Zest

Some things curdle, others cure.

 

Half an hour later, he stepped into hallway to the smell of parsley, pepper and thyme and the sound of brisk chopping.

            He settled at the breakfast nook and smiled across at her. ‘Don’t you ever feel like you’re going to cut yourself?’

            ‘Do you feel like you’re going to freak out when speaking in front of a group of people?’

            ‘Good point. Listen, Jules, about last night – ’

            ‘Don’t worry about it; it was nothing.’

            ‘Nothing,’ he repeated. She took a moment to straighten her face as she dropped the carrots into the wine.

            ‘Yeah, although after seeing you in that towel, I’m reconsidering.’ She laughed, turning back to look at him. ‘Oh, was that embarrassing for you?’

            ‘No, it was – ’ he was better off not going in that direction at all. ‘Did you get that bottle from my cellar?’

            She glanced at it. ‘Yeah, it’s a 2006. I hope you don’t mind.’

            ‘As long as I get to eat,’ he replied. She laughed, covering the pan with a lid. She sat down beside him. ‘It smells delicious.’

            ‘Doesn’t it? It’s one of my grandmother’s recipes, and my dad’s favourite.’

            ‘She served you wine?’

            ‘She’d substitute it with bullion.’ Julia lifted her feet and placed them in front of her, balancing her head on her knees. ‘How was your day?’

            Strange, he couldn’t remember being asked that since he was a surly teenager. ‘It was eventful. Golf TV is proving to be a bit of an odd fit. We have two extreme news networks, and...’

            There was a beat of silence. ‘What?’

            ‘I’m sorry. There’s just something amazing about your eyes. They’re so innocent.’

            Her eyes shuttered. ‘I’m not innocent.’ He frowned. ‘I’ve got to get that.’ She stood, crossed to fetch her cellphone out her purse.

            He sat back, baffled. Her eyes were innocent, quietly seductive, and guileless. Why she saw that as a negative thing was beyond him.

            She sank into the couch. ‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.’

            ‘What? Julia, what’s wrong?’

            ‘Is she okay? Okay. Okay, tell her I’m on my way. Tell her I’m on my way.’ She turned off the phone. Those eyes that he’d looked into minutes ago were now swimming with tears. ‘I’ve got to go to the hospital.’

            ‘Julia, what’s wrong?’

            ‘Carla crashed into a tree. She’s in the emergency room right now. That was her roommate, Hailey.’

            ‘Let’s go.’ He grabbed her hand although he would have liked to carry her. She looked like she was about to fall apart.

            ‘No,’ Julia sat down. ‘No, Hailey said not to come down. They said she’d only broken her leg, going down there would be pointless for a few days.’

            He rubbed his hands up her arms. She wasn’t saying something. ‘What is it?’

            ‘Her brakes were cut. They found – they found a wedding veil in the car.’ Their eyes met. ‘You know its divasdude94.’

            ‘Let’s not jump to conclusions, Julia.’

            ‘You know it is.’

            He sighed. ‘It seems highly likely.’ She launched herself onto him, and it seemed natural for him to wrap his arms around her.

He rocked her back and forth, her tears seeming to tear a hole into his stomach. Wherever divasdude94 was, he thought, he would pay for every single tear that rolled down her face.

Author's Note

I think I might be falling in love with Jake, hah. This is as far as I've got so far. Everything I post after this will be a tweaked by comments and critiqued, so -- say it with me, guys -- read, review. Danke.

Reviews

[Jules]

JAKES MINE YOU CANT!!!! and omg poor carla and poor jules!!! look after her jake and UPDATE NOW!!!! OR NO PRIZES!! opps thats bribery! :S lol ooo the cooking chemistry i love this story its amazing can you send me a message when you post more? love ya jules xxx