Home-Cooking Ardor

The peaches needed to be ripe and full of sweetness. I was making Grilled peaches with amaretto for dessert. My baby had been away for a job for two weeks, and Lord, I missed her. My plan was to pick her up from the airport, bring her home, open the wine, serve her a scrumptious meal, and spend the rest of the night working it off in the best way possible.

I took my glass jar with the amaretto and set it on the counter. My favorite thing to do is to cook, and my second favorite was to watch people enjoy the food I cook. It’s like my love language.  I picked up a ripe peach, and gently ran my hands over it to wash it. I continued with the other five, until they were wet and glistening on the tea towel. I took out my cutting board, and sliced them into chunks. Then I slid them into the amaretto. They would marinate until I was ready to grill them. The salad was chilling in the fridge gently tossed with her favorite dressing. The steaks were marinating in a combination of soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, and an Italian spice blend. They had been in the fridge since noon. I checked on the dough under the warm towel for the homemade yeast rolls. They looked good and plump. All I had to do was slide them in the oven, go take a shower, and then it would be almost time to get her.

I met Callie a month ago at a work event. I came out of my office at the Lexus dealership, and she was one of the models we hired for the day. We hold an event like this about once every six months. Most of the time I pay no attention to the girls. They were mainly young, 20’ish and giggled a lot. Considering I just had turned 30 this year, I wasn’t interested in moving backward. Until I spotted Callie. She was tall, probably about 5’9”, which was good considering I was 6’1”. She had long auburn wavy hair, captivating green eyes, and the most generous, heartwarming smile I had ever seen. I had to meet her. So, I quickly called the agency we used, and described her in detail to the confused agent, and asked if she would come to my office after the event. I told her that she was fantastic, and we had other projects we could use her on. At that moment I was very happy my dad left me the dealership.

After the event, she tentatively knocked on my door. “Come in.” I yelled. She stood there like an angel that had just dropped from heaven, and smiled that glorious smile. “I’m Callie, you wanted to speak to me?” I swear her voice sounded like melted butter, warm and smooth. “Hello, Callie. My name is Aaron, and I am the owner of this dealership. The customers loved you today. Who do I call to book you for other events?” She smiled again, kind of shyly. “Hmmm, I know you called my agent in order for her to text me to ask me to stop in here. What’s really going on?” she asked. I smiled sheepishly and confessed. “Please forgive me, because I never do this, but I think you are beyond beautiful, and I would like to ask you out.” That was the beginning for us.

We went out that night to a quaint Italian restaurant I knew. I had been friends with the owner for years, and he always treated me like family. “Aaron!” he yelled from across the room. “Come, sit, I give you and your guest the finest table.” We sat by the window overlooking the lake, it was dusk, and the hues of blue and bright orange made the perfect canvas for this magical night. We talked for hours, like we had known each other forever. We nibbled on warm bread-sticks dipped in olive oil incensed with the perfect Italian spices. The salad was fresh, vibrant, and had a hint of the most luscious dressing. I convinced her to try the Chicken Cacciatore, with the rich rustic sauce that was simmered for hours, and made the chicken succulent and tender. She had the look of pure gratification and happiness spread across her face, and that look had me enchanted with her.

We finished the meal with an after-dinner coffee, and we left fully satisfied, with both the food and the company. We took a leisurely stroll around the lake, and enjoyed the cool fall night. The euphoria I felt when the night began ebbed slowly into a blissful contentment. This lady was my destiny. I could feel it. I drove her home, walked her up to the door, and gently took her hand. “Callie, I’ve just had the most astounding night of my life. I know we haven’t known each other long, but please tell me you feel it too, and that you will go out with me again?” I implored her with my eyes, hoping she felt the same. “Yes” she answered. “I felt the same way.” Then I gently kissed her lips, and when our lips touched, I felt a current of electricity pass between us.

That was six months ago, we moved in together after four weeks, and we had been blissfully happy ever since that time. We spent many nights cooking together, discovering one another’s likes and dislikes. I heard a key in the lock, and a vision of beauty walked in the door. “Baby, I was just on my way out to get you”, I laughed. “I got in early, and couldn’t wait to see you.” Then we ran towards each other, her jumping into my arms and wrapping her legs around my torso. We kissed for the longest time before we stopped to breathe. “I missed you”, we both said at the same time, and then laughed.

“I’m so hungry I could eat some food” she teased. “Go, relax, unpack, I’ll have dinner together shortly”. I popped in the rolls first, set the steaks out to bring them to room temperature, if the steak hits the grill cold, it causes the muscle fibers to tense up and makes the steak tough. I added some sugar to the peaches, and set them on the counter. I put the steaks on the grill, set the table with a lace tablecloth, a bottle of champagne, a vase with a single rose, and our good silver with the linen napkins. I set the plates, and salad bowls on the table. She came out of the bedroom, took one look, and smiled. “Baby, you spoil me.” I walked over and kissed her lips. “Always.” I whispered. I brought the warm yeast rolls out of the oven, and the aroma could have brought droves of people to our condo. The steaks were medium rare, and were laid to rest for five minutes to maximize the juiciness. “Sit, my lady. Your dinner will be served.” We sat, and began to eat. “This is marvelous! I not only have a beautiful blonde hair, blue eyed, hunk of a man, but he cooks too! How did I get so lucky?” I smiled at her, “I got lucky, princess. I also have a surprise for dessert.” I cleared the dishes, and got the grill going for the peaches. I gently set them on the grill, and watched until the alcohol burned off, turned them over, and set them on dessert plates, with a dollop of crème fraiche. I set her warmed peaches in front of her, with a flue of champagne. I liked to watch her face when she enjoyed my food. Her look of content and enjoyment delighted me.

After dinner, I took her to our bed, took her hands and gently laid her across the bed stomach down and asked her if she wanted a massage. “You definitely spoil me.” she said. And I again said “Always”.