in comfy clothes like I am. He’s wearing a black crewneck and gray jogger sweatpants, and it looks like he must have been lying down too because his hair is a little wild on top. Not that I’m judging.
He leans with one shoulder on the door frame as he responds. “To answer your question, no I didn’t eat.”
I smile as I gesture for Dane to come in, then close the door behind us and walk past him to continue cooking on the stovetop. “What do you want to drink?” I ask.
He’s walking further into the kitchen as he responds. “Water’s fine, but I’ll get it since I’m already making you cook for me.”
Dane starts to retrieve a drinking glass from the cabinet, and I’m focusing on cooking as I respond. “Well to be fair, I was cooking forjust me. You’re taking what would be my leftovers.”
I hear Dane filling his glass with water from the fridge. “Wow, it’s like a warm hug around here,” he says sarcastically.
I turn away from the oven and lean my back against the kitchen counter as I smile. “I digress. Your company is worth more than my leftovers.”
“Well, obviously. What would you do without my jokes?” he says as he takes a sip from his glass.
I shake my head at him with a smile. “Hell would freeze over, I guess.” Then I turn back to continue cooking.
Dane’s voice cuts through from behind me again. “What plates do you want to use? I’ll get them.”
I point at the cabinet to my left where he can find the dinner plates. “In there, thanks.”
Dane sets two dinner plates on the countertop next to me, and then he pulls out two forks from the silverware drawer. I turn the gas burner off and pour a serving of stir fry onto each plate, and Dane brings the plates to the eat-in kitchen table.
As I’m rinsing off the wok in the sink, I call out to Dane. “If you like it, great. If you don’t, tough luck. Enjoy!”
“Thanks?” Dane says, like he’s unsure if he should be thanking me.
I turn the water off and wipe my hands on the dish towel over my shoulder. When I make my way over to the table where Dane is sitting, I place one hand on the table as I place my other hand on my hip, looking down at him with raised brows. “Well?” I say.
“Okay, no offense, Ari, but you’re being a little weird.”
“I didn’t just slave over a hot stove to not hear your feedback.”
Dane holds his hands out in surrender. “Okay.” He takes a forkful in his mouth and chews it as he looks at me.
When he scrunches his face, my eyes widen. “That horrible?”
He swallows the bite and nods his head in agreement. “No,” he admits, and then smirks.
“Ugh, I should have known.” I brush Dane off with a hand gesture as I take my seat across from him, laying the dish towel on the table. I take a sip of my wine, and start to dig into my plate as Dane takes another forkful from his. “Any plans for this weekend?” I ask.
