6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Cole

I longingly watch Noelle's back as she walks into her room and closes the door. The lingering scent of citrus and lavender that has always been distinctly hers tortures me.

Letting her pass without saying a single word is one of the hardest things I've ever done. Being so close, and yet so far, is complete agony. I lift my hand to my chest and move it in a circle. It's so tight I'm struggling to breathe.

I know Mel's advice is sound. But dang, this is gonna be hard. I run a hand through my hair and head back into the kitchen to finish the stew I started before Mike called.

Cooking is exactly what I need to get my focus off of what I can't control at the moment. It's one of the ways we decompress at the firehouse. It's a great way to soothe nerves that are always on alert waiting for the next call.

Plus, I heard Noelle's stomach—I think the entire mountain did—so I know she's starving. Maybe I can lure her out of the room with food.

She has to come out and eat at some point. I'm gonna do my best to make that happen sooner rather than later.

I put the burner on low, then place the Dutch oven over the flame. I add a bit of oil and let it heat up to sear the beef. When the Dutch oven is hot enough, I put in half of the beef as it sizzles and spread it out.

My stomach growls as the flavorful scent hits my nose. While the beef sears, I continue to chop up the celery, carrots and onions. I grab a bowl, add water and fill it with the potatoes, saving them for later.

Once all the beef in this batch is done, I put it on a plate and then replace it with the second batch.

I let the beef cool for a minute before popping a cube in my mouth.

"Mmmmm." I can't stop myself from moaning as the beef all but melts on my tongue. I grab a second piece. This time I make sure that my voice carries. "Mmm mmm mmm. Sooo good."

Not sure if this behavior would be Mel-approved or not, but I know Noelle is hungry. More importantly, I know she loves stew.

Odds are my voice won't get her out here, but I can pretty much guarantee the aromatic scent of stew will. The big question is how long will I have to wait.

"Hey! If you eat all the carrots, we won't have any left for the stew." Noelle smacks my hand away from the cutting board, her voice filled with humor. "You're like a child."

"I'm starving is what I am. You told me not to eat anything and we'd make stew. What you didn't tell me is the amount of prep work that goes into making it." I lean in and kiss her cheek while at the same time reaching my hand out to grab another carrot and toss it in my mouth.

Then I proceed to chew loudly, as she rolls her eyes at me.

"That's it. I'm giving you a job." She pushes the potatoes in front of me. "Rinse these off well and then cube them."

"Cubes?" I ask. "Why not squares?"

"Because cube is what Gran always says." The mock glare she gives me has me smiling like a fool. I can't stop myself from gently turning her chin to me and placing my lips on her soft pink ones. I pick up the half dozen potatoes and bring them to the sink.

"Seriously though, why not square?" I look back over my shoulder and admire her soft profile.

"Cube is a cooking term and it means to cut them into small, even squares." A slight smirk crosses her lips as she says the last word.

"So, I was right! It is a square!" I let out a chuckle and give her a smug grin. "I will happily square these potatoes for you."

She lifts her shining eyes up to me and throws a huge smile my way, leaving me struggling to stay upright. "Just cut them, please."

"Your wish is my command, my lady." I bow.

The sound of her laughter from that day rings in my ears as the sweet memory fills me, leaving an ache in my chest.

I add the second batch of seared beef to the first on the plate, moving on to the vegetables. I lift the cutting board and push the celery, onions and carrots into the Dutch oven. I season with just a little bit of pepper and salt before adding tomato paste and garlic.

I give it all a nice stir until everything is mixed well. Next, I head over to the sink for the potatoes to get them started while I wait for the paste to caramelize.

I can hear the searing of the vegetables and stir them again. The tomato paste is nice and dark but not burned. I pick up the plate and add the beef to the mixture, giving it one last stir to ensure nothing is sticking. Lastly, I add in the broth, red wine and herbs.

I turn up the heat, continue to stir occasionally to keep anything from sticking, and wait for the stew to boil.

When the liquid bubbles up, I lower the flame and place a cover on the Dutch oven. The final step, before adding the potatoes, is to let it simmer for the next thirty to forty minutes or until the beef is tender.

I set a timer and head into the living room to check on the fireplace. The flames are low so I stoke them a bit before adding a few more logs. When I'm satisfied that everything looks good, I head to the couch and sit down.

My eyes glaze as I watch fire roar back to life.

I jump as a beeping noise startles me. I rub my eyes trying to remember where I am when the savory scent of stew hits me.

I stand up and roll the tightness from my neck as I walk back to the kitchen. Falling asleep wasn't what I meant to do when I sat down, but it's not surprising. It's been a long day.

I spent a few hours chopping wood to ensure that we have more than enough to keep the fireplace blazing. Then after talking to Mike, I went out and filled the generator with gas and did a quick check to make sure that it would work if we needed it.

Besides the physical labor, the cold drained me.

I get into the kitchen and hit the stop button, turning off the incessant beep.

I pull the oven mitt off the hook on the wall before lifting the cover off the Dutch oven. I groan. My mouth waters as the heavenly smell of stew hits me. I dip the wooden spoon into the concoction and blow on it before letting the sauce hit my tongue.

My eyes roll into the back of my head as the savory flavors burst on my tongue. I grab the cutting board and drop the potatoes in, giving a nice stir to mix everything together before placing the cover back on and setting the alarm for another fifteen minutes .

I grab a bottle of water and chug it. If my nerves hadn't been so on edge with Noelle being here, I probably wouldn't be dehydrated.

I grab another bottle and do the same. I'm already feeling better.

I hear a door creak open and my heart stops. When I don't hear any footsteps I stick my head through the kitchen entryway and look down the hallway.

Noelle is standing there with her arms spread out, fingertips skimming the wall, and one foot in the air as she tries to quietly make her way down the hallway.

"Hungry?" I ask, and watch her jump two feet in the air with her eyes wide open at the sound of my voice. I press my lips together to keep in the smile wanting to break free as she places her hand on her chest. "Stew will be ready in about fifteen minutes."

"I'm not hungry." She glares at me just as her stomach growls so loud she's likely to wake any nearby bears from hibernation. I quirk a brow at her, and she crosses her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Well if you do get hungry…" I smirk and pull my body back into the kitchen, "Stew will be ready soon."

I open the cabinet door, grab two bowls and place them on the table. The corner of my lips lift, my heart thuds against my ribcage and any lingering sleepiness from my nap evaporates.