Page 46 of Something New

"I am so domesticated. I'm about to cook dinner for us all, too. What do you want?"

"You're making me dinner?"

"Yes. What do you want? Stroganoff?"

He gave me an amused grin. "Do you know how to make stroganoff?"

"Technically, no, I've never done it. But I thought it sounded good and I looked at the recipe. I think anyone can do it as long as you follow certain steps."

"Yeah, I think that's how recipes work," he said.

"Yeah."

The word came out quietly because he had moved closer to me and our proximity made me feel weak and needy.

"Are you sure about E?" he said. "My class is over at five."

"Will your mom be okay meeting me instead of you?"

"Yeah, of course, we've done that one other time. Are you sure you don't mind, though?"

"I want to. I love E. I want to spend as much time with you guys as I can."

He held onto my hand. "Thank you, Sadie. That would be amazing."

"So, is stroganoff good? Do you want me to make that? Can I use your kitchen?"

He smiled at me. "Of course. And stroganoff sounds amazing. But I'm also fine with eating a sandwich. It's really whatever you feel like."

"I also have something else to talk to you about, and this is unrelated to watching Ethan or cooking or anything like that."

"Uh-oh, this seems serious," he said tilting his head at me.

"No, I, uh, it's not that big of a deal. But there's this DJ who lives in Miami. He's having a birthday slash Halloween party down there, and he wants me to be his photographer. And Jonathan."

"Really, both of you?"

"Yes. First of all, when Jonathan first called me, he had offered us six thousand dollars to go down there and do it. Then, when I didn't call him back right away, he called Jonathan and offered him ten. Ten thousand dollars to go take pictures. Eight for me and two for Jonathan. I don't even want to do it, but that's hard to pass up."

"Do you know this guy?"

"No. I know of him. He's a famous DJ. I've never met him or talked to him. I guess he's just seen my work before and knew he wanted me to be there at this party. I think a birthday party is something he does every year. Jonathan is freaking out on me. Not only does he want the money, he wants to go to the party. He cried when he called me earlier. He said it gave him a reason to live."

"Why do you seem so disappointed?"

"Because I already told you I'm trying to do better. I'm perfectly fine leaving that stuff, even if it means I have to make a new way with my work. I've already been thinking about other types of photography—family stuff."

He held onto my hand. "Thank you, and I'm happy, but you seem stressed about it."

"I am."

"Well, if you're stressed, thinking I will be mad at you for going, then that's not true."

"It's not?"

"No, Sadie. If he's offering you a lot of money for a job, and it's legit and you're not feeling in danger or anything, then it's just work. I'm fine with you doing it."

"You are? He put together this whole proposal with paperwork. He's covering our flights and food. It's ten thousand dollars. It's a whole contract, signed and dated."