CHAPTER 29: CHAPTER 29

Bundles of dollar bills. So much money!

Joshua has all this?

It made me remember the money Joshua’s dad gave me for living expenses, but it was a small amount and it’s almost gone. He said if I wanted more, I should ask Joshua, but the idiot would just make fun of me and see me as a beggar.

If only I had been able to finish college. At least this would be an opportunity for me to hold such a large amount of money.

I took two bundles and felt them. Now this is money. I grinned.

The door opened and Joshua walked in. Oh no! I quickly dropped the bundles. I had given in to temptation.

"What are you trying to do? Do you want to steal from me?" he asked.

Yeah, I knew he’d say this.

"Aren’t you my husband? I have the right to touch your money, and what’s yours is mine, so what’s the need of stealing it?" I pointed out.

He scoffed. "If you want it, just beg. No need to steal," he grumbled.

"I said I’m not a thief!" I said angrily.

He smirked. "Yeah, whatever," he said and walked to the closet. He opened it and took out a book. It had a hard pink cover and looked heavy.

"What’s that?" I asked.

"What else but a cookbook? I’m tired of eating garbage, so I want to have a healthy, hot, homemade breakfast today," he said, leaving the room.

I went after him. "I’ll make breakfast for us," I said, remembering his father’s words.

"No, thank you," he said, blowing me off.

I smirked as an idea came to mind. "Okay, let’s have a cooking contest. If I win, you give me all the money in that briefcase."

He cut me off. "And if I win, you’ll let me do whatever I want with you for the whole day," he said.

I gulped. I wasn’t an expert at cooking, but I was sure I’d cook better than him. We’d take our food to three neighbors on the block, and whoever got more thumbs up would win. The first to get two votes would win.

"Hmph. Okay, we have a deal," I said.

He smiled a bit. "Alright, may the best cook win," he said, and I nodded in agreement.

Joshua’s POV

I pitied Quinn. She had no idea I had been taking online classes. Since I’d be divorcing her soon after the baby comes, I’ll be traveling around the world alone, and I need to be prepared for anything. I’ll be able to cook the way I want it and how I want it.

Quinn and I took what we needed from the fridge. I took some fresh peppers, ginger, and many other ingredients for my meal. I went to my own side of the kitchen and started chopping the onions. I would make a hot beef stew and steak.

I dropped my pot on the stove, minding my own business, wondering how Quinn was doing with her food.

Quinn’s POV

I bit my thumb, watching Joshua move his hands like an expert. I wasn’t prepared for this.

What do I cook?

Hmm. I decided to make beef stew, the same dish my husband was cooking. I grabbed everything I needed.

Argh... What’s missing?

I stared at the items before me. I didn’t think anything was missing, so I started cooking.

Too bad I didn’t have time to make a list of what I would do with Joshua’s money after I won it.

Anyway, that’s not a problem.

"Ouch!" I exclaimed when the onion I was chopping started to affect my eyes. It stung and weakened my eyelids. I couldn’t see a thing as tears filled my eyes.

Joshua held me. "Relax," he said and lifted my face.

I could see him, but it was blurry. He rubbed my eyes gently and blew softly into them. My eyes cleared, and I could see him clearly now. It was so sweet of him to help me. Our faces were close, and our eyes locked.

Geez, why do I feel so strange?

He came closer. I could feel it. His lips were almost on mine when the pot started to hurl. We moved away from each other and looked at the pot that was "dancing" on the stove.

It was even my pot! I rushed to it and quickly reduced the heat.

Joshua’s POV

I returned to my stew and tasted it. Wow, so good. I turned off the stove. All I had to do now was go and take a bath and put on something nice.

I was so going to win. I turned to look at my pregnant wife who was still stirring her stew. I chuckled quietly. She should get ready to be in bed with me. Moments later, I left the kitchen.

Quinn’s POV

I watched Joshua leave the kitchen. I ran to his pot and opened it.

Jesus!

The sweet aroma filled my nose. Joshua can cook? I took a spoon, scooped a little so he wouldn’t notice, and tasted it.

It tasted so good. He’s going to win.

What do I do? What ingredient did I miss?

He’s surely going to punish me for every prank I’ve played on him.

I closed the pot and went to mine. What do I add to make it as good as his? I added more pepper and spices. I stirred it and tasted it. I think it was better, except that my tongue was burning from the pepper.

I ruined it. He’s going to have his way. I sighed and closed my pot.

Joshua’s POV

"Ready, wifey?" I asked Quinn as she came downstairs after taking a quick bath, unlike other days.

"No. Let’s forget the contest. I broke my wrist and I think I have a headache," she said, wincing.

"Seriously?" I scoffed. Liar.

"How can you back out now? What’s wrong? Afraid I’ll beat you? Are you suddenly a chicken?" I asked, trying to tease her.

She grunted in a funny way, and I thought it was really cute. What would our baby look like?

"Fine," she said and carried her food. I smirked and carried mine. I couldn’t wait to get her in bed.

We left our duplex for the next house. A heavy-set woman with four kids lived there. Her husband was a commissioner or something. She smiled upon seeing us. She was friendly, but there was one thing about her I didn’t like: she liked Quinn’s hair.

"So do you wash it every day, both night and day?" she asked Quinn, beaming.

"Yes, ma’am," Quinn replied, blushing.

This lady might take her side...

"Okay, that’s enough discussion. Taste both foods and tell me the one you like best," I said, dropping it on her dining table.

She took a spoon and scooped from Quinn’s plate. "Mmm, so much pepper," she said and drank some water.

Quinn, the queen of pepper!

The lady scooped from mine and tasted it. "Oh my goodness, so delicious!" she commented, taking another scoop.

Joshua’s POV

We went to the next neighbor’s house. I had no idea who lived there. Quinn seemed less bothered. Was she okay with me winning her? Maybe she wanted me to.

She rang the doorbell, and a tall guy stepped out. He stared at Quinn with adoring eyes. Does he have a thing for my wife?

Quinn smiled. "Hi, Brandon," she said, blushing.

Oh, jeez. They know each other?

"Hey, Quinn," the jerk said to her. He then looked at me. "Hi," he said, trying to shake my hand. I just stared at him sternly. He lowered his hand and chuckled like an idiot.

"Um, sorry to bother you. We just need you to do something for us. Taste the two beef stews and tell us which one tastes better," Quinn said.

"A couple cooking game. Cute," the Brandon guy said and took a spoon.

He tasted mine and shrieked. He shook his head.

Then he tasted Quinn’s. "Wow, so good. I love yours, Quinn. One hundred percent," he said, smiling broadly.

Quinn smiled. "Thank you," she said, smirking.

This is cheating! They know each other, and the guy seems to like her!

Anyway, one more neighbor to go. I looked at the two and saw Brandon trying to hold Quinn. Does this guy value his manhood?

I quickly took her hand from his and held her possessively. "Okay, we’re done here. Come on, wifey," I said, taking her with me as we left for the next neighbor’s house.

AT THE NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE

"So good! I love to eat food with so much pepper," the woman said after tasting Quinn’s.

I think Quinn is going to win. I won’t have her in bed...

The woman tasted mine and squealed. "So good! It’s so tasty!" she said.

Huh? Whose side is she on?

"But, ma’am, which one do you like best?" I asked.

She smiled. "I can’t choose. They both taste good and yummy. I don’t have a winner," she said, and I frowned.

Seriously?

"Try, ma’am. You must have a winner," I pressed. She shook her head.

"You both did a great job. Everyone is a winner," she said.

I felt like emptying the remaining stew on her head. After all the stress, we had a tie. How annoying!

"Let’s go home, hubby. Nobody won," Quinn said, and I knew she was happy.