The Blender’s Bargain – Chapter 8

Garrick

Vegetables sizzle in the pan, and my stomach growls. Dinner cannot be done soon enough. I glance over my shoulder to check on Archie, and she’s perched on a stool at the breakfast bar, watching me cook with a small smile on her face.

“Smells amazing.” She sips on her glass of wine. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

I grin, giving the vegetables a quick stir. “Just one of my many hidden talents. But honestly, stir-frying vegetables and making pasta are my strengths. Tonight is pasta primavera. I hope you like veggies.”

“Love ‘em.” She swirls the wine around in her glass, takes another sip. “Who taught you to cook?”

“My mom. She worked at a little Italian restaurant before I was born, so food was always a big part of our family.” I slice an onion and add it to the pan, releasing another burst of sizzling sounds into the kitchen. “Cooking relaxes me. Helps me wind down after dealing with surly pre-teens all day.”

Archie laughs, a bright, melodic sound. My gut clenches. “Yep. Wrangling third-graders isn’t exactly tranquil. A glass of wine and a home cooked meal are the perfect antidote. I can’t believe tomorrow is the last day of school. This year flew by.”

We share a knowing smile, and the invisible thread of understanding vibrates between us. We’ve bonded over tales of unruly students and creative lesson plans, but this feels different. More intimate.

I break eye contact first, clearing my throat as I give the pan another stir.

Focus on the food, Garrick.

“So, what are your plans for the summer?” I ask, eager to steer the conversation to safer waters.

Archie takes another sip of wine, eyes drifting around my apartment. I hope she can’t tell how nervous I am to have her here, in my personal space.

“Hmm, let’s see. Nothing much, hopefully. I could use the time off.” She stretches and settles back into the seat. “I love to swim, so I try to hit the beach or the pool as often as I can. Nothing like floating under the stars on a warm night.” She smiles, lost for a moment in a pleasant memory. God, she really is lovely when she smiles.

No, stop – focus!

“I also enjoy hiking when I have time,” she continues. “My dad got me into birding when I was young, so I’m kind of obsessed with spotting rare breeds.”

“That’s so funny,” I say with a chuckle.

“How so? Is birding too nerdy?” She wrinkles her nose. “Lex hated it. He thought it was boring as hell.”

“No, no. Let me assure you that if it’s a nerdy hobby, then I’m just as nerdy as you.” I glance over my shoulder again. Of course, we share this obscure interest. “We should go on a birding hike sometime. I know some great trails outside the city.”

Smooth, Garrick. Not obvious at all.

But to my relief, she smiles and says, “I’d love that.”

I make a mental note to look up some nice beginner birding trails we could check out together.

As friends and colleagues, naturally. Nothing more. She’s not interested in me romantically, and that’s fine. I can have friends who are women.

I add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing everything together. Once it’s all combined, I dish up two plates and join Archie at the breakfast bar. I set her plate in front of her with a flourish.

“Dinner is served.”

She laughs. “Why thank you, good sir. This looks delicious.” The first bite makes her eyes light up. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. This is delicious. Thank you.”

I grin, pleased by her praise. We eat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, enjoying the food and wine. Out the window, the lights of the city twinkle into being as dusk settles.

“So…” Archie says after a while, picking up her wine glass. “Any exciting summer plans for you? Or are you stuck here teaching summer school again?”

I shake my head, swallowing a bite of pasta. “Nope, no summer school this year. I took the time off. I was thinking of visiting my brother up north, maybe do a long hiking trip. But with all this…” I gesture between us and our bewitched appliances. “Well, my plans may need revising.”

“No kidding,” Archie agrees. She pokes at a mushroom with her fork. “If someone told me yesterday my weekend would involve questing for magic with an enchanted blender, I would’ve recommended they lay off the wine.”

I chuckle. “This whole thing is —”

“Absolutely bonkers?” she supplies with a grin.

“I was going to say unexpected, but yes. Bonkers works too.” I take a sip of wine, enjoying this. If I didn’t know better, I could almost imagine we were on an actual date.

Archie tips her glass towards me. “Well, here’s to impromptu magical adventures with good company.”

Our glasses clink together. “I’ll drink to that.”

“Pardon me,” a muffled voice drifts up from the blender, “but is any of that delicious fare to be spared for those of us lacking corporeal forms?”

Archie hides a smile behind her hand. “Sorry, Ysroth.”

“We cannot actually eat,” Arvid chimes in from the toaster. “But your meal does smell quite tempting.”

“Thank you,” I call over my shoulder. “I wish we could share.” An absurd statement, but these are strange times.

“Yeah, next time we’ll purée some pasta in your honor,” Archie adds with a playful grin.

Ysroth harrumphs at this. “Just the wine will suffice, dear girl.”

We all laugh, and the appliances fall silent once more, letting us return to our meal. Archie and I finish up dinner, chatting about nothing consequential. For once, I don’t overthink or analyze the conversation, allowing myself to be present in her company. It’s nice, and surprisingly natural, this back-and-forth banter with her. I could get used to this.

Maybe a friendship outside of school is possible.

Is that too much to hope for?

I clear our empty plates and start washing up. Archie helps tidy the kitchen and refills our wine glasses. “I’m going to sit on the couch.”

I reach for the bottle and carry it and the appliances over to the coffee table so Ysroth and Arvid can join us. We settle onto the couch as the last hints of twilight are being chased away by the night sky beyond the window.

“You have a fantastic view,” Archie says, her eyes directed at my street that winds down the hill to the bay.

“Sometimes I hate living at the top of the hill. But nights like this make the slog up the mountain worth it.”

The first few stars twinkle into being overhead.

“So, gentlemen,” I ask the appliances, taking a sip of wine, “any other thoughts on where we should search for answers tomorrow?”

Arvid hums. “Are you willing to venture farther out? The old town quarter seems a logical starting point, but there are other places inland worth visiting.”

Archie shrugs. “Maybe? We both have summer plans, and tomorrow is the last day of school. I think we’ll have to go to the school first before we go anywhere else.” I notice she’s sitting closer to me than before, knees angled towards mine on the couch. Probably just the wine loosening her up.

We discuss more details of tomorrow’s plan, finishing the bottle of wine as we talk. A comfortable warmth suffuses through me, a mix of the wine and her closeness. Archie stifles a yawn behind her hand, eyes drooping.

“I should head out, let you get to bed,” she says. “Early start tomorrow. It’s only a half day at school, and then we can get moving on this…” She waves her hand in a circle. “Whatever this is.” But she makes no move to leave, sinking further into the couch cushions.

“No rush. You can stay a bit if you’d like.”

She smiles. “M’kay. Just for a little longer.” Her eyes drift closed.

I know I should rouse her and send her home in a taxi. But I can’t bring myself to break this spell, this gift the universe has seen fit to grant me. And so I simply sit, breathing in the nearness of her. Moonlight from the window casts her features in an ethereal glow. She’s so pretty. My heart aches looking at her.

Suddenly, the building trembles. A low, reverberating rumble fills the room, like a distant avalanche, louder and louder until it’s an ominous roar that shakes the walls and rattles the windows. I look out the window to be sure a truck isn’t driving past.

Archie’s eyes fly open. “Earthquake!”

I grab her hand, and we dash to the doorway as the trembling intensifies. I press us both into the frame, shielding Archie with my body as books topple off shelves and dishes rattle in the kitchen.

The shaking continues for endless seconds, the sound of the building foundations shifting, creaking, and groaning as though alive. I’m about to suggest we run outside when it fades away. My attention shifts back to us, and I realize just how closely we’re pressed together, my arms caging her in. Archie looks up at me, lips parted, eyes wide. Our faces are mere inches apart.

I could lean in right now and kiss her. I imagine the moment in my head, playing out how soft her lips might feel against mine, how she might taste like the wine we shared earlier…

“Um, I think it’s over,” she mumbles.

“Right. Sorry.” I jerk away, rubbing the back of my neck. So much for keeping things professional tonight.

Archie smooths her shirt, cheeks flushed. “Wow. That came out of nowhere.”

“Yeah. You okay?” I ask.

She nods. “Just a bit rattled. Thank you.” Her hand rests briefly on my arm, a touch both comforting and electric.

I clear my throat and take a long breath, trying to calm my racing heart. “Of course. That was a big one. We haven’t had an earthquake like that in a long time.”

I turn away before she can respond.

Focus, Garrick.

“I…” Archie turns towards the window as a siren rises in the distance. “Should I go?”

We both stare out the window in silence, listening to the city outside.

The apartment shakes again, and a loud boom rattles the window.

“What the hell is going on?” Archie asks, her face paling.

Move, Garrick.

There are more pressing matters than your inconvenient attraction.

“We should turn on the news,” I say, turning to her. “And no, you shouldn’t go anywhere.”