Page 48 of Make Me Swoon

We pull into his driveway and Heather leans over laughing at something that she just said and my teeth grind together.

Why does it feel like I’m going to regret this?

SIXTEEN

Well, this is awkward.

I’m sitting at the kitchen counter at Hudson’s house, sipping on some wine and watching as everyone else cooks. They keep laughing at inside jokes and speaking in chef shorthand so that I have no idea what they’re talking about.

When they found out that I couldn’t cook, they had turned their noses up and got to work. I had thought that it wouldn’t be that bad to sit and watch them, but now I have to watch as Heather keeps brushing against Hudson and blaming it on the cramped kitchen. I’m sure that that’s partly true, but it feels like she’s enjoying it a little too much.

I stopped trying to keep up or join the conversation half an hour ago. I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to excuse myself and head back to my apartment, but it seems rude to leave after they’ve spent the last hour cooking dinner for everyone.

For his part, Hudson keeps shooting me apologetic looks and trying to change the subject so that I’m included, but that never lasts long.

“So, what do you do for a living, Lyla?” Heather asks and I see Alex and Steven give me curious looks.

“I work at the gift shop of the Mystery Cabin in town,” I tell them with a smile.

“How… cute,” Heather says with a patronizing smile.

“Yep,” I say, taking a big gulp of my wine as I try to discreetly check the time.

I hate to say it, but I think I would actually welcome a phone call from my mother right now. Anything to get away from this kitchen.

“Are you from here?” Alex asks and I shake my head.

“No, I was born and raised in New York City.”

That at least seems to impress them, but I lose that in the next instant.

“Is that where you went to college too?” Steven asks and I shake my head.

“I didn’t go to college.”

They share a look at that information as Hudson gives me a smile, checking to make sure that I’m alright with being questioned. I force a smile, trying to reassure him, but I think that he can see that I’m not having a great time.

His friends don’t seem impressed by me or any of my answers. It’s obvious that they don’t think that I’m good enough for Hudson, and I wonder if they’re right.

Steven sets some pan on fire, shaking it over the flames and I know that if I tried that then I would probably set this place on fire and burn whatever was in the pan in the process.

They’re making surf and turf. I barely understood all of the ingredients that they mentioned. All I know is that there’s steak, salmon, risotto, bacon glazed green beans, and some kind of fancy sweet potato crème brulee thing and that it all smells amazing.

My stomach growls and Hudson grins at me, passing me a piece of bacon. Heather just glares at me and I don’t think that Alex and Steven heard since they’re busy debating the best piece of meat for some dish that I can’t say.

“What did you do in New York before you got here?” Heather asks and I don’t want to tell them that I did the odd job that never lasted more than three or four months, tops.

“Um, I did a little bit of everything.”

“Yeah, Lyla here has done it all,” Hudson says like he’s proud of that fact.

None of his friends seem to share the sentiment.

“Dinner is served!” Alex says as he finishes plating the food and I’m excited that tonight might actually be close to ending.

We head out onto the back porch to the table there, and I sit between Hudson and Steven. The conversation turns back to some chefs that they know who opened a new restaurant and butcher shop in Detroit.

I sit silently, eating my food in a hurry. I realize too late that my finishing quickly is a mistake. They look at me like I’m an idiot for not savoring every bite and I’m stuck at the table with nothing to do now but listen to them talk.

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