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Lucas would ever make a bold move towards him, because the young man knew that Jack had the power to get him fired. Goodbye dreams of diplomacy. Come to think of it, Lucas had the same power over him. If he ever let their relationship develop, they would have to be on their toes constantly, always afraid of being exposed. Having an affair behind your wife’s back was almost considered natural. You apologized, kissed, made up, and promised never to do it again. But an affair with a man would cost him his commission; he knew that and had always known that. His credibility would be shot. He would come to the bargaining table with empty hands, while his adversaries would be laughing behind his back.
    Jack shook his head to get the thoughts out of his mind and took one more deep breath before entering the kitchen.
    “Dessert almost ready, Maire?” he asked his wife affectionately.
    Maria looked up at him with loving eyes and then looked over to Lucy. “He doesn’t trust me in the kitchen.” She put her arm around his shoulder and pulled him close. “But we’re making my specialty, aren’t we?” Then back to Lucy, “Blueberry pie with ice cream.”
    “Sounds yummy!” Lucy exclaimed.
    “Not to mention so easy to make, Lucas could probably do it,” Jack told her after playfully nuzzling his wife’s neck.
    Jack relaxed his grip on Maria as he saw Lucas walk into the kitchen. He could tell the Brit was trying to look cheerful.
    “I could make what?” the younger man asked.

    32 | Z a h r a O w e n s

    Jack curled his index finger at him. “Come here.” As Lucas moved towards him, he grabbed his apron, came around Lucas’s back and slipped it over his head, making bold gestures like a magician at a kid’s birthday party. He could see Lucas smile, a little unsure of the situation and how to react, but the women were clearly enjoying the spectacle.
    Jack flew around the kitchen grabbing an assortment of things and showing each one off to Lucas and then the girls. “We need… one egg…
    one small and one large bowl to separate them. Can you do that, Lucas?
    Separate an egg?”
    Lucas took the egg and the bowls from him and gave him a doubtful smile. “Well, I can try?”
    The American continued. “We also need one box of fresh blueberries, very much in season right now. The sugar. Maria, dear, would you be so kind…” He pointed at the cupboard behind his wife, at which she reached up into it and handed him what he wanted.
    “Lucas, I see you’ve managed to split the egg. Young man, you have hidden talents!! You’re going to make this pie for me, while I whip up the egg white.” Jack reached into the fridge. “But first, my dear spectators, this is something I prepared earlier.” He took the cling film off a carefully rolled up circle of dough already on the baking paper.
    “Lucas, take the blueberries, put them in a bowl, add three tablespoons of sugar and the zest of one lemon.” Maria was already getting Lucas the lemon and the zester. He raised one eyebrow as he turned to the young Brit. “Don’t tell me I have to show you how to use a zester?”
    Lucas gave him a desperate look. “Okay, you mix the ingredients, I’ll zest the lemon. Lucy? Can you whip up the egg white, please?” With hands that were clearly more experienced than Lucas’s, Jack proceeded to use the curious implement to take off tiny strips of the outer layer of the lemon peel.
    Jack turned to check if the oven was hot, then clapped his hands and looked at Lucas, who was enjoying this even though he didn’t look completely at ease.
    “Okay, chef, let’s assemble this pie. Baking tray, pie crust. Use a fork to punch little holes in the center.”

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    Lucas followed the instructions after which Jack turned to Lucy.
    “Bottom is a layer of whipped up egg white. Then add the berries.” He waited until Lucas emptied his bowl. “Now comes the hard part.”
    He winked at Lucas, standing close to him, like