Entangled (Phoenix 1)

CHAPTER 28

Except for the time where Justin was trying to avoid Emily, everything went swimmingly. He didn't want a repeat of the morning situation. Fiona found the whole ordeal funny as Justin was literally making sure that Emily was not around him.

Fiona found it difficult to calm Emily down, but she did it throughout lunch because her best friend had Justin on the tip of her fingers as a result of their deal. Overall, it was a pretty good day for her. Being around Justin wasn't as difficult as she had imagined. Things were moving with ease. But she thought that too soon, as hell broke during dinner.

Like any other day, Justin and Fiona headed home together. They talked about the morning incident throughout the entire ten-minute commute. Even after the deal, Emily did not forget to throw a glare at Justin.

Justin offered to make dinner when they reached home.

"Justin, we can order in. You might be tired." Fiona told him. She really appreciated that Justin was making amends for what had happened between them in the past, but she didn't want Justin to cook. She didn't want her secret to be out in the open because if it did, then she knew that her husband would be furious. And, to be honest, she didn't want things to go back to the way they were.

"Tired? Mentally, yes. Your best friend has been haunting me even after not being with her in the same room. But I am not really tired, and I love to cook. So, you are in for a special treat." Justin told her.

"That is Emily, for you. Anyway, let's simply order something. I know why you want to cook. You really don't need to put so much effort." Fiona tried to convince him otherwise.

"It is just not about what happened between us. Yes, to a degree. But more than that, I merely want to flaunt my cooking skills." He gave a wink.

Fiona didn't have much of a choice but to agree. "Fine, but I am helping you."

"All right, then." He shrugged. This will simply allow him to spend more time with her.

Fiona joined Justin in the kitchen after they both freshened up, Justin first.

"So, why don't you just hand me things over to me? I will start with the preparations." Fiona suggested, praying that he would agree.

"Nice try. You are going to be my helper and not the other way around. And my cooking is good. You don't need to be afraid." Justin tried to assure her.

"I am not scared." Fiona laughed out loud, but on the inside, she was freaking out.

"Good. Now, why don't you hand me some tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions?" Justin asked her.

"Tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions." She repeated out loud. But in her mind, only three words were going round on repeat. 'I am screwed.'

Fiona went blank again since she didn't know where the things in the kitchen were, but Justin was perplexed by Fiona's reaction. Her response was similar to the one she had when he asked her to get milk in the morning.

"Fiona, are you alright?" He asked her in concern.

"Yes, I am spectacular." She told him, but it was a failed attempt at sarcasm on her part.

Even though Justin nodded, he wasn't convinced. Something seemed off about Fiona. He needs to figure it out. "Why don't you sit down and let me do the work? You look tired."

"No, I am not tired. It is just that I want to cook for you, so why don't you relax in the living room and let me surprise you with my cooking skills." Fiona was trying her luck. Despite her strong efforts, Justin frowned at her.

"I am cooking, Fiona. That is the end of this discussion. Now you have two options; either sit here and watch me cook or relax in the living room."

With no other option left, Fiona nodded in response to Justin's statement. At the very least, Justin won't be able to find the truth about her. Justin, on the other hand, was smarter than Fi.

He had something up in his sleeves.

"I will sit here."

He simply nodded when she told him.

Fiona was feeling awkward doing nothing but sitting there, so she tried to strike up a conversation with him. "So, who taught you to cook?"

"My mom and grandmother. While growing up, they believed that one should be self-sufficient. They didn't expect me to be a chef, but they did want me to learn to fend for myself rather than relying on restaurants. But, along the way, I started to enjoy cooking and picked up a few tricks here and there."

"Wow, that's incredible." She was honestly impressed.

"Thanks."

"So, I guess I really shouldn't be afraid of your cooking." She teased.

"No, you shouldn't."

During the entire time between their light talk, Fiona closely examined Justin, more specifically, where the utensils and food items were so that she wouldn't feel useless the next time.

This didn't go unnoticed by Justin. He had an inkling feeling that Fiona had never used this kitchen. He wanted to confront her for the same, but he knew that if he did this right at the moment, there was a high probability that they would get into a fight and Fiona would flee to her room, or, worse, to Emily's.

He was hoping he was incorrect to think so, but if he wasn't, that meant Fiona was either skipping meals or ordering in, or probably both.

"So, what is your go-to meal, comfort food?" Justin asked her, intrigued. He did want to know better, but he also wanted to have his theory confirmed.

"Bread with Nutella. It's impossible to go wrong with this dish. In fact, I used to have it every other day. It is not the healthiest option, but one slice does no harm to anyone." Fiona told him with a dreamy expression on her face.

"Used to?" He asked her to look up while cutting onions. He was trying to fish further.

This made Fiona silent for a few seconds before she covered her slip-up. "Yeah, I am trying to get a bit on the healthier side. But one can only control cravings for so long. So I do grab a slice every now and then."

"Hmm. But I think that the combination of bread and Nutella is a bit overrated. I like it, but I still prefer pancakes with maple syrup." Justin told her.

"Overrated? Maybe. But it is easier to make. Pancake is a legend. It is a perfect snack, lunch, and dinner. At any and all times." Fiona agreed.

Justin was trying hard to control his urge to voice out his thoughts. His fear was true because they didn't have a box of Nutella in their house, as far as he knew. He doesn't like its taste, so he never mentions it on his grocery list. And for the last few weeks, he didn't see any Nutella in the kitchen unless Fiona kept it in her room, which was highly unlikely. But he remained composed during the meal.

"Justin, I have to agree that your lasagne is one of the best that I have ever had." Fiona complimented him after the first bite.

"I told you. My cooking is good, if not amazing." Justin said smugly.

"You did." She nodded her head in agreement while indulging in the most spectacular dish she had ever eaten.

Once they were finished, she volunteered to keep the utensils. Justin tried to refuse, but she managed to persuade him. Justin took this as an opportunity and went to his room to clear his head. After a few moments, he came into the kitchen. He had to confront Fiona, but he paused when he noticed her humming and smiling while wiping the dishes dry.

He knew that he ought to talk to her about it sometime, but he decided against it for the time being. It had been a good day. He didn't want to wreck it, even though it had already been ruined for him to some extent.