out again at the next meal.”
Isabelle’s eyes widened. “There’s a ton of them.”
“Nine here. There’s always many served with a meal.” He pulled out Korean-style chopsticks and a long-handled spoon for each of them and set them out. “She sent haemul-sundubu-jjigae as our soup. It’s a sort of spicy soft tofu stew with seafood.”
Isabelle took up a small container of rice and extended her spoon to the sundubu , catching up a small amount of broth and sipping experimentally. “It’s good.”
“There are restaurants that serve just the sundubu or with a bowl of rice and a plate of fried whole fish. But not with a full accompaniment of banchan like this.” He tried one of the banchan nearest him. “These kkwarigochujjim are very tasty. They’re steamed, seasoned shishito peppers.”
Isabelle extended her chopsticks and snagged one. “I’ve had them grilled before in other dishes, not Korean.”
He nodded. “They’re used in other cooking. Not too spicy. Good flavor.”
“What are these? Are they supposed to be cold?” She used her chopsticks to tap the side of a container.
“ Eomuk-bokkeum . Spicy stir-fried fish cakes.” He raised an eyebrow. “Some people prefer not to know what they are eating before they try it.”
Isabelle seemed unfazed. “I’ll give them a try either way but I’m generally interested in what I’m eating so I can try to remember what to call it if I like it and want to find it again.”
Fair. His anger was slowly leeching away and he had to admit it’d been a long time since he’d enjoyed a meal with someone. Here, in this moment, with the dim lighting and sophisticated decor, he could imagine they were dining in privacy by choice rather than necessity. The sofa was small and as either of them reached for food, shoulders bumped and knees touched.
Every chance contact zinged through the fabric of his clothing to his skin, heightened his awareness of her.
He’d been out to dinner on dates frequently enough, to be sure. But there hadn’t been this element of exploration and discovery in the dinner.
It was pleasant. Something he found himself enjoying despite his continued concern.
“You’re going to confirm that your supervisor did not share my private information with this chef and I appreciate that.” He decided to return to his initial concern and put it to rest so they could enjoy the rest of the meal. “Do you really believe your supervisor simply told her we might enjoy Korean food?”
Isabelle nibbled at a piece of napa cabbage kimchi before answering. “Maylin would’ve felt bad about the earlier food being left behind. She’d have wanted a challenge to make up for us not being able to enjoy it. He probably told her to go for Korean to stretch her skills and give her something she could roll up her sleeves and dive into. He cares about the people around him that way.”
“A good leader does those things.” Kyle could acknowledge the consideration. And it was obvious Isabelle was very loyal to the other man. Considering her fiery personality and independence, Gabriel Diaz must be a man worth following. The kind of person Kyle hoped to be if he survived all of this.
“Yeah.” She paused in her eating, setting her chopsticks down.
Studying her, Kyle deliberately placed a piece of food in her rice bowl. An offering of sorts.
She huffed out a quiet laugh and picked her chopsticks back up. “He is a good leader. Let’s just say leadership is not one of my strong points.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Kyle helped himself to more food. If he was eating, she might be inclined to share more. And he wanted to hear it.
Isabelle shrugged. “When you work with a new team, there’s a key time frame in which you establish yourself, earn their respect, so they will follow your orders. Otherwise, they question, hesitate. And in combat, none of us can afford that split second. Not everyone who meets me gets the best impression.”
And
Isabelle’s eyes widened. “There’s a ton of them.”
“Nine here. There’s always many served with a meal.” He pulled out Korean-style chopsticks and a long-handled spoon for each of them and set them out. “She sent haemul-sundubu-jjigae as our soup. It’s a sort of spicy soft tofu stew with seafood.”
Isabelle took up a small container of rice and extended her spoon to the sundubu , catching up a small amount of broth and sipping experimentally. “It’s good.”
“There are restaurants that serve just the sundubu or with a bowl of rice and a plate of fried whole fish. But not with a full accompaniment of banchan like this.” He tried one of the banchan nearest him. “These kkwarigochujjim are very tasty. They’re steamed, seasoned shishito peppers.”
Isabelle extended her chopsticks and snagged one. “I’ve had them grilled before in other dishes, not Korean.”
He nodded. “They’re used in other cooking. Not too spicy. Good flavor.”
“What are these? Are they supposed to be cold?” She used her chopsticks to tap the side of a container.
“ Eomuk-bokkeum . Spicy stir-fried fish cakes.” He raised an eyebrow. “Some people prefer not to know what they are eating before they try it.”
Isabelle seemed unfazed. “I’ll give them a try either way but I’m generally interested in what I’m eating so I can try to remember what to call it if I like it and want to find it again.”
Fair. His anger was slowly leeching away and he had to admit it’d been a long time since he’d enjoyed a meal with someone. Here, in this moment, with the dim lighting and sophisticated decor, he could imagine they were dining in privacy by choice rather than necessity. The sofa was small and as either of them reached for food, shoulders bumped and knees touched.
Every chance contact zinged through the fabric of his clothing to his skin, heightened his awareness of her.
He’d been out to dinner on dates frequently enough, to be sure. But there hadn’t been this element of exploration and discovery in the dinner.
It was pleasant. Something he found himself enjoying despite his continued concern.
“You’re going to confirm that your supervisor did not share my private information with this chef and I appreciate that.” He decided to return to his initial concern and put it to rest so they could enjoy the rest of the meal. “Do you really believe your supervisor simply told her we might enjoy Korean food?”
Isabelle nibbled at a piece of napa cabbage kimchi before answering. “Maylin would’ve felt bad about the earlier food being left behind. She’d have wanted a challenge to make up for us not being able to enjoy it. He probably told her to go for Korean to stretch her skills and give her something she could roll up her sleeves and dive into. He cares about the people around him that way.”
“A good leader does those things.” Kyle could acknowledge the consideration. And it was obvious Isabelle was very loyal to the other man. Considering her fiery personality and independence, Gabriel Diaz must be a man worth following. The kind of person Kyle hoped to be if he survived all of this.
“Yeah.” She paused in her eating, setting her chopsticks down.
Studying her, Kyle deliberately placed a piece of food in her rice bowl. An offering of sorts.
She huffed out a quiet laugh and picked her chopsticks back up. “He is a good leader. Let’s just say leadership is not one of my strong points.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Kyle helped himself to more food. If he was eating, she might be inclined to share more. And he wanted to hear it.
Isabelle shrugged. “When you work with a new team, there’s a key time frame in which you establish yourself, earn their respect, so they will follow your orders. Otherwise, they question, hesitate. And in combat, none of us can afford that split second. Not everyone who meets me gets the best impression.”
And
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