changed.
Jared was due home any minute. He’d phoned when he left the office to let her know he was on his way. He’d been so good about that since that night a week ago and Kate appreciated his efforts.
She heard the door open and quickly pulled off her apron. Jared walked into the kitchen, an appreciative expression on his face. "Something smells good. Takeout again?"
Kate was torn between wanting to give him a playful smack and kissing him. In the end she did neither. She just quirked an eyebrow. “You’d better be nice or you’re not going to get any of it.”
"That would be torture, you know," Jared informed her as he put his briefcase down. "Smells like that with no tasting could kill a guy."
"But at least you’d die happy! Just think, you could die smelling burnt rice."
Jared obviously remembered that fiasco and quickly agreed with her. "Can I help you with anything?"
"Nope, nothing here , but you could go get the kids all washed up."
Kate waited until Jared left the kitchen before pulling the meal out of the oven. As per Darlene’s instructions she’d left the covered bowls to warm while she waited for Jared to come home. Now she worked quickly to get the bowls of carrots and potatoes as well as the platter of roast beef onto the table before they all came back. Gravy, a fresh salad and soft rolls completed the meal. Except for the dessert which Darlene assured Kate would knock the socks off them.
As she waited, Kate had to admit that it hadn’t been that difficult a meal to prepare. She’d just needed some guidance and direction. Darlene had provided both , and the result was this wonderful meal. She wondered if the family would get tired of roast beef every night.
"Well, what’s all this?" Jared asked from the doorway.
Kate turned to see him standing with Dani in his arms and the other three crowded around him. "It’s dinner."
They eyed it skeptically as they sat down around the table. Kate was looking forward to seeing them eat their words along with this delicious meal. The kids seemed reluctant to put more than one carrot and potato on their plate , but Jared pinned them with a warning stare.
Kate loaded up her plate with more food than she’d eaten at a meal in a long time. At the sight, Jared added another spoonful of carrots onto his plate. Kate cut up Dani’s food and watched the little girl shovel it in. The kids took tentative bites but were soon devouring the meal.
"That was very good," Jared announced after he’d cleaned his plate for the second time. "You’ve found an excellent new place for takeout."
"You just don’t believe I actually cooked this meal, do you?" Kate glared at him. "I’ll have you know that I did cook it , and it’s all from scratch. But since you’re doubting me, I’ll eat dessert all myself. I’m sure you wouldn’t want any double fudge chocolate cake."
Jared looked at the kids and then back at her. "Did you really make all this? By yourself?"
Kate almost nodded but knew she had to be honest. "I did make it all , but I did have a tiny bit of help. Not much mind you, she just gave me directions. I did the actual work myself."
"Okay, so who was the angel directing you?"
"That would be Darlene?"
"Darlene?" Bry asked in surprise. "Cookie-lady Darlene?"
"That’s the one. I called her the other day to thank her for the cookies and we got to talking. Seems she wasn’t such a hot cook when she was younger either. She agreed to give me some help and this meal is the first of our lessons."
"It really was delicious, Kate," Jared said. "I’m sorry we were teasing you. You did a great job."
"Thank you." Kate couldn’t stop the flush of pride at his words. "It was really quite fun. Do you think you can handle roast beef dinner for the next few nights? Darlene can’t come back for a couple of days to help me with something new."
The laughter around the table set Kate’s heart dancing. This was her dream, and for the first time in months she felt
Jared was due home any minute. He’d phoned when he left the office to let her know he was on his way. He’d been so good about that since that night a week ago and Kate appreciated his efforts.
She heard the door open and quickly pulled off her apron. Jared walked into the kitchen, an appreciative expression on his face. "Something smells good. Takeout again?"
Kate was torn between wanting to give him a playful smack and kissing him. In the end she did neither. She just quirked an eyebrow. “You’d better be nice or you’re not going to get any of it.”
"That would be torture, you know," Jared informed her as he put his briefcase down. "Smells like that with no tasting could kill a guy."
"But at least you’d die happy! Just think, you could die smelling burnt rice."
Jared obviously remembered that fiasco and quickly agreed with her. "Can I help you with anything?"
"Nope, nothing here , but you could go get the kids all washed up."
Kate waited until Jared left the kitchen before pulling the meal out of the oven. As per Darlene’s instructions she’d left the covered bowls to warm while she waited for Jared to come home. Now she worked quickly to get the bowls of carrots and potatoes as well as the platter of roast beef onto the table before they all came back. Gravy, a fresh salad and soft rolls completed the meal. Except for the dessert which Darlene assured Kate would knock the socks off them.
As she waited, Kate had to admit that it hadn’t been that difficult a meal to prepare. She’d just needed some guidance and direction. Darlene had provided both , and the result was this wonderful meal. She wondered if the family would get tired of roast beef every night.
"Well, what’s all this?" Jared asked from the doorway.
Kate turned to see him standing with Dani in his arms and the other three crowded around him. "It’s dinner."
They eyed it skeptically as they sat down around the table. Kate was looking forward to seeing them eat their words along with this delicious meal. The kids seemed reluctant to put more than one carrot and potato on their plate , but Jared pinned them with a warning stare.
Kate loaded up her plate with more food than she’d eaten at a meal in a long time. At the sight, Jared added another spoonful of carrots onto his plate. Kate cut up Dani’s food and watched the little girl shovel it in. The kids took tentative bites but were soon devouring the meal.
"That was very good," Jared announced after he’d cleaned his plate for the second time. "You’ve found an excellent new place for takeout."
"You just don’t believe I actually cooked this meal, do you?" Kate glared at him. "I’ll have you know that I did cook it , and it’s all from scratch. But since you’re doubting me, I’ll eat dessert all myself. I’m sure you wouldn’t want any double fudge chocolate cake."
Jared looked at the kids and then back at her. "Did you really make all this? By yourself?"
Kate almost nodded but knew she had to be honest. "I did make it all , but I did have a tiny bit of help. Not much mind you, she just gave me directions. I did the actual work myself."
"Okay, so who was the angel directing you?"
"That would be Darlene?"
"Darlene?" Bry asked in surprise. "Cookie-lady Darlene?"
"That’s the one. I called her the other day to thank her for the cookies and we got to talking. Seems she wasn’t such a hot cook when she was younger either. She agreed to give me some help and this meal is the first of our lessons."
"It really was delicious, Kate," Jared said. "I’m sorry we were teasing you. You did a great job."
"Thank you." Kate couldn’t stop the flush of pride at his words. "It was really quite fun. Do you think you can handle roast beef dinner for the next few nights? Darlene can’t come back for a couple of days to help me with something new."
The laughter around the table set Kate’s heart dancing. This was her dream, and for the first time in months she felt
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