Meet Me Where the Oak Tree Grows novel Chapter 34

I nodded with a grin, feeling quite pleased. I've always believed in saving the best for last. So, I went ahead and grabbed an empty bowl, filled it halfway with some rich bisque, and gently dropped in the meat, letting it soak up all that deliciousness. The plan was to mix it with some rice later, and savor each spoonful – just thinking about it made my mouth water.

Just then, Jonah, with his hair all tousled, strolled over and plopped down in the chair opposite me. He propped his chin on his hand and gave me a sleepy look with those dark eyes of his.

He didn’t say a word, seemed like he wasn’t fully awake yet, so I held back my greeting. I couldn't shake the feeling that his gaze kept drifting towards the bowl of chicken beside me. But then again, maybe I was just imagining things. After all, Aunt Marie did say Jonah wasn’t a fan of chicken.

Shrugging it off, I started mixing the bisque with a spoon and was just about to take a bite when he suddenly pointed at the bowl. "What are you eating?" he asked.

I paused, a bit puzzled, but figured it was because he didn’t like chiken, so he didn’t recognize it. "These are stewed chicken," I explained.

"Oh. Does it taste good like that?" he asked, curiosity piqued.

I replied with confidence, "Absolutely, it's amazing!" Seeing the interest in his eyes, I hesitated for a moment before offering him the bowl. "Why don't you give it a try?"

"You know that's not what I meant. I’ve never been into this stuff," he said, reluctantly taking the bowl. "But I’ll give it a taste."

To my surprise, I watched as he scooped up a massive spoonful, taking away a good quarter of the minced chicken. He swallowed it whole, frowned a bit, and said, "Hmm, can't really taste it."

Then he looked at me expectantly. I hesitated but suggested, "Maybe try another bite?"

In a flash, another quarter of the meat disappeared. My heart sank a little.

"Thanks, this is really tasty," he said, flashing a bright smile. It was rare to see him smile so brilliantly, and for a moment, I was caught off guard. In a moment of madness, I said, "Why not have another?"