Payton raised his head heavenward. “Thank you for small miracles.”
China couldn’t help but laugh, something she found that she was doing more often around Payton. When she’d first met him she’d never have guessed they would ever be friends. She could work with anyone but to her great surprise she like spending her off time with him as well.
“I’m a little behind. Would you mind being my second-in-command and chop up the onions and potatoes?”
“I need a knife. What’re we having?”
“A beef loin in puff pastry with braised potatoes, salad and a fruit trifle.”
“Wow. That sounds wonderful. No seafood?”
“I thought everyone probably got all of that they wanted any time. I wanted to do something different. Besides, it’s my specialty.” He pulled a bowl out of an upper cabinet.
“So you’ve made it before.”
He handed her a knife. “A number of times.”
She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “So you got me here on false pretenses.”
Payton looked directly at her. “Well, yes and no. I can use the help and I find that I rather like spending time with you,” he said matter-of-factly.
China’s heart thumped against her chest wall. All she could do was stare at him. “Uh, where’s a cutting board?”
“It’s under the cabinet to the left.”
She turned her back to him to go after the board.
“One thing I’ve learned is that time is precious and I’m not going to waste any more of it. I think you like me also. Or at least your kiss said you do.”
China reached for the cutting board and when she turned around Payton was already concentrating on the meat he was preparing. “The potatoes and onions are in the pantry.” He nodded toward a door.
Payton had turned all business. Had he really said what she thought he’d said? She found the vegetables and brought them to the island.
“Come and work over here in front of me. There’s plenty of room. Next to the windows and porches, I like this kitchen best. It’s made for cooking together and entertaining.”
“It’s wonderful. Nothing like the small one I grew up cooking in.”
“When did you start cooking?”
“When I was twelve.”
“I came to it much later in life. Ruth, our cook, thought I needed to know something about preparing a meal before I left for college. So I hung out in the kitchen and fell in love with cooking.”
“I might have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t seen it as a chore.”
“Why is that?”
“Just that I had to help out at home.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just typical for you. Helping out.”
She stopped chopping and looked at him. “You didn’t say that like it’s a compliment.”
“Don’t get mad. It’s just an observation.”
“I suggest that you keep your observations to yourself unless you have something nice to say.” She made a cut into a potato with more force than required.
“You have the most beautiful brown eyes I’ve ever seen.”
China felt the heat flow up her neck to her cheeks. Her heart fluttered. Never in a million years would she have dreamed that Payton Jenkins would ever flirt with her. Somehow it was empowering.
* * *
Payton grinned but kept his head down and pretended to be concentrating on wrapping the loin in pastry. He’d gotten China’s attention with his remark about her eyes. They worked together in silence for a while but he was aware of every movement she made.
She was aware of him, too. He dropped a knife and she jumped. Tension as deep as the gulf filled the room, and he was enjoying having her a little off center. China put up such a wall where he was concerned that it was nice to see he was making a chink in it. He wasn’t sure what the future held for him or if he had the right to be involved with anyone, but where China was concerned he couldn’t help himself. She intrigued him.
He slipped the roasting pan into the oven. “Are those potatoes and onions ready?”
“I have one more to cut.”
“Great. I’ll get them started and then we can set the table. I’ve already made the trifle and have it in the refrigerator. After we finish the table I’ll change and then we can put together the salad.”
She nodded and a minute later said, “I’m done. Hand me the pan and I’ll put these in it.”
He did as she requested. With the same efficiency he admired in her nursing, China cleaned the area and washed her hands.
“Okay, where are the plates, silverware and napkins?”
“I’ll get the plates. The silverware is in the drawer to the right of the sink, the napkins in the third drawer down.”
Payton was putting the plates on the table when China said with amazement in her voice, “These are all cloth napkins.”
“Yes. So?”
She turned and looked at him. “That’s all you have?”
“It is. Bring the green ones.”
She reached in the drawer and counted to make sure she had all that were required. “I’ve never known someone who only uses cloth napkins.”
“You make it sound like a crime. We only used cloth at my house when I was growing up.”
“Yeah, and we only used paper. If my parents own cloth ones, I’ve never seen them.” China brought the napkins and a handful of silverware to the table.
“Well, enjoy using mine tonight.”
“I think I will.”
Payton glanced at the clock on the wall. “If you don’t mind finishing up here, I’m going to take a quick shower and change.”
“I’ll finish. Do you want to use the regular glasses or do you have something else in mind?”
Payton stopped at the doorway to the living room. “Those are fine. There are some wineglasses up there also.” He pointed in the direction of a cabinet she’d not looked in before.
China started placing the silverware around the plates.
“Hey, China.”
She looked at him.
“Thanks for your help. Really.”
She smiled. “You’re welcome.”
Payton pulled his shirt up over his head as he went down the hall with a smile on his face. Maybe the being friends idea was overrated. It was fun to tease China. Nice kissing her too and he wanted to do it again. He was starting over in life so why not have some fun? No one said their time together had to last forever.
* * *
With the table set and wineglasses waiting, China went outside to check the plants. Payton had hung the orange lantana around the porches. It
contrasted well with the yellow of the house and looked beautiful. Any home always felt more comfortable with plants around, or at least she believed so. After checking the dampness of the soil in a couple of baskets, China returned to the living room to look at a pot there. The faint sound of water running told her Payton was still taking a shower.
A buzz from the kitchen drew her attention. She went to see what it was for. Turning the timer off on the oven, she opened the door and checked the loin. Not sure what to do and not wanting Payton’s meal to be ruined, she closed the stove door and turned the oven off.
There was no choice. She was going to have to ask Payton what needed to be done. Bracing and reminding herself she was an adult, she headed toward the sound of water. At his bedroom door she called his name. Hearing no answer, she stepped further into the room. What was she going to do if he stepped out of the bathroom naked? Have a heart attack? That was silly. She saw half-naked bodies all the time in her line of work.
Yeah, but none of those were Payton’s.
Squaring her shoulders, she walked across the room and knocked firmly on the open bathroom door. “Payton.”
That heart attack might not be such a far-fetched idea. Payton’s walk-in shower was made of clear glass blocks. She could make out the shape of his body on the other side. He had his hands raised as if he was rinsing his hair. The fleeting idea that she should avert her gaze crossed her mind but her eyes wouldn’t cooperate.
“Yeah?”
“Sorry to bother you but the buzzer went off, and I was wondering if I need to take the loin out.”
“And I was hoping you had come in to join me.”
“In your dreams.”
China watched as his silhouette moved to the end of the blocks. Was he going to stand there naked in front of her? Would she look away? Not likely.
Instead, he stuck his head around the edge of the wall. His gaze held hers. “You are.”
“Come on, Payton, stop teasing me and tell me what to do about the meat. I should just let the meal get ruined.”
He grinned. “You’re much too nice a person to do that. Pull it out, please. It needs to rest for ten minutes.”