Chapter Nineteen #4
She first told us a few things about herself, and then everyone introduced themselves as couples.
Most seemed to have been together for a long time.
The group turned out to be genuine and fun, and they were all completely proficient.
Gabe looked stunned as we performed each step.
I had a hunch that he wasn't used to being the beginner in the room.
He was a perfectionist, so this was probably weird for him.
While we were preparing the appetizer, the man next to us said, "Damn, we should have eaten something first. I'm starving."
"I have some spring rolls I made with the morning group. Do you want some?" the host offered.
There was a murmur of agreement around the kitchen island, so she immediately took a bowl out of the fridge and put it in one of the ovens. "It'll be warm in a few minutes."
Gabe and I exchanged a conspiratorial glance, having just filled our stomachs.
The afternoon slid by easily. Gabe was a surprisingly fast learner. He was good at following instructions, I realized; he could probably cook a lot of things if he followed a recipe step by step.
The host had a clever strategy, having us eat every course right after we made it versus doing everything and then eating at the end.
After cooking one course, we set the table and ate it immediately, making small talk with the other couples.
I took advantage of the fact that Gabe liked to talk more than me and stole some of his food from time to time.
Everything was delicious, and I didn't feel guilty that I'd snatched away one of his shellfish—he'd had four left, and he didn't seem to be eating them all.
He finished talking about the distillery and looked down at his plate before focusing on me. "So, what happened to my fourth shellfish?"
I felt my eyes widen. "You counted them?"
"Babe, I've been counting everything since we sat down with the appetizer."
I covered my mouth. The whole table laughed, and Gabe kissed the side of my head.
"And you all noticed?" I asked, lowering my hand.
"Yeah, it was pretty obvious. But he was putting on a solid show," one of the guys said, nodding at Gabe.
"I'm just not very hungry," he said. "And I like to choose my battles."
"Oh, you two are so sweet. How long have you been together?" the guy’s wife asked.
“Not long,” I said vaguely because I felt a bit embarrassed to tell them the truth.
"I always say it's a great mark for longevity and predicting that a couple will get along long term if they can laugh together like you two do.”
“And if you know how to conspire with each other. Like you did earlier when you covered up for how bad Gabe was in the kitchen by doing the more complex tasks," one of the other attendees said.
Gabe jerked his head back. "I didn't even notice that."
I grinned at him. "Hey, we're a team. I've got your back."
"You remind me of us when we were younger," the oldest couple said, and something shifted inside me.
"Really?" These happy couples all thought we had what was needed for something long term? How could they tell?
But then my enthusiasm deflated quickly, like someone had popped a balloon.
You could never judge a book by its cover.
They only saw this playful interaction, but I bet they’d change their opinions if they knew I was basically living in his house.
Gabe wasn't someone who wanted to commit, and neither was I. At least not at this point in my life, especially after what I’d been through.
After the way things ended with Chuck, I needed another decade or so to pass before I would even consider settling down. Trusting someone again and building a relationship like I thought I had with my ex took a lot out of me.
I needed some recovery time.
For the rest of the courses, I only ate my portion. Not just because everyone had caught on to my tactic but also because I was super full. The host kept filling us with wine on top of all the fantastic food.
She'd premade the dessert for us because it needed to stay in the fridge overnight. It was a delicious cheesecake, and it was creamier than anything I'd ever tasted.
Once we all finished it, she said, "Well, that concludes today's session. I'm really happy that we had such a great time. If you want, please leave a review."
"I most certainly will," I said. As someone who depended on reviews, I knew just how important they were, and I never passed an opportunity to leave one.
Though if I had a bad experience, I preferred to withhold my opinion because everything was subjective.
Maybe I caught someone on a bad day. I didn't want to ruin their business.
We bid everyone goodbye, and we were the first to leave. Once we stepped out, Gabe practically attacked me, kissing me as he walked us backward to the car.
Ladies and gentlemen, this was definitely the hottest kiss Gabe Whitley had ever given me. A little desperate, a lot hot, and I responded in kind.
He finally pulled back, face a bit flushed. "Fuck, I wanted to do that the whole time."
"Really? I couldn't tell."
"You have no idea how many times I fought the impulse to make up an excuse to pull you into the hallway and just kiss you. But I knew I'd make a spectacle of us."
"I have an idea, then," I said.
"Mmm?" he murmured, feathering his lips up and down my neck.
"Let's go home."
"That's the best thing I've heard all day."