Page 52 of Burn for You (Slow Burn 1)

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I boiled a chicken breast and some plain white rice and left it in the fridge with a note in case she felt a little better later. When I was about to leave, an envelope on the kitchen table caught my eye.

It was from the hospital. It hadn’t been opened.

I slid my finger under the glued flap, removed the folded piece of paper, and all the blood drained from my face.

INVOICE. Big, blocky letters screamed from the upper right-hand corner.

When I read the amount due at the bottom, I sank into the kitchen chair.

Then I had myself a good, long cry.

BIANCA’S BLACKBERRY & BOURBON COBBLER

Makes 8–10 servings

12 cups fresh blackberries

¾ cup raw sugar

¼ cup high-quality bourbon

cooking spray

½ vanilla bean

1 cup granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1½ cups milk

1 egg

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine blackberries, raw sugar, and bourbon in a large bowl. Transfer mixture to a 13² x 9² baking dish lightly greased with cooking spray.

Split vanilla bean, and scrape seeds into granulated sugar, making sure vanilla bean seeds are distributed evenly.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar mixture into a large bowl. Stir in lemon zest. Whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla extract, and then stir into dry ingredients. Add melted butter and stir.

Pour batter evenly over fruit. Place dish on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown.

FIFTEEN

JACKSON

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