Betrayal - Fern Michaels [103]
Viking range, Sub-Zero refrigerator. “Nice,” Kate said. “Did your wife spend much time in the kitchen?”
“Actually, she didn’t cook at all. Said it was a waste of time.”
Kate laughed. She looked all around the kitchen. “This is a chef’s delight, Coleman. Too bad it isn’t used as it was intended.”
Coleman rifled through several cupboards before he found a vase. He filled it with water and placed the flowers inside. “What gave you the idea it’s not being used?”
“I don’t know.” Kate laughed again.
“Actually, I’m somewhat of a chef. I lied. I do a little more than putter in the kitchen. I create!”
“Well, I am truly surprised.”
“I don’t tell everyone I meet that I’m as at home in the kitchen as I am in front of a judge. Wouldn’t want to ruin my image.”
“And just what kind of image would you be ruining if your secret were discovered?” Kate inquired.
“Oh, you know, the macho man thing. Me Tarzan, you Jane.”
She laughed. “Somehow I find that hard to believe. Suzanne was a lucky woman.”
A look of sadness swept across his face. “And I was a lucky man. She was a great wife even though she hated to cook.”
“Then we have something in common other than tragedy.”
“Yes, we do. I knew you were very involved with a restaurant at one time. Alex told me you taught cooking classes. I hope you won’t be grading tonight’s meal.” He winked at her while he rinsed his hands.
Kate was enjoying the light conversation. It had been way too long since she’d shared such an exchange with anyone. She really missed life.
Coleman watched her. “Why the look of gloom and doom? Surely you don’t think my cooking is that bad without having tried it yet.”
She shook her head. “I was thinking that it’s been a long time since I spent an evening with a friend, that’s all.” She offered him a watery smile.
“You didn’t go out much in Orlando?”
“There wasn’t time. All the classes I had to take.” Kate felt a half-truth was better than nothing. She really didn’t want to explain the past five years of her life. “Why don’t you give me the envelope. I’ll look through it while you ‘create’ unless you need my assistance.”
Coleman dried his hands on a tea towel. “Of course. I should have given it to you when you arrived. I’ll go get it from the den.”
He returned to the kitchen with a standard manila envelope. Kate sat at the island in the center of the kitchen. “I’m almost afraid to open it.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be, it’s from Alex. He was very serious the day he gave it to me.” Coleman returned to his work at the sink.
“Could you tell me about that day before I open this? I know it sounds silly, but if you could.”
“It’s not silly at all, Kate. Of course I can tell you. But first, let me check my creation in the oven, then we can talk over a glass of wine.” Coleman peered inside the oven and smiled. “Delightful. Now the wine.”
He had a built-in minicooler beneath the counters. He removed a bottle, took a corkscrew from a drawer and glasses from an overhead rack.
Kate followed Coleman outside to the pool area. A huge rectangular pool dominated the entire space. There was a rock waterfall at the end of the pool and lots of flowery plants. The patio furniture was dark green and gold, blending into the wild growth of greenery that wound its way on both sides of the pool screen.
“This is nice, Coleman, I bet you stay out here most of the time.”
He opened the wine, poured them each a glass. “I do, but I prefer the real outside. This is a great place to relax, though. You want to go for a swim after dinner?”
“No, I’m afraid I don’t have anything to wear. Does that sound like a typical silly girl or what? No, really, I didn’t bring a suit.”
“I guess we’re too old to even consider skinny-dipping,” he teased.
Kate blushed, something she hadn’t done since college. She was glad for the twilight. “I have never skinny-dipped in my life, Coleman!”
“Then you don’t know what you’re missing. So, we’ll see how the evening goes.”
Kate looked at him with eyes as round as saucers.