John nods, smiling at her from across the table. "Is it good?"

His mother had taught him how to cook. She'd wanted to make sure he was capable when he ended up out on his own and not just that he could take care of himself in a fight, but in every way. She'd taught him how to clean, how to set different chores on different days, so it never felt too overwhelming. How to make a few staples he could build upon, how to sew his own clothing, how to balance his bank account. So many things he had never ended up needing to do until Darrow.

"I think my mother taught that recipe to me," he says. "She said everyone needed a solid salad dressing in their cooking skill set."