“So you’re going tocook. What are you going to make?”
“Yes, I am going tocook. Surprised? I was thinking of chicken and mushroom risotto.Does that meet with your approval?” Chloe selected some mushroomsto add to her trolley.
“A good risotto isn’tthe easiest thing to cook. Are you sure you don’t want to trysomething less fiddley? How about a roast chicken? You can’t go farwrong with a roast chicken.”
“How hard can it be tocook risotto? It’s just rice and chicken and mushrooms cooked in apot isn’t it?” Chloe threw some spring onions on top of themushrooms.
“Well … Todd makes agreat risotto, and … “ Samantha stopped and turned towardsher. Shut up and let her doit.
“You don’t think I cancompete?”
“Far be it from me tospoil your fun. If you want to try to impress him, go right ahead.”Samantha beamed at her and crossed her arms over herchest.
“I am not trying toimpress him. I just want to cook a nicesimple dinner and we can discuss the job. End of story.”
“Okay, okay. Don’t getmad. Me, I would rather go out to eat. Less stressful. But hey,it’s your life. Do you want to get a coffee when you are donehere?”
“No, I’d better keepgoing and call Todd to see if he’s free. I’ll text you tomorrowabout a coffee catch-up.” Chloe turned her trolley around towardsthe deli department and gave a wave.
Samantha headed forthe checkout with her basket. He’ll befree all right. And if he’s made any other arrangements I’m sure he’ll changethem. She smiled at the thought of Toddeating gluggy risotto and telling Chloe it waswonderful.
Chloe called Todd asshe waited in line at the deli, before she went any further withher purchases. He had accepted her dinner invitation almost beforeshe finished her sentence, and assured her he would be there at 7pm. Good. It’s time I learned to relaxaround him again.
Searching for a recipeon Google had been quite easy. So many to choose from, so why hadSamantha been worried? Okay, Todd had more experience, but she hadspent some time in the kitchen … on and off… There had been somesuccesses. There had been some major failures too, but they weren’tworth mentioning now. How hard could itbe? She loaded up her trolley with all theingredients, and treated herself to some after dinner mints as shepassed the confectionary aisle.
Back home, after alightning quick shower, Chloe threw on some jeans and a pale pinklinen shirt. A practiced flick of the wrist and her hair twistedinto a chignon on top of her head. She secured it with butterflyclips. A few squirts of Coco Chanel perfume momentarily transportedher back to France and memorable evenings with friends. She sighed.Tonight would mark a turning point. Better get moving.I’m ready to cook up a storm. She flicked off the bathroom light, determined to make thenight enjoyable.
Still unsure of the newlyrearranged cupboards and drawers, it took her longer than she hadanticipated gathering the pots, spatulas, ladles, measuring cupsand wooden spoons. Rummaging around in her shopping bags, shepulled out the ingredients required, and lined them up on thebench, before stowing the remaining items in the cupboards andfridge. She found she worked better when she had all of theingredients to hand before the started to cook.
As per the recipe onher iPad, the onions needed to be finely chopped, the mushroomssliced, and the chicken cut into strips, in preparation. When thosetasks had been completed, she set the table and placed a smallbunch of flowers in a vase in the middle. It’s nice to make an effort again.They could have a civilised dinner and discuss the job without itbeing a big deal. Couldn’t they? Just a pleasant eveningtogether.
She opened a bottle ofchilled white wine and poured herself a glass, sipping while shecooked, just to get in the mood. Music. Ineed music.
She selected Santana and turnedup the volume of the sound system. The Latin music stirred herblood and had her swaying to the beat as she moved about thekitchen. Almost without thinking, she topped up her glass of wineas she stirred the rice and stock, beginning to enjoy herself. Thedoorbell rang. She moved the pot from the heat and picked up herglass, by now half empty, and sipped the chilled beverage as shesashayed down the corridor, moving in time with therhythm.
It took Todd a fewsecond to associate the beaming flushed face of the girl who openedthe door with the same woman he’d encountered yesterday. Her eyessparkled with mischief, and she beckoned him inside with a crook ofher finger. The warm kiss she planted on his cheek could also nothave been more different to the one she graced him with a meretwenty-four hours before. Her body pressed against his for a fewseconds, soft contours shocking his tired muscles awake in aninstant. Do you know what are you’re doingto me?
“Come in, come in andjoin the party.”
“I can see the partyhas started without me.” He gestured to the almost empty wineglass.
“I’m cooking withwine. The cook has to sample the wine.” Chloe headed down the hallto the kitchen.
“Oh is that’s how itworks? You’re well ahead of me then.” Todd followed in her wake,admiring the snug fit of her denim jeans.
“Come on, I’ll get youa glass and you can catch up.”
“If I’m going to catchup you’d better bring me the bottle.” He grinned at her and watchedthe look of mock indignation appear on her face.
“There’s some crackersand pate on the table. Please help yourself while I get back to myrisotto.” She plunked the bottle and a glass on the kitchen benchso he could help himself.
“Smells great. Isthere anything I can do to help?” He covered a cracker with agenerous scoop of pate and popped it into his mouth. “Hey, this isreally good. Would you like some?” He scooped some of the creamyconcoction onto a couple of crackers and took them into thekitchen.
“Thanks. I need tokeep stirring this.”
She turned her head as heapproached. He held the cracker centimetres from her lips. Sheopened
