Page 91 of Thick

“Because I’m cooking, and I don’t want to get my new wife beaters dirty. Do you have any idea what these things cost for a 6-pack?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure you can afford it.”

“I can’t afford to be ruining them. That’s for sure.”

He pushed the front door closed, kissed me, and turned toward the kitchen. “I like that dress.”

“Thank you. It’s another LuLaRoe.”

“I like it. It looks awesome,” he said over his shoulder. “We’ll eat in just a few.”

The smell of garlic and tomatoes and basin caused my nostrils to flare. My mouth salivated and my tongue swelled at the thought of what he might be cooking.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Italian.”

“I can’t--”

“Be careful what you say, oh ye of little faith.”

“Alright. What is it?”

“I told you, Italian.”

“Specifically.”

“Lasagna.”

I sighed. “I can have a tablespoon of it.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Not of my lasagna.”

What’s in it?”

“No noodles. I used zucchini, instead. Low-fat mozzarella cheese. I made sauce with fresh garlic, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and no oil. No salt, and a little pepper. Oh, and no sugar. The meat is a mixture of chicken breast, sausage, and turkey. And, I weighed it. From what I’ve calculated, and I included everything, it’ll be about 6 points for a pretty healthy slice.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. The only points in it are the meat and the cheese, and that skim milk cheese is one point a quarter cup. Include this motherfucker in your next cookbook.”

He pulled the oven door open and removed the casserole dish. The smell filled the room and made me recall the days when my mother was alive. I used to eat her Italian food like there was no tomorrow.

“It smells wonderful.”

“I hope it tastes wonderful.”

As the food cooled, we sat at the kitchen table. “How many points do you have left?”

“Seventeen.”

“Good. We’ll have wine.”

A glass of wine sounded good. Almost as good as the lasagna.

“One glass.”

He rested his chin in his hands and looked right at me. “We’ve talked about relationships, love, work, flowers, murder, the MC, books, food, and about cars. Hell, we’ve even talked about God, the ocean’s magic, and life after death. But one thing we haven’t talked about, is sex.”