Flight Risk

9 - Clarke Home Part 3

Caleb insisted on helping to prepare supper, putting my chopping skills to shame as he took down an onion, pepper, and zucchini. I speared them with metal barbecue skewers at half the rhythm he prepped, while my mom busied herself mixing a Caesar salad and pasta salad.

"Caleb, how similar is this to a traditional Australian barbecue?" she asked.

"I'm not sure how traditional my family does them, but it's comparable enough. Sometimes we do lamb or pork instead of beef, but I am quite excited for the steaks."

I smiled as I threaded a cherry tomato on the skewer with a satisfying pop. "Me too."

Steak was way beyond my food budget since moving abroad.

Mom pulled a block of parmesan cheese from the stainless steel fridge and grabbed a grater. She must have been looking to impress him if we weren't just pulling it out of the shaker. Fresh lemons sat on the dark counter too.

"Does your family cook much Indonesian food?" my mom asked.

Caleb paused as he cut the pepper in eighths and grinned. "My dad does. It reminds my mom of the trip when they met and fell in love, so he does it for her and us growing up."

Caleb came across as romantic, which made me wonder why he was wasting his time on this fake relationship with a woman who was far worse suited to him than most. My relationship track record was terrible, and I hadn't hidden it. But his enthusiasm was still endearing. As much as I valued my independence, I would love to have what his parents had with someone who shared my interests and dreams.

My mom extracted the block of Parmesan from the package and watched him. "We loved the food when we visited Auddy. The fried rice, satays, and that beef with cinnamon, cardamom, and chilli."

Caleb paused and tapped the knife on the board. "Beef Rendang?"

My mom looked at me since they'd left me in charge of ordering most meals when I hadn't been working, and I nodded.

He stood straighter and nudged a few veggies my way, although I'd been busy following the conversation instead of prepping, so they were piling up.

"I can make it for you before I go. No promises it'll be as authentic or good, but I'll try."

His charming smile got a tiny one out of my mom's thin lips. Hers wasn't wide and all-consuming like his—her smiles never were even in photos—but I could tell she was happy and touched.

"That would be a wonderful treat, but only if you have the time." She focused on grating the cheese. "I'm sure you came to do more than cook for your girlfriend's parents."

It was still taking time to get used to that word. But it also didn't seem as jarring as I thought it would.

Caleb kept his body turned in her direction. "You didn't plan to take in a new guest, but you've welcomed me into your home."

"It's clear that Auddy cares about you, and it's easy to see why. You're welcome anytime."

He grinned at me in an adorably giddy way, and I reached out to squeeze his hand to sell the moment. His joy was contagious as it danced in my stomach.

"I'm happy you joined us for your holiday. Audrey's not always so smiley when she's around us," my mom said. Her gaze darted to me for a second before returning to him.

Was I that grumpy when they visited? I didn't mean to be, but my mom's behaviour had a way of upping my anxiety.

"She has a gorgeous smile, although I'm sure she's sick of hearing me talk about it." He only had to glance at me, and my stomach dove into another triple spin.