Chapter 189: Too Pretty to Eat
** Eli **
When the risotto was close to ready, Eli tried a bite before helping the new chef transfer it onto a serving plate. It was delicious, fluffy and chewy at the same time, coated with a sauce that was just the perfect balance of—
Hmm. Maybe the rest of that thought should wait till dessert time.
He hid a smile and turned to the oven, pulling out the remaining dishes for the night. He was just setting down the hot roasting pan when Harper returned from the table, sidling up to him with a deep inhale.
"Ah-ha, of course you’ve made backups, and it smells so good!" She sniffed again. "Can’t believe I didn’t notice it before ... Is that pork roast?"
"Veal." Eli scooped up the juice from the roast, poured it evenly across the top, and set the dish down next to the risotto. "It’s an easy version this time so that we could focus on your cooking. Won’t be as good as the chop, but hopefully you’ll like it enough."
The meaning of that meat choice wasn’t lost on her. "Trying to recreate our first semi-date together?" Harper studied the items laid out on the table with a fresh understanding. "I like that ... Where’s the homegrown salad though?" she teased.
Eli replied with a knowing grin. "No homegrown salad, unfortunately, so I had to change it up a bit and prepare something different." He reached for the light switch. "How’s this for a replacement?"
The lights went out with a flick of his finger, though the room didn’t turn dark. A warm glow replaced the white overhead lights, gently illuminating the space with a soft, ambient brightness.