Love at Second Sight

Chapter 6

Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst.

~Marjorie Pay Hinckley

***

Today was the day she was going to officially enter the kitchen as the head chef. She was up for an hour now, working on the breakfast. She'd decided on two dishes—pancakes and breakfast casserole—so that the Siftons had an option as to what they wanted to have. Last two meals, they'd eaten whatever she'd made without a single complaint.

"Good morning," she heard Zac's voice.

"Morning."

"Why're you up so early?"

"Well, you know, I could ask you the same question."

"I have been up since six."

"Oh? I was awake too. How did I not hear you?"

"I was at the gym, working out."

"Ah. Okay," she said, mixing the pancake batter. "Um, coffee?"

"Nope, thank you. What kind is it, though?"

"Black without sugar."

"Do you drink sugar-free black coffee?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, not many people like it that way. They claim it tastes bitter."

"Well, it is bitter. But, I need the caffeine kick, so the bitter black coffee does the deed for me."

"Hm. How does your body function on a mere four or five hours of sleep?"

"You could say I'm habituated by now. Last night was the longest I've slept in, say, six months."

"And how many hours did you sleep last night?"

"From eleven-thirty to five-thirty."

"What! Six hours is the longest you've slept in six months?"

"Yup."

"I think I know why you need the bitter caffeine kick."

"Glad you figured," she chucked.

Zac: 6, Rhett: 8.

"Anyway, what's for breakfast?"

"Reece's pancakes and breakfast casserole."

"Sounds yum."

"Well, come here."

"Yes?" he asked as he came to stand beside her.

"Is there anything on this chopping board that you don't like?"

He saw mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, spinach, garlic, herbs and sausages.

"Nope."

"Sure?"

"Absolutely. But, wait. You said you're making a casserole?"

"Yeah, so?"

"I don't see any cheese in here?"

"Well, yesterday's lunch had a lot of cheese and fat. So I decided to cut down the fats in dinner and breakfast."

"No, but, I don't get it. How're you gonna make a casserole without cheese?"

"Just wait and watch," she smirked.

"As you say."

He stood there carefully watching her as she moved around his kitchen as if she was extremely familiar with the place. He was impressed to know that she knew the nooks and corners probably better than any Sifton did.