Mind Games

“How come you kiss her? She got a hurt?”

“No. I’m kissing her because she’s pretty, she smells good, and she’s helping make dinner.”

“Okay. We’re thirsty.”

“One sec.” He finished the kiss.

By the time he’d washed his hands, filled a cup with water and ice, she’d formed four perfect patties.

“How’d you do that? Mine are more manly, meaning misshapen.”

“I guess I have a more delicate, feminine touch.”

“You’ve got something.” He looked around the room. “This is nice. Usually kitchen time is a chore for me. Figuring out what to toss in the oven, or the mic or on the grill. Cleaning it all up until I do it again.

“This is nice.”

“I like kitchen time. But if I’m not up at Grammie’s, or I don’t have family or friends over, it’s just me. So yeah, this is nice. You need to stir up those carrots.”

“I can do that. Stirring up’s one of my skills.”

Wasn’t it just, she thought. He’d stirred her up with no effort at all.

She doctored up the fries, slid them into the oven while he started the grill. Then sliced up one of the tomatoes, fanned it on a small plate.

They sat together at the picnic table, with Ty spooning the peas and carrots onto Bray’s plate.

“Why do they look like that?”

“Because they’re fresh.”

“I don’t like fresh.”

“You don’t know yet. And that’s your carrot right there. The one you pulled out of the ground.”

Dubious, and Thea saw tears ready, Bray got some on his spoon. “Okay.” He took the tiniest bite possible, then another. “It’s yum, Daddy. I like fresh.”

Ty breathed out. “Crisis averted.”

“And Daddy knows how to make them fresh now.”

“Thanks.” Shooting Thea a look, Ty cut a burger in half, then half again. Added the two quarters and some fries to his son’s plate.

“I like fries. These are more yum than yours, Daddy. Bunk’s hungry, too.”

Thea’s mouth dropped open when Ty tossed the dog one of the spare quarters of burger. Bray gave out a gut laugh, then ate more peas and carrots.

“His limit’s half.” Ty shrugged. “And Bunk’s hungry.”

“Don’t—”

But he’d already tossed the dog the second quarter.

“Bunk likes burgers. I like burgers. It’s more yum, Daddy.”

Ty sampled his own. “Yeah, it is. Beat an egg with it?”

“And rosemary. Or you can use other herbs. Bray, I bet you can play farmer with your daddy and help weed the herb patch.”