Franklin remained blissfully oblivious to the whirlwind of thoughts racing through Cassie's mind, as if her very existence was a background murmur to the symphony of his own world.
"Cassie, I'm not just saying this because you're helping my son," he said, lifting another forkful of food to his mouth with the air of a man savoring a rare treasure.
"This… this food… it's world class. I've tasted a lot of healthy food in my life, and most of it is boring, bland, uninspired. But yours?" He paused mid-bite, letting the question hang in the air, though his eyes barely left the plate, lost in the flavors.
Cassie tilted her head slightly, a small flutter of pride warming her chest. She could sense that he had something more to say, some proposition she didn't want to risk losing in the
