When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 159: Cooking Up Surprises

Chapter 159: Cooking Up Surprises

Lily looked at him, stunned. "Wait, are you saying you cooked all this?"

Timmy nodded, trying to look casual as he folded his arms. "Yeah, I did. Try it out. I hope it’s good."

His attempt to appear confident was betrayed by the way his hand fidgeted with the edge of his sleeve. His gaze flickered between her and the table, and Lily could sense the nervous energy radiating from him despite his calm tone.

She tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a faint smile. "You cooked all of this?" she repeated, her voice teasing but soft.

"Of course," Timmy replied quickly, almost too quickly. "I didn’t want you to go hungry, especially after such a chaotic morning." He cleared his throat, then added, "I thought... I thought it’d be nice to do something special for you."

Lily leaned back in her chair, her eyes studying him carefully. She noticed the way his fingers tapped lightly against his side and the subtle tremor in his voice. He was trying so hard to seem collected, but the small cracks in his composure were endearing.

"Hmm," she murmured, glancing at the spread in front of her. "Well, it all looks incredible. I’ll admit, I’m impressed."

Timmy’s shoulders relaxed just a little, but his heart was still pounding in his chest. "I’m glad you think so," he said, his voice almost steady. "Go on, try something."

Lily reached for the soup first, picking up the spoon and taking a small sip. The warmth of the broth and the balanced flavors made her pause. She glanced up at him, one eyebrow raised. "Okay, this is good. Really good."

Timmy’s face lit up, though he quickly masked it with a nonchalant shrug. "Told you," he said, trying to sound cool.

But Lily didn’t miss the way his hands clenched slightly at his sides, or how his eyes searched hers for approval. She couldn’t help but feel a small pang of fondness for his effort.

"You know," she began, her tone light but pointed, "you’re not as smooth as you think you are."

Timmy blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

Lily smirked, setting the spoon down. "I can tell you’re nervous. You’ve been fidgeting since I walked in."

Timmy looked away, his ears turning red. "Nervous? Me? No way."

Lily laughed softly, a sound that made him glance back at her despite himself. "It’s okay," she said, her voice warm. "I think it’s... sweet."

Her words made his heart skip a beat, but he quickly looked down at the table, pretending to adjust a plate. "Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying it," he muttered.

Lily took another bite of the food, hiding her amusement. She wanted to tease him more, but something about the sincerity in his actions made her hold back. Instead, she focused on the food, her smile lingering as she ate.

Timmy sat across from her, watching her reaction carefully. Every nod of approval, every satisfied hum she made, eased his nerves little by little.

"You really outdid yourself," Lily said after a while, glancing at him. "It’s impressive. I didn’t know you could cook like this."

Timmy shrugged again, though his cheeks were still faintly pink. "There’s a lot you don’t know about me," he said, trying to sound mysterious.

Lily rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. "Alright, Mr. Mystery Chef. Let’s see what else you’ve got."

Timmy let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh of relief as Lily’s playful tone hung in the air. For the first time that morning, he felt a sense of ease wash over him. Her teasing smile, the sparkle in her eyes—it was enough to chip away at his nerves.

Lily picked up a fork and took a bite of the pasta. Her expression softened, and she gave an approving nod. "This is seriously good, Timmy. You’re not secretly a chef, are you?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Not a chef, just someone who knows his way around the kitchen."

She smirked, taking another bite. "Well, you could’ve fooled me. I don’t think I’ve had food this good in ages."

Timmy’s lips twitched into a faint smile. "You’re just saying that to be nice."

Lily leaned forward slightly, her tone more serious. "I mean it. This is impressive. Where’d you even learn to cook like this?"

Timmy hesitated for a moment, then scratched the back of his neck. "It’s... a long story."

"Good," she said, leaning back in her chair with a small grin. "I’ve got time."

Her words caught him off guard, and for a moment, he just stared at her, unsure how to respond. He laughed nervously, shaking his head again. "You’re really putting me on the spot here."

"Hey, you’re the one who went all out," she teased, gesturing to the spread on the table. "The least you can do is tell me the story behind it."

Timmy gave her a small nod, his mind briefly wandering back to the times when he’d first started learning to cook seriously.

He could still see Samuel in the kitchen, standing over the stove with a frown of concentration. Samuel had insisted on taking cooking lessons, determined to impress Zinnia. Timmy had been roped into helping, whether he liked it or not.

"Funny enough," Timmy began, his voice softer now, "I kind of learned alongside my boss. He was the one who wanted to learn cooking, but I guess I picked up a thing or two while helping him out."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Your boss? Cooking? That’s... hard to imagine."

Timmy laughed at her reaction and nodded. "I know, right? But he was serious about it. He said he wanted to cook for his fiancée."

Lily’s eyes widened slightly as the thought struck her. She leaned forward, her tone teasing yet surprised. "Wait, I remember you saying your boss once cooked you a meal. I thought you meant something simple, like boiling or microwaving. I didn’t expect it to be something this good!"

Her gaze softened, and she tilted her head curiously. "What about you? Why did you stick around to learn?"