Chapter 723:
He slammed the door shut, though it did little to block out the noise inside. Rylie could clearly hear the clatter of jars and bottles being shifted around.
She figured that he must have been drinking heavily that evening.
In under two minutes, Brad reappeared with another bag of trash, tossing it out with a sharp clang. Then he took the birthday present from Rylie and stepped aside, giving her room to enter.
There were no spare slippers in the house, so Brad handed her his own. “Put these on. The floor’s cold without heating.”
Rylie slipped into the oversized slippers without protest. “The weather’s turned colder lately.
The chill inside felt sharper than the air outside. Her eyes drifted to Brad’s bare torso, and she frowned faintly.
“Yeah.” Brad moved over to the wall, pressed the heat pump switch, and explained, “I usually run warm, so I didn’t bother turning it on. The room will heat up soon.”
“I know,” Rylie replied, “it’s because of the toxins in your body making your temperature feel higher than everyone else’s. But if you don’t stay warm, you’ll still end up catching a cold.”
“Understood. I’ll put on something later.”
Brad suddenly caught the faint scent of fish coming from the bag. He opened it, one brow arching.
Inside the bag was a lively fish, and in another were a carrot, a hefty pork bone, and freshly made pasta.
Brad stared for a moment, speechless, before letting out a laugh. “This has to be the most unusual birthday present I’ve ever gotten, a whole fish, a carrot, and a pork bone…”
As she caught his smile, Rylie’s toes curled inside the oversized slippers. Though she felt a twinge of embarrassment, her face remained composed. “There’s a reason for it. Have you eaten yet?”
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Brad shook his head. “No.”
Rylie answered evenly, “Then isn’t what I brought just right? At least you won’t be going hungry tonight.”
Brad hadn’t stopped smiling since realizing her so-called gift was a fish. He lifted a hand and tousled her hair, his voice rough and husky from the alcohol. “But I have never cooked here before.”
The place had been purchased through the military, just to get close to her. Though he sometimes stayed overnight, he had never intended to cook; he had neither the time nor the interest.
“So now that fish is thrashing in the sink, and we’ve got no way to handle it,” Brad added with a low chuckle.
Rylie answered simply, “I know how to handle it.”
“When did you last come to this community?” Brad questioned.
Rylie stayed quiet.
She had seldom touched the kitchen in her residence in this community, particularly after being taken in by the Owen family. Most of the time, the chef handled their meals.
.
.
.