Anna sat up straight when Jeff walked into his house with a mean expression. His attitude motivated her to stand from her seated pose. Walking to his bar, she watched him pour a drink without acknowledging her. She had been just as petty today. Usually, she would wash his dishes when she returned home, but she was upset and refused to cater to him. Yesterday's glass sat behind his yeti cup, unwashed by his stack of clean glasses.
Jeff took his drink and headed toward his bedroom without looking up. Anna couldn't be more pleased he was irritated and decided to taunt him on his way down the hall.
"Are you going to apologize to me?"
Jeff turned with a sneer, "For what?"
"This morning? All that unnecessary yelling, kicking my tire. Having a freaking tantrum for no reason."
Jeff leaned against the wall and took a sip, "You need to apologize to me for fucking with my feelings and leading me on."
"I didn't lead you on?" Anna frowned, "You woke me up this morning doing nasty stuff."
Jeff chuckled bitterly, "I'm not apologizing to you for making you cum on my cock, Anna."
"I am not apologizing for taking things slow."
"I've seen every inch of your body, Anna."
"Not by my choice."
"I never hear you complaining when I am-"
"Fuck you!"
"You did, and we both loved every minute of it."
Seeing this conversation was getting nowhere, Anna stormed to her room, slamming the door behind her. She expected him to follow behind, but he didn't. She heard his door slam shut. Alone, her eyes watered.
The following day was just as bitter. His cold persona sent tension across her narrow shoulders as she prepared her lunch. Maybe she was wrong, keeping her feelings a secret. She wanted him to kiss or pet her head like he had done days before.
"Do you want me to make your lunch?" Anna asked and got no reply as he hurried out of the house.
Her heart hurt from his dismissal, and she grudgingly grabbed her bag and tossed it over her shoulder. She walked out and found him inside his car with his head down, eyes glued to his phone. Knocking on his window, she prepared herself for his wrath.
Without looking up, Jeff rolled down the window, "What?"
"Why are you mad at me? I didn't do anything."
"You never do," Jeff yanked his car to reverse and backed onto the street.
Anna stood dumbfounded on the paved driveway, her heart itching for an interaction. He had never acted this way, especially from something so minor. Her feelings were hers to express when the time was right, but his manner only urged her to keep them down.
-
Anna came home Wednesday night and prepped a feast for the Holiday. She was celebrating the first time absolutely alone. Although Cindy begged her to come over, she wasn't attending her aunt's house this year. Their taboo affairs had made the awkward switch, but she would celebrate regardless.
Jeff walked in and paused at the bar upon seeing the crimson coat on her eyes. Walking around to the stove, he pressed her with a head rub. Perhaps she was coming around and understanding that she was in love with him. He kissed her cheek, taking her to an awkward place. It had been days since he showed her affection.
"What's wrong?"
Anna had chopped onions and peppers until her eyes burned, "Onions make me cry," she said, wiping a tear from her eye.
"Oh," Jeff stepped back, leaned against the counter, and waved between them, "I thought maybe you were tired of this."
"Of what?" Anna giggled, "You being an asshole?"
Jeff shook his head, "You will never learn."
"Learn what?" Anna dropped the knife and picked it back up, "You know what? You're right. I am a dumb woman, so I'll never learn your Alpha ideologies."
"I am not dealing with your smart-ass mouth all weekend."
"Go somewhere else then," Anna sneered, "Go hang out with your other wives and girlfriends."
Jeff bowed his head, "Unfortunately, I don't have anybody who loves me."
Anna glanced back at his puppy dog eyes and rolled hers back to the stovetop, "Just go to your brother's house or something."
"If I leave, I will take my dog with me. We always spend Thanksgiving together as a family."
Anna paused, cutting the large stalk of celery. Her heart broke imagining a day, let alone three, without Butler, "He can stay with me."
"Hell no, I know you, you'll feed him the whole damn turkey."
"Whatever. He's not going anywhere, and neither are you."
"Don't tempt me."
Anna turned to face him, "Come on," she frowned, "I've had lonely holidays before, and I don't want this one to be lonely."
Keeping his eyes on her sorrowful face, Jeff walked back to his bar and swallowed the lump in his throat. He wanted to pick her up at that moment and hug her tight, but he had too many bitter feelings to do so, and his fingers itched for a line of cocaine. He settled on a drink and walked back to the kitchen, eyeing her preparations as he poured.
"What are you cooking?"
"It's sort of Traditional but no Turkey because-"
"I don't like Turkey, either," Jeff laughed, causing her to smile.
"It's weird tasting."
"Dry as hell." He smiled, "What about sweet potato pie? Are you making that?"
"I don't know how."
Jeff shook his head, "I should have never married you," he teased, "I think I can figure that one out. I'll run to the store now and see what I can get."
"All I know is it's got sweet potatoes in there," Anna giggled, "Can I come with you?"
Jeff paused for a moment, having planned to meet Larry. Her brown eyes were enough to shake off his need for coke. "Yeah, but I'm driving my car, though."
"The grocery store is right up the street, so I can survive that far."
Anna wanted to go with him, and that was enough to put a sparkle in his eye, "I am not a bad driver," he slipped his arm around her shoulder, but she twisted away to grab her coat.
-
At midnight, Anna sat on a stool with a smirk as Jeff walked from the stove to the fridge and then back. He stirred the pot a little, then leaned into his phone for directions.
"Do you need some help?" Anna asked, above the rock music playing through the speakers.
It was a metal band playing that matched the madness he had created on the kitchen counters. He walked in a circle around the kitchen island and roughly grabbed the sugar almost riping the bag.
"Do you want me to do something?"
"No." Jeff answered without looking up from his phone.
"Are you sure? You look like you're struggling over there."
"No, I don't need your fucking help," he snapped, using his clean hand to hold the phone closer.
Anna held her giggle, knowing he was irritated by her laughing at him all evening. He was sexy as hell, trying his best to recreate the online Southern recipe.
"Where did you put the..." Jeff rattled the door, "What happened to the eggs?"
"Under."
He searched the fridge, and she leaned over to check the pot.
"You should keep stirring, Jeff, or it will burn. You've got to do one thing at-"
"Shut up, I got this."
Anna rolled her eyes and plugged her left ear with music, adding additional humor to his failed cooking experiment. She giggled when he came back to the stove. Cursing, he carefully walked the burnt butter to the sink.
"I told you to keep stirring.."
"And I told you to keep your mouth shut. You keep talking, and I am going to stick my cock in your mouth."
"Disgusting," she murmured.
"What was that?" Jeff asked.
Anna placed the other earbud in as he continued threats that warmed her to wiggle on the stool. She looked at his stern expression and laughed as he continued to talk. Walking over, he snapped his fingers in front of her face, and she removed her earbud.
"Listen to me when I am talking to you."
"Why? You don't listen to Nothing I have to say?"
Jeff grabbed his bottle of whiskey, "You always have something smart to say."
"You need to be stirring, not drinking."
"I haven't put the butter in yet. I'm letting the pan heat up." Jeff poured a drink to ease his stress, "I know what I am doing, little girl."
"The stove is already hot, Jeff."
"I know that, Anna," Jeff took a shot of liquor and made a sour face before his statement, "You need to calm the fuck down. I am the best Cook in this house."
Anna dropped her jaw at his audacity and folded her arms across her chest, "Fine. You cook the rest too then and burn the house down."
"I will. And it will be a hell of a lot better than the shit you've been cooking lately, Chicken Breast and Brussels sprouts," he shook his head in disgust, "What are you 80 years old?"
"I cook that way because I am on a diet, stupid," Anna pouted, sulking against the bar, "I cook way better than you. And if Butler had thumbs, he'd be better than you, too.."
Jeff walked over and dropped a piece of butter into the clean pan, "You talk a lot of shit for someone who didn't even buy this food."
"I did, too, buy it. I went to the store with you. And I always go to the store every week and get stuff. If not, you would be eating nothing because you never eat."
