Leave the Pieces (Strawberry Inn Book #5)

Chapter 16

EMORY

“Holy shit, what are you making that smells so good?”

My body buzzed excitedly when I heard the garage door open and then again when Glenn’s first statement was about the food I’d been cooking this afternoon. Before Glenn left Strawberry, we looked at our calendars and agreed to the following four times that we would get together. We may have hit a rough patch, but at the end of the day, we both knew we had to make this work for Callum. Traveling wasn’t my favorite, but I made the trek this weekend because I had no in-person meetings or appointments to attend. There were other things like follow-up calls with potential clients and vendors, but those could be done anywhere.

Glenn’s place was not what I was expecting from a successful doctor, but I imagine the spectacular views of the city made the price higher than what a normal two-bedroom house would go for. I’ve been here less than twenty-four hours and I can see why he’d buy this place. Both of the bedrooms are located on the second floor and have private balconies. I sat out there last night after Callum was asleep and then enjoyed the sunrise with my coffee this morning.

When I saw the kitchen, my jaw almost dropped. I’m not as good of a cook as my mom, but I’ve improved a lot more in the past couple of years. It was one of those “new year, new me” resolutions I made. Cooking in this kitchen with all the upgraded appliances, double-oven, and gas range stove would be any chef’s wet dream. I asked Glenn if he’d be okay with me cooking some meals while I was here and he said he barely used the kitchen. Blasphemy if you ask me.

So this morning, after Glenn left for work and I had a break in my schedule, Callum and I went to the closest grocery store and I bought ingredients to make dinner tonight. Beef tenderloin roasted with rosemary and garlic, plus a side of carmelized carrots is just what the doctor ordered…pun intended.

“Hey!” I close the oven door and turn back to face Glenn, “I told you I was going to take advantage of this kitchen.”

“I don’t think this good of smells has ever come from this place before. I’m actually embarrassed that I tried to pass off breakfast last time. This is much more skill than some bacon and eggs.”

I pat him on the chest, “Don’t sell yourself short, Glenn. You made really fluffy eggs.”

“I think you’re just inflating my ego now.”

I throw my head back and laugh, “I swear I’m not. I may know a thing or two about dinner meals, but breakfast is not my forte. Do not ask me to make you pancakes unless you’re okay with them coming out of a box.”

Glenn chuckles while walking over to his walk-in pantry. He comes out a few moments later with a box of pancake mix, “Oh, you mean like this?”

“Okay, okay, that was a good one. I feel better now.” I give the carrots a stir and then turn off the burner and move them to the back of the stove. “I didn’t know what time you’d be home. The beef has about twenty minutes left if you wanted to clean up or whatever it is you do when you get home.”

“That’s funny, usually I would have stayed at the hospital later and just had my assistant order dinner for me.”

“If you have extra work to do, I don’t want you to think you have to be here for us. I get it, you have a really important job.”

“It’s not that. I guess I just never have anything to come home to and this week is different.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here right now.”

He smiles back at me and I can feel my heart skip a beat. I shouldn’t think that way about him. We’re trying to do the right thing by our son, not get ourselves into any messes.