About Food and Books
by Drew Zachary
28 pages
/ 11000 words
Available file types - html. lit, pdf, prc, Sony-optimized pdf, epub
Garett goes to the Other Shelf bookstore the same time every week. He loves the ladies who run the place, and he loves the atmosphere. He likes the scenery, too, when he meets Nathan, who's also a regular at the store, but one Garett has never met before.
After a little matchmaking from the bookstore ladies, Garett and Nathan decide to give each other a try. Garett's a cop and Nathan's a cook, so they're not sure how much they have in common, but both of them are willing to give it a go. Will they find something as enduring as the books they both love?
Sample
Nathan spent a good part of Wednesday cleaning. He'd woken up at eleven, apparently sleeping through his snooze button seven times, and then panicked. He cleaned like a man possessed and collapsed at about three in the afternoon, finally pleased with the way his place looked.
Only to remember that he was cooking and cooking needed food.
A fast run to his favorite shops -- because a grocery store didn't have the quality he wanted at the prices he knew he could get at a proper butcher -- and then he was home again, taking time to shower and iron his clothes before starting prep in the kitchen.
At six, he started to panic, thinking that not getting Garett's number was the stupidest thing he could have done. Then he started wondering if he was honor bound to tell Roberta about this dinner, if it came off, in exchange for more tea. He kind of thought so, really, since it had been her discreet pointing to the chairs on Monday night that had sent him there instead of home.
Nathan hoped Garett was bringing wine. He could really, really use some and he didn't want to open the bottle for the meal quite yet. There was 'breathing' and then there was 'tempting'. He waited until he knew he was safely into the time the wine actually needed, then opened it up and started resisting the urge to have a glass for his nerves.
At five past six, the doorbell rang, scattering his panicked thoughts.
He grabbed a towel and wiped his hands, then headed to the door. "Just a sec," he called, pausing to look around. "God. Okay." Putting on his brightest smile -- the one that didn't make him look like a mad stalker -- he opened the door. "Hi."