The secret to Grey’s Anatomy star Jason George‘s marriage to author-poet Vandana Khanna is… cauliflower? “It’s almost like a safe word,” the 46-year-old actor exclusively tells Closer Weekly of their peacekeeping strategy. “When I yell, ‘Cauliflower,’ we stop arguing. We walk away. Neutral corners. Then, 99 percent of the time, we’re prepared to own our mistakes — and the makeup sex is a beautiful thing!”

Jason — whose Grey’s Anatomy character Dr. Ben Warren is now moving to the series new ABC spin-off, Station 19 — prefers to woo his literary wife with prose that’s heavier on romance than produce. “I’m not a bad writer; just not as good as her. But I’ll write heartfelt things and I think she appreciates my effort,” he shares with a laugh. So sweet!

If you’re afraid you’re going to miss Jason interacting with all the doctors on Grey’s, then luckily there will be tons of crossovers between the two Seattle-based shows. “My understanding is, Ben will be popping up in Grey’s Anatomy some and some of your favorite Grey’s Anatomy folks will be popping up in the spin-off,” Jason revealed in a previous interview.

“When it was Private Practice, the show was located in LA, so by definition, it had to be an event when they came up to Seattle or vice versa. This one can be an event, but it also doesn’t have to be. The fun part is, the writers have an embarrassment of riches, they can play it any way they want it at any given time. They could have a mega event that goes across both shows, or they could just drop off a person for a little bit and go have a beer. ‘Hey Avery, this is my friend from the firehouse,'” he shares.

After seven years on the hit ABC show, Jason is obviously super enthusiastic for this change, while also getting to stay put in the Shondaland universe. “I think the fun thing about firefight spin-off is that firefighters are on for 24-hour shifts and they become like a family. They eat together, they’re sleeping there — it’s like the Grey’s family, except for when the Grey’s family makes mistakes, a patient dies,” he continued. “When these guys make mistakes your partner dies, your friend dies, your lover, whatever, dies. That’s an interesting new level and new twist to the work-family kind of thing,” Jason says.

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