Richard joins me in the kitchen, peering over my work surface and hob, where onions and mince sizzle with the spices. “What are we having?”
“Chilli con Carne.”
“Sounds good. Want some help?”
“No, I’m fine. I enjoy cooking.”
“I’ll rephrase that. Do you mind if I join you? It’s getting a little heated in there.”
“Join me by all means.” I nod across to the bottle. “Help yourself to a drink. Problem?”
Richard examines the label, Hmmms, then pours himself a glass of wine. “Um, not a problem exactly. But I think when Michael accepted my investment in his spa hotel, he thought I’d be a sleeping partner.”
“And…?”
“If you recall, I had the investment made in Elizabeth’s name, and she definitely wants to have an input.”
I pause from chopping chillies as the humour creeps over me.
Of course, he’s used to running everything himself….
business, I was a
wants to be
of my nose, then immediately regret
Ahhh… Shit!
Chillies….
little oil on a paper towel. Eyes watering, I dab at my face,
“Sure you don’t want any
I’m all but
the pan with the meat and onions, I glug in tomato puree and the rest of the wine, then clap the lid on tight. “That’ll be ready in a couple
Michael’s bearing up under the strain,
*****
glazing. Doubt in his voice, sitting over a table-top
doing it now?” The normally placid
a sub,
support. “What do
to do gives you a really good workout. And at the end of it, you know a bit about how
like the kind of thing your friends would
be able to at least have a
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