5 Reasons To Love Again

Chapter 71

Sorry I haven't been updating as much as I would have liked to. I've been running around like a headless chicken. The husband managed to fall and break his hip and my coworker informed me that she will be leaving her job! Which leaves me as the only worker bee in the office until we find someone else. With all that aside, typing a little here and there, an update is done! Enjoy...

Chase pulled out a chair for me at the dinner table where everyone else was seated. Preston set down a plate with a good sized scoop of Shepard's Pie in front of me. I took a bite and was happy that it tasted good. Looking up, I saw that everyone else was eating and seemed to like it as well. Except for Preston, the man looked like he was in heaven. I stopped eating just to watch him for a few seconds and he noticed. He smiled and mouthed the words, "So Good" at me. I smiled back thinking that he was going to reward me some way tonight. I swear that the man had a connection to my inner thoughts because he winked at me.

I had to look away because if that continued, it was going to become obvious to everyone what was on my brain. Light conversation started and it seemed like an unspoken agreement with everyone to not talk about the fire today in front of Lexine.

"So Delphine, you found something to wear for tomorrow night?" Chase asked me.

I nodded and said, "Preston got me a few different dresses in addition to the one for tomorrow night."

Brady nodded approvingly, "That's good so that whenever something comes up the last minute, you have something to wear."

"That's what Preston said!"

The guys laughed and all of them said at the same time, "Great minds think alike!"

That had me and Lexine giggling away. By the time we finished talking and eating dinner, the oven timer went off so I got up to take the soufflés out of the oven. Chase got up to help me and he inhaled the vanilla fragrance when I opened the oven door.

"Wow, that smells amazing! I can't wait to taste it." he said.

It did smell pretty good and I was wanting something sweet myself. Using the oven mitts, I placed the ramekins on individual plates and Chase took them out to the table a couple at a time. After they were all plated I helped carry them out.

Lexine looked at it curiously as Jake advised her to be careful since it was still hot. Pointing at the dessert with her eyebrows raised, she turned her eyes to Jake wordlessly asking him what it was.

"I think that it's a vanilla soufflé. Smells good doesn't it?"

She nodded and handed him her spoon. He took it and looked a little perplexed. I had to smile at his confusion. When things were too hot for her to eat, I would always blow on a spoonful to cool it down. It's a mom thing that I'm sure that the guys were unfamiliar with.

Taking pity on Jake, I said, "You're supposed to cool down each bite for her until the whole thing is not so hot anymore."

"How do I do that?" Jake asked.

"Blow on it." I replied calmly and watched his face.

"Ohhhh...." he said and carefully scooped out a spoonful and gently blew on it until the steam disappeared. Then he held the spoon in front of her and watched her take the bite. Jake grinned and proudly said, "Ha! She wants me to do these things for her now." Looking at me, he winked and continued to say, "Jealous yet mom?" as he got her another bite and blew on it.

I smiled at him indulgently. "Not yet. These things do come with a price you know..."

"What price?"