The Man Next Door

Chapter 9: Recipe For Disaster

Right before going towards the checkout line, Patrick slips into an aisle and comes out with a bottle of Charles de Marquese at hand, "You and Sebastian can have champagne, right?"

"Patrick," Vera chuckles, lifting the basket so Patrick could place the bottle in.

"Don't worry, I'll pay for it," Wilson smiles, sliding his wallet out from his back pocket and pulling out his card.

"You're only paying for the champagne," Vera scolds, lining up at the check-out with a basket full of the necessary ingredients.

"If you say so," Patrick gleams, pulling the bottle of champagne out of the basket into his hands, "you paying cash or credit?"

After making it to the house they began to unpack all of the different ingredients, Patrick worked on the alfredo sauce and noodles as Vera worked on the seasoning and cooking the chicken, "where are your champagne glasses?"

"You're opening it already?" Vera smiles, her eyes never leaving the hot skillet in front of her.

"We don't want it to go bad," Patrick smirks already twisting the cap off.

"They're in the cabinet, left side of the fridge," Vera points, looking to her right to see Sebastian standing there.

"I like your kitchen," Patrick simpers, taking out two glasses from the cabinet and placing them onto the table before rolling up his sleeves, "very spacious."

Patrick looks up from the table with his hands entwined together, also noticing Sebastian standing at the entrance of the kitchen, "Hey Seb."

"Hey," Sebastian responds gently, his throat dry, "I'm guessing you're staying for dinner?"

"Yeah," Patrick says, forcing a kind smile upon his face as he goes to take out another glass, "would you like some champagne, Sebastian?"

Sebastian glares at him before redirecting his drowsy eyes on Vera, "Hey kitten, you think I can have a glass?"

"Yeah," Vera replies with a surprised tone, kitten? She takes a pitiful glance at Sebastian before putting all of her attention back on the stove, "maybe like one or two..."

"Okay," Sebastian says, brushing past Patrick, "on second thought, I'll probably just have a glass later," he smirks, opening the fridge to pull out a carton of orange juice.

Patrick quietly exhales, quivering his eyebrows as he pops the cap open, "how about you?"

"Uh, yeah," Vera says, lifting the lid off of the steaming pot of boiling pasta, "you can pour me a glass."

Patrick pours enough champagne to fill up at least half of the glasses, he places the bottle down on the counter and looks up to see Sebastian leaving the room.

-

Food was ready and Patrick offered to set the table, but Vera forced him to have a seat since he's already done most of the work, "I'm guessing you like the champagne?"

"Yeah," Vera smiles, watching Patrick pour her a second glass as he was already on his sixth.

"You can pour me one more, Pat," Sebastian says, leaning up against his chair as Vera places a plate of pasta in front of him.

"Yeah," Patrick nods, spilling out another glass for him, "here you go."

Once everyone had a plate of food in front of them she sat down in between the two men and began to dig in. Vera hasn't been eating full meals lately, perhaps a lack of appetite due to the medication? She wasn't sure... but this particular meal hit different compared to anything else she's ever cooked, it felt like an accomplishment, and for the first time, it was fun, she enjoyed trying something new with someone who cooked so uniquely.