Page 72 of His Forgotten Colton Fiancee
West kissed the top of her head. “Steps?”
“Stepfathers. One after another. Mom was a single mother, and she wanted to settle, find a good man to care for her, and me. It never worked out. So I kept cooking. Each time I heard her fighting with a new step downstairs, I’d climb out of bed, scribble inmy journal. Not my emotions, but recipes. Ways to make a new dish fun, exciting. I’d close my eyes and remember the aroma of freshly roasted peppers or the fragrance of blueberries bubbling in a pie. Hear the sizzle of bacon-wrapped asparagus. It was my way of self-soothing.”
“Most kids that age turn to alcohol, drugs or worse,” he murmured.
“I had enough of that with my father, seeinghow people regarded him. I needed something more, something that I could claim myself. Cooking taught me patience. You can’t be in a hurry if you want to create something wonderful for someone you care about.”
When dinner was ready, they set the table together. West fed Rex and then sat at the table, doling out a portion of chicken for her, and helped himself to a larger one.
When he tastedit, his dark eyes sparkled. “Wow. This is really tasty.” He chewed some more, looked hopeful. “Can we make another recipe like this tomorrow night?”
Quinn laughed. “Why do I get the feeling you don’t like what I usually make for customers?”
“I’m a guy. Meat and potatoes. He-man chow.” West winked at her.
She found him utterly charming.No wonder I fell in love with you. I wish I couldremember that.
“Maybe I’ll let you cook tomorrow night. All those he-man genes must mean you carry the dominant Grill Man gene, as well.”
A quick, knowing grin. “There is a nice gas grill out back. I bought some ribs, and the sauce I make will turn you back into a carnivore for good.”
Quinn forked another piece of chicken. “You can try.”
She needed to know more about their life,their relationship, before the explosion. “Did we set a wedding date yet?”
West’s dark gaze fell on her bare left hand. “We didn’t plan yet because of the Groom Killer and we’d only just become engaged. We had agreed to keep our relationship secret.”
“Too bad. No wedding cake talk, flowers, dresses. That romantic stuff brides love.” Quinn fluttered her lashes and heaved an exaggeratedsigh.
But instead of laughing, he looked solemn. “If it made you happy, Quinn, I’d have invited the whole damn town. All that mattered to me, still does, is making you happy.”
Such devotional talk warmed her, and made her uncomfortable because she couldn’t demonstrate the same to him. “Why did you ask me out in the first place?”
Maybe a memory of their dating would surface. She couldhope.
“Your personality and being genuine. You say what’s on your mind and what you want, instead of what you think I want. You’re not ostentatious. You care more about what’s inside a person than the outer shell. It’s one trait that attracted me to you.”
Such quiet admiration in his voice. “I must have some negative traits that you dislike. No woman can live on a pedestal.”
West speareda forkful of chicken, lifted it to regard it thoughtfully. “Your vegan cooking. But after this, wow, I may have to put you back on your pedestal.”
She laughed.
They talked about cooking for a while. West made a gesture with his fork and she saw the unmistakable sign of scar tissue. Nasty burn. She had a few minor ones on her right arm, but nothing like his.
“How did you get that?”She pointed to his right hand. “Was that something that happened while we dated?”
She doubted it. But maybe he’d open up about his family.
West barely glanced down. “It was a long time ago, when I was a teenager. Say, this is really good with the flavoring. Not too spicy, but tasty. Did you have other recipes with Tabasco?”
So it was cooking talk. Safer, not the morass of the past.Quinn let it slide and told him about the composition book and the recipes she’d collected.
He sipped the water they’d drawn straight from the tap. Cold, refreshing. Nothing bottled here. “Tomorrow, we’ll go fishing. Before we leave, I’m taking you to Pine Paradise, the vacation spot you once stayed at with your sister.”
A cold shiver raced down her spine, not caused by the chilly breezeblowing in from the open living room windows. “Is it safe enough, after what happened to Tia?”
His gaze met hers. “I won’t let anything happen to you, honey. That’s a promise.”
