Sweet Sensations by Adrienne Basso

Author:Adrienne Basso [Basso, Adrienne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
ISBN: 9781601830364
Publisher: eKensington
Published: 2013-06-05T16:00:00+00:00

NINE

“How about some lunch?” Jonathan suggested, jumping up from the chair. Lauren seemed a bit stunned, and Jonathan figured a change of subject might help dull the look of dazed alarm in her eyes. “I should have enough lettuce and fresh vegetables to make a decent salad.”

“Salad?”

“I like salad. When I was a teenager I ate so many hamburgers my mother swore I said moo every time I opened my mouth. It must have killed my desire for red meat.” Jonathan rummaged noisily in the refrigerator. “Salad can be a very substantial meal if you select the right ingredients.” He took a foil-wrapped loaf of bread from the freezer and tossed it into the oven. “I usually add a loaf of hot French bread and a stick of butter.”

“Very nutritious.”

“Works for me.”

Jonathan lined up the raw vegetables and lettuce on the butcher-block table his housekeeper always used when she cooked his meals. He placed a large bowl on one side and started cutting, tossing the trimmed vegetables inside. He thought he was doing fine until he noticed Lauren biting her lip.

“You don’t know how to cook, do you, Jonathan?”

Her voice was calm, with only a trace of accusation. Jonathan sighed resolutely. “How can you tell?”

“You’re chopping that green pepper with a bread knife. And you didn’t remove the pepper stem or seeds.”

“Oh.” Jonathan stifled a groan. He didn’t know what to say so he continued chopping. With the wrong knife. But he did wash away some of the seeds and threw the part of the pepper he thought was the stem in the garbage disposal.

He removed the bread from the oven, tossing it nimbly between his fingers to keep from being burned. While cutting the hot loaf, he smashed and mangled most of the pieces, but he hid the worst-looking slices on the bottom of the serving basket.

Jonathan placed the large salad bowl and several different bottles of dressing in the center of the table then poured two tall glasses of iced tea. Lunch was served. He joined Lauren at the table and extended the bread basket toward her. She was ominously silent as she took a piece and placed it on the edge of her plate.

“I didn’t expect you to be a pro,” Lauren finally said, not unkindly. “I figured you probably had a few favorite dishes you enjoyed making and would feel comfortable preparing them on camera. And I’ll admit the idea of having someone appearing on that show with me was appealing. I really wanted to do this, but I felt nervous at the thought of carrying the whole thing myself, especially since I have no experience in the medium.

“I even liked the idea of having you make a seafood dish, while I made the dessert. I thought it would add a nice balance.”

Her expression was bland, but the hurt and confusion in her eyes was tearing Jonathan apart. He felt like slime. This wasn’t a game to Lauren. This was her future. It was serious business. Hosting a cooking show when you didn’t know how to cook was a ludicrous notion.

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