Page 63 of New Growth
“Hm.” I took a moment to think before answering. “Um… I love to cook, actually.”
El’s brows lifted. “Really?”
I nodded. “Yeah. My dad used to love to grill, but I was in charge of everything else. I guess I just got used to it. What about you?”
He leaned back in his chair, a playful grin tugging at his lips. “I prefer takeout.”
I gave him a pointed look. “I meant, what do you like to do for fun?”
“Oh, right.” He tapped his fingers against the table. “I like watching really old detective movies and shows.”
I blinked. “What?”
He laughed. “Random, right?”
“Completely.” I glanced down at my lap, a small smile pulling at my lips. “My dad liked detective shows too.”
El’s voice softened. “The man had good taste.”
I chuckled a little before looking back up at him. “Why do you like them?”
He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, but there was something calmer in his expression now. “I used to watch them all the time with my Dad growing up. He said he used to watch them with my mom, so… I don’t know. It makes me feel closer to her in a way.”
His words hung over, and suddenly, my chest felt heavy.
I thought of Sunday afternoons by the grill, of Daddy handing me a wooden spoon and telling me to “taste as you go.” I thought of the way he always pulled me into a side hug after dinner as we sat on the couch. He would rub his belly as we watched the same cops run around in pursuit of that week’s villain, then he’d murmur, “We did good today, Ellie.”
I swallowed against the dull ache creeping up my throat, and my eyes burnt with the memories of him. “Yeah… I get that.”
El studied me, his gaze quiet and knowing. “You miss him.”
It wasn’t a question.
“Every day.” I nodded slowly. “But it’s nice to have memories to revisit, right?”
El let out a short, humorless laugh. “I wouldn’t know. I never met my mother.”
My eyes widened at my carelessness.He didn’t know his mother? Why didn’t I know that?
Perhaps it was because I spent this entire week talking about my salon and Hair Expo updates instead of getting to know him. Here I was, giving him backlash for not knowing a lot about me, when I didn’t really know a lot about him in return.
I hesitated, feeling full regret for bringing it up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
“No need to be.”
Still, there was something in his eyes—something heavy. A sadness had settled there, aging his youthful face with sorrow.
“Wanna change the subject?” I offered.
“Please.”
I leaned forward again, resting my elbows on the table. “Okay, but I’m gonna ask something really personal.”
He grinned. “Fire away.”
I hesitated for half a second before deciding to go for it. “Why did you and your ex-wife get divorced?”
His grin didn’t falter, but something in his eyes flickered—briefly, almost microscopic. “You’ve been thinking about that for a while, huh?”
