Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I wanted to sigh this time, but I forced a smile and turned to follow Declan to the kitchen. I had dealt with my share of Declans in high school. I knew what to expect. I’d thought once I graduated, I was done with this kind of thing. Apparently, it was something that not everyone grew out of.
The kitchen smelled clean and was spotless when we entered. I didn’t like the idea of messing it up. Didn’t seem fair to Mrs. Jolene. She’d left it pristine before leaving for the day.
Declan opened up both of the doors to the massive fridge and stood in front of it with her hands on her hips. “I’ve never actually made my own salad. I don’t cook,” she said, then flashed a bright smile at me. “We have a chef for that.”
I wasn’t surprised. I didn’t say anything because I had no polite response.
Declan went back to studying the fridge while letting the cool escape, but reached for nothing. I knew that the Houstons could afford the electricity bill, but the longer she stood there, the more stressed I got. Why wasn’t she getting things out and closing the doors? There was no reason to leave them open like that. When she finally moved, it was to look at me again.
“I don’t know where to start,” she said. “Do you know how to make a salad?”
I didn’t want to make Declan anything, but if it would get her to stop standing there with the fridge doors open, then I would do it. I nodded and walked over to look inside the fridge. Quickly, I grabbed a head of lettuce, some vegetables, and a bottle of dressing.
“Does that dressing have dairy? I’m vegan,” she said, causing me to pause.
It was ranch dressing, so I nodded.
She shook her head. “Can’t have it then.”
I put it back. “There are a few other dressings,” I told her and moved back so she could look at them.
She did a quick glance. “Are any vegan?” she asked me, as if I knew.
“I’m not vegan. I don’t know what you’re looking for,” I explained, feeling more annoyed by the second.
She frowned and reached in to pull out an oil and vinegar bottle. “Just use this,” she told me.
Relieved, I took it and finally closed the doors.
“Are you going to, like, wash and chop that stuff?” she asked me.
Since it all needed to be washed and chopped, I nodded.
She beamed then. “Great. I’ll be in the movie room with Saxon.” Then, she spun around and strutted out of the room without a thank you or a do you need help.
I would have been annoyed by that if I wasn’t being left alone. If getting rid of her was the outcome, then I would happily take my time making a salad for the princess. At least I was alone again. This would also give me the chance to clean things up. When Mrs. Jolene returned in the morning, the kitchen would be exactly like she had left it.
It took me several minutes to find a colander, cutting board, salad bowl, vegetable peeler, and knife, but once I had all my supplies, I went to work on the salad, making extra for Saxon and myself. Lost in the process, I didn’t hear Saxon walk into the kitchen and jumped, startled, when he placed the pizzas on the counter.
“Wow, you can really make a salad,” he said to me. “Declan said you insisted on making it, and now, I can see why. Hers wouldn’t have looked anything like that.”
I’d insisted, huh?
“I made enough for all of us,” I told him. “We could use some veggies with our pizza.”
He held up a box. “This is veggie pizza.”
I grinned. “That’s been cooked with cheese, and it’s full of grease, taking all its nutritional value out of the picture.”
He smiled. “I don’t normally eat salads, but since you made it and pointed out my lack of proper vegetables, I’ll have some.”
I started to reply when Declan came back into the kitchen.
“Is it ready yet? I didn’t expect a simple salad to take so long. I would have stayed and helped you if I’d known you were going to struggle with it.” All the while, she kept her friendly smile in place.
I imagined taking the salad bowl and tossing it in her face. The thought made me feel better.
“It’s done now,” I replied. “Saxon, what dressing do you like?” I asked him, taking the attention off Declan.
“He doesn’t eat salad,” Declan announced. “But I hope you do. That’s entirely too much for me, and I’d hate to waste any of their food. You should have been careful. Jo might need some of those things tomorrow.”
So, she was worried about wasting their food, but not about wasting their electricity. How did Saxon deal with her? Did she not drive him nuts?