I held my breath as I watched him take the first bite. He chewed slowly, thoughtfully, then nodded with what looked like genuine appreciation.
"This is really good," he said, still chewing. "Who knew you could cook this well?"
"Is that supposed to be your way of complimenting me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He shrugged with a slight smile and continued eating. "Take it however you want."
"Well, for the record, that was terrible as far as compliments go," I said, though I couldn't help but smile.
"Noted. I'll work on my delivery," he replied, taking another bite. "But seriously, this is incredible. The texture is perfect."
"My mother was very particular about technique. She said risotto was about patience and attention to detail."
"Sounds like she was a good teacher."
"She had her moments," I said quietly, thinking about the woman who had tried to love me despite everything.
