Page 11 of That Summer
“No.” She gave a tight smile and then sighed. “I’ll start dinner.”
Deb stepped around me, but I grabbed her wrist to stop her. “I’m serious. I might only be eighteen, but it’s the least I can do for you since you’re helping me with my community service.”
She swallowed and nodded slightly. “Thank you, but really, I’m fine. It’s just that ...” She hesitated for a moment. “One of my customers asked me to dinner.”
“That’s not a bad thing is it?”
Deb shook her head a bit. “Jeff hasn’t been gone that long, and I don’t think I’m ready.”
“I’m sorry. Must be tough.”
She dipped her head, avoiding my gaze, and I let go of her. “Thanks. Go get cleaned up, and I’ll start dinner.”
* * *
After I took a shower,I put on basketball shorts and headed into the kitchen where Deb was chopping onions. Her eyes were watery, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the onions or if she was still in her thoughts.
“Need help?” I asked.
She looked up, took a quick glance at my bare chest, and then cracked a smile. “You? Help?”
“I need to learn to cook sometime, right?”
“This is true, and tonight’s dinner is easy.”
“Oh, yeah? What are we having?”
“Steak tacos.”
My stomach growled at her words. “Good ol’ fashion Tex-Mex?”
“Nothing better.” She smiled again, and I instantly liked the fact that I was able to do that for her because I knew she needed it.
I stepped beside her, our body heat radiating off of each other. “What do you need me to do?”
“Know how to start a grill?”
“I’m sure I can manage.” I grinned and started to walk toward the door that led to the backyard. I wasn’t a chef, but over the years I’d helped my dad man the grill and knew how to at least turn a gas one on. After doing so, I went back inside the kitchen to find Deb bending over to look inside a drawer of the refrigerator. I didn’t utter a word while I admired the view.
A few moments later, she stood, holding a bushel of green stuff in her hand. “Do you like cilantro?” she asked after she saw that I was in the room.
“It’s all right.”
“If you don’t, that’s okay. I was thinking more along the lines of street tacos for dinner.”
“I’ll eat whatever you make. I’m a man after all.”
Deb bobbed her head slowly with a smile. “Okay. Think you can handle the meat?”
There was a joke in her question somewhere, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. “Sure.”
She handed me a platter with the flank steak on it. “Once the grill is at 350, put it on. Five minutes per side.”
I started to turn to do just that but stopped. “No Sarah tonight?”
“She’s hanging with her friends.”
I nodded in understanding and then went tohandlethe meat.
