time should I be there?”
“Five o’clock. The girls are on a schedule for sleeping and since it takes me ten hours to get them to fall asleep once they’re in bed…”
Virginia laughed with him. “Five o’clock it is. I’m looking forward to it.”
Gavin nodded. “So am I. I’ll see you then.” He picked up his cooler and walked to where the girls had moved down the boardwalk for a better view of the sea lions.
Virginia glanced down at the card. Gavin didn’t live very far from her apartment. The shrimp linguine she had been planning to make for herself tonight could wait until tomorrow.
Tonight she’d actually have company to talk to instead of four walls and a cactus.
The first thing Virginia noticed about Gavin’s house was it was pink. Very pink. She parked her car and set her emergency brake. She’d been passing time for the last couple of hours, waiting for five o’clock to come.
The thing that struck her was that she was very nervous, like she was a teenager again, going on her first date.
She’d even done her hair and her makeup. So different from her usual Saturday attire of yoga pants, no bra and a tank top.
With one last check in the rearview mirror she got out of the car and opened the back door. Before she’d left the market she’d managed to pick up four small sourdough loaves. She was going to hollow them out so they could serve the soup up in them.
She hoped Gavin was a good cook, but she didn’t have much faith in that. The thought made her laugh as she headed towards the gated front door. She pushed the buzzer and waited. As she was waiting she noticed a flicker of the drapes in the bay window above her and she spied quiet little Rose peering at her through the lace.
Poor little soul.
The door was unlocked and opened and Gavin opened the gate. “Welcome.”
Virginia stepped over the threshold as Gavin locked the gate and then the front door again. He was dressed the same as he had been earlier, but at least his hair wasn’t as messy. Still, he looked handsome and it made her heart beat just a bit faster.
“Are you afraid I might escape?” she teased, hoping he didn’t hear the nervous edge to her voice.
“No, just force of habit. I’m not used to living in a big city.”
“You live in a pretty nice neighborhood but, yeah, I can understand your apprehension.” She regretted suggesting he might be nervous when he furrowed his brow.
“You live in a very pink house, Gavin,” she teased, changing the subject.
“Yes, well, that’s my sister’s taste. She always loved the color pink.” He began to walk up the steps. “You can leave your shoes on—actually, I’d advise it as I’m not the niftiest cleaner. My maid has the weekend off.”
Virginia chuckled and followed him up the stairs to the main floor. Rose dashed out from the living room at the front of the house and wrapped herself around Gavin’s leg.
“You remember my boss, Rose?”
Rose nodded and then gave Virginia a smile. It wasn’t a verbal greeting, but at least it was a start. It was then Virginia noticed that there was no lingering scent of dinner cooking.
“Did you have some problem starting the chowder?”
“Yeah, as in I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I decided to come tonight. Show me to the kitchen.”
Gavin grinned and led her to the back of the house where the kitchen was. Lily was in the kitchen with a battered old recipe book in front of her and looked a bit frantic.
“I can’t find it,” Lily said, a hint of panic in her voice.
“What?” Virginia asked, setting down the bag of bread.
“The recipe my Mom used. I can’t find it.” Lily was shaking and Virginia wanted to wrap her arms around the little girl and reassure her that everything would be okay. Only she couldn’t. She had never been very good at hugging.
“It’s okay. Look, why don’t we try out my recipe for tonight? What do you think?”
Lily nodded her eyes wide. “Okay.”
“Virginia, you don’t have to do that. You’re our guest.”
“It’s okay, Gavin. I don’t mind.” Virginia hung her cardigan on the back of the chair and pushed up the sleeves on her top. “Lily, you want to help me?”
“Of course!” Lily jumped down from the chair where she was sitting and whipped open the fridge, pulling out various items.
“I didn’t know you could cook.” Gavin watched as Lily plopped the bags of clams, shrimp and the container of scallops on the kitchen table.
“I have hidden depths.” Virginia winked. “Do you have any cream, Lily?”
“Yep!” She ran back to the fridge and pulled out a carton.
“Where are your pots?”
Gavin pulled out a stainless-steel saucepan. “Is this good?”
“Not in the least. Do you have a stockpot?”
“A what?”
Virginia rolled her eyes and began to open random cupboards, finally locating a stockpot in a bottom cupboard. She held it up. “This is a stockpot!”
“Impressive.” Gavin pulled out a chair and sat down. Rose was there in a flash and climbing in his lap. “Mind if I watch?”
“Why?” Virginia asked skeptically.
“It’s how we surgeons learn, by observation, is it not?”
“Perhaps I’ll employ the Socratic method on you while I’m dicing the potatoes.” Virginia reached down and began to peel one of the potatoes Lily produced.
“I don’t think that’s fair. I know nothing about cooking.”
“He really doesn’t,” Lily said. “All he can make is grilled cheese. Rosalie does most of the cooking.”
Virginia cocked an eyebrow. “Who’s Rosalie?”
“My housekeeper slash nanny slash cook.” Gavin poked at the bread. “What’s in the bag?”
“Ah, that’s a surprise that will have to wait until the chowder is ready.” Virginia finished peeling the potatoes and began to dice them. Then she went to work on the onions and carrots. When the vegetables were diced she placed them in the stockpot with some salted water and set them to boil.
“Why would I put potatoes on to boil, Gavin?” Virginia asked as Lily grabbed Rose’s hand and led her out of
