A WEB OF DECEIT

chapter 41

Thelani

I was just finishing my makeup when I heard a knock on the door. Right on time, just as Nkosikhona promised. I grabbed my bag and took one last glance in the mirror. My heart was fluttering with anticipation, and I wasn't sure if it was nerves or excitement-maybe both.

When I opened the door, Nkosikhona stood there, freshly showered, dressed casually but still managing to look effortlessly handsome. He smiled when he saw me. "You look great, Lani. Ready to go?"

"Thanks," I replied, feeling a slight blush rise to my cheeks. "And yeah, let's do this."

As we headed to his car, he made light conversation about the weather and how he hadn't had a day off in ages. I found myself relaxing, the earlier tension of wondering what his intentions were slowly fading.

The drive to the grocery store was filled with easy chatter. We talked about random things-music, our favorite places in the city, and even debated whether pineapple belongs on pizza. Spoiler: we agreed that it definitely does not.

When we arrived at the store, Nkosikhona grabbed a shopping cart and gestured dramatically. "Lead the way, Chef Lani."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "You're acting like I'm about to make a five-star meal. We're keeping it simple."

He shrugged with a grin. "I trust you. I can only make toast and eggs , so anything beyond that is impressive to me."

We wandered through the aisles, grabbing ingredients as I suggested some easy options for dinner. "How about a creamy pasta with chicken and some garlic bread?" I offered.

He nodded eagerly. "That sounds perfect! Just tell me what to do, and I'll be your assistant for the day."

The shopping trip was surprisingly fun. I caught Nkosikhona sneaking snacks into the cart when he thought I wasn't looking-chips, chocolate, and even a pack of marshmallows. I laughed and shook my head as I caught him red-handed. "Really? I thought you wanted to help cook, not just eat snacks all night."

"Hey, a man needs sustenance," he said with a playful grin. "Besides, the marshmallows are for after the movie."

I found myself smiling more than I had in a long time. There was something so easy about being around him. It wasn't forced, and I didn't feel like I had to put up walls. He was just... Nkosikhona. Funny, charming, and a little clueless when it came to cooking.

Once we got back to my place, we unloaded the groceries and set up in the kitchen. I had to admit, it felt kind of nice having someone there with me. I wasn't used to sharing these moments with anyone.

"Okay," I said, tying my hair back into a messy bun. "First things first-can you chop the garlic and onions?"

He stared at the cutting board like it was some kind of alien artifact. "Uh, I can try?"

I laughed and handed him the knife. "Just be careful with your fingers."

Watching him struggle with chopping was both hilarious and endearing. His cuts were uneven, and he kept pausing to wipe tears from his eyes as the onions got to him. "How do people do this?" he groaned dramatically, sniffling.

"You're doing great," I teased, nudging him playfully. "At least you're trying."

We worked together, laughing and chatting as the smells of garlic and butter filled the kitchen. Nkosikhona's "help" was questionable at best-he burned the first batch of garlic bread and spilled cream everywhere-but he was determined, and his enthusiasm made up for his lack of skill.

Finally, after much effort (and a lot of laughter), we had our meal. It wasn't perfect, but it was ours, and somehow, that made it better.

We sat down to eat at my small kitchen table, and as we took our first bites, I was pleasantly surprised. "Okay, not bad," I said, grinning at him.