Chapter 38

It’s hard. Like a flat rock.

His chest heaved lightly with every deep breath he took. He has a small mark on the bottom of his neck. Looked like a scar. His right ear is pierced, but he doesn’t wear an ear ring. His thighs are bulky. Hisforearms are covered with blond fuzz.

I almost puked when my eyes got caught on his mouth. I felt sweaty.

Cold.

Hot.

Dizzy.

“Here,” he said, handing me the paper. “Like this.”

I forced my eyes to look away from his face, down to the paper.

The first word I read was: Taepoons. There was a square. Then, Liert. There was a circle with four lines in the middle. When I read the last word, I caught on. Talbepoons. Three small squares.

These were cooking measures.

“That’s how I do it, O’Reilly.” He cleared his throat. “You could find a way, too…I mean, for yourstuttering.”

I thought about the book on his nightstand. How many hours would it take to map out every single recipe this way? He was so persevering. I was inspired.