The Coffee Shop by Lauren Hunter Page B

call me stupid?”
    “What?”
    “You just said, that when it came to cooking you weren’t stupid.”
    “Yes.”
    “So?”
    “Look, we are both lacking in the culinary skills department. We have already admitted as much — ”
    “Yes, but you actually seem to know something about cooking, whereas I am a total dolt.”
    “When you think about it, which is worse, knowing how to do it and not being able to? Or, knowing nothing about it and not being able to do it? It would seem to me I would rather admit I know nothing about it, and then it doesn’t come as a surprise when I totally mess it up.”
    “So, now you’re saying I am going to totally mess this up.”
    “Okay.” She sighed. “We are going to follow the recipe, and as long as we do as it says then I’d like to think it won’t be a total disaster.” She grabbed a timer from the shelf and set it. “Okay, we are supposed to sauté the shrimp and scallops in one tablespoon of oil for three to five minutes.”
    “What does sauté mean?”
    “Cook?”
    Derrick laughed. “Well, believe it or not, that much I had actually figured out.”
    “Okay, you do that, and I’ll read what we need to do next. Oh, is the shrimp already peeled and deveined?”
    “Deveined?” He handed her the bowl. “Here. Does that look like whatever you called it?”
    “Oh good, it looks like it’s already been done for you.”
    “What is deveining?”
    “To be honest, I don’t think it’s something you’d like to discuss just before we eat.” The look on Derrick’s face just then made her laugh, and she patted him on the shoulder to reassure him.
    “Okay, if you don’t tell me, I am just going to go look it up on the Internet.”
    “All right, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
    “Okay, now you’re just scaring me.”
    Annie laughed. “Here.” She held up one of the jumbo shrimp. “Along the back is the digestive tract. You take a knife, cut a slit, and then just pull it out.”
    “Digestive tract?”
    “Yes.”
    “Digestive tract?”
    As the understanding dawned on his face, she tried not to grin, but couldn’t help herself.
    “Are you suggesting that…”
    “What?”
    “I have never checked to make sure they are what you called it. Are you telling me I could have been eating…? Oh, dear God!”
    “Look, you obviously buy your shrimp from a place that does it for you. As you can see with these.”
    “Yes, but I didn’t always buy from there.”
    Derrick stared at her looking distressed.
    “What is it?”
    “When I have it at a restaurant, they do take care of that, don’t they?”
    “Well, I’d like to think so, but…”
    “Oh dear God!”
    “Derrick, calm down. These have all been done. I’ve checked myself, and they did a very thorough job on all of them.” She put her hand back on his shoulder. “You sure you’re okay?”
    “I am aware that just right now I am not coming off very well in the macho department. Maybe I should go do some chin ups with my shirt off.”
    He went to step away, and Annie grabbed hold of his arm. “All right, very funny. Yes, when I first learned about all this, I too found myself grossed out, but I always check every shrimp before I cook it now. And I am certain you will too.”
    “You’re right. I wish I didn’t know. Do you think I can unhear it?”
    “Unhear, is that a word?”
    “It is now.”
    “I’ll halve the scallops, and you get the pan heating and put the oil in it.”
    “Right, cooking, we are cooking.”
    Annie grinned at his reaction about the shrimp, and she wondered what he must have been like as a kid. “You can chop the shallots and mince the garlic. You do know how to do that, don’t you?”
    “Yes.”
    He said the word with mock annoyance, and she smiled to herself, watching him out of the corner of her eye.
    “You’re watching me right now, aren’t you?”
    “What? No.”
    “You’re wondering if I do know how to do this.” She didn’t say anything, and he