37 / closer

"Here we go," Hilary beamed as she placed our plates on the table. "It's not much but I totally did my best."

I looked over the dish with a smile — a happy smile. It was the first time she'd cooked for me and it was giving me a blissful excitement. She really did her best but overdone it for the first time though. It was a steak dish but I couldn't figure out its ingredient without tasting it first. But I would let her do the talking.

"Care to tell me what's this all about? Not that I'm trying to criticize you but it's unfamiliar to my eyes."

Hilary gave me a timid smile. She bit her lip and rubbed her neck in coyness. "Umm, it's charred steak and broccolini with cheese sauce."

"Oooh, sounds rich," I chuckled and then cut a strip of steak. "And it's medium-rare."

Hilary laughed as she watched me in anticipation. "To be safe. You like it medium-rare, right?"

"Absolutely."

Once I put it in my mouth and chewed on it, I knew there was something wrong. It had to be salty because she said i