The One After [SHAWN MENDES]

Chapter 16

"You eat potatoes and rice, right?" I asked Shawn as I sat at my computer looking at recipes on Pinterest. He was coming over for dinner, and I wanted to make something that fit his needs but that was also delicious.

"Love them."

"The hardest part is finding something without butter, cream, eggs, or cheese."

"There are millions of substitutes," he told me.

"Millions? Wow!" He tended to exaggerate and I found it cute. "I don't like vegan cheese, but maybe I'll find a dairy alternative."

His low laugh sounded through the phone. "You think I'm difficult, don't you?"

"I think you are nuts to eat this way, but that's not the same as being difficult."

"Good. I've been told before that I am, so I'm a little sensitive about it. I know I've got my flaws, but that's one I don't want to accept."

I wondered who'd said he was difficult. He came across as very accommodating to me. Was it Camila? Was that part of why they broke up? I pushed thoughts of her out of my mind. "What would you say is your biggest flaw?"

He answered immediately. "My ego."

"Hmmmm. Okay. I have to get back to recipe hunting, but I want to delve into this more over dinner. Come by at seven?"

"Can't wait. See you tonight, Lucy." I loved the way my name sounded when he said it. It was the plainest moniker in the world, but on his lips it sounded sexy.

Once I found a recipe that sounded good, I walked to the grocery store around the corner from my apartment, filled my basket with all the ingredients I needed, and checked out. The person working the register had their mask under their nose, and I shot him a dirty look before leaving.

Back at home, I prepped the food, ran the vacuum to get up all the stray black Inky hair, and took a shower (which included some personal grooming since my period was over and I was open for business). I put my hair up in a messy bun and applied the minimum makeup before putting on a pair of jeans and a pretty blue top. Then I went to the kitchen to cook, where I stayed until Shawn knocked at seven on the dot.

"I wasn't sure what you were making, so I have both red and white," he said as he held up two bottles.

"It's a curry, so I think either would work."

His face broke into a grin. "I love curry."

We opted to start with a glass of white in my living room while the food simmered on the stove.

"You never said how your visit to Windsor was," he said once we were seated on the couch. Inky immediately curled up on his lap.

I'd gone to see my grandmother two Saturdays ago and it was sweet that he remembered that.

"It was great. Granny and I had fun shopping in Detroit, and we also pigged out on paczkis."

"What is that?" he asked curiously.

"It's Polish sweet bread, almost like a doughnut. She loves them, so we always stop for a dozen."

"Is this your dad's mom? The one who is half Italian?"

"Nope. She's my maternal grandmother," I explained. "My other grandma lives here, so I see her a lot. Both of my grandfathers are dead."

He talked a little about his grandparents and how he had relatives in the UK and Portugal. I got up to put the rice on, and then we talked more about our families. I smiled as he spoke about his parents and sister, because it was clear that he loved them immensely.