He helped her off with her coat then hung it in the small closet near the door.
“I don’t mind helping make dinner,” she told him as she headed toward the bedroom to change. “It seems like a very normal thing to do. I like normal.”
“I wouldn’t every day,” he countered, staying near the roaring fire as she went into the closet/dressing room. “But some days, when you’ll be a little later than normal, I would be happy to.”
“Or we could order from the kitchen,” she reminded him, speaking loudly so she could be heard, though she hadn’t closed the doors. She trusted him to give her privacy to change.
“What fun is that?” He laughed as he said it. “If we make ourown meals, we can screw them up ourselves and learn something.”
Catherine pulled her hair out of the collar of her shirt as she walked back into the bedroom. “I don’t screw up making dinner. My parents made certain I knew how to work in a kitchen.”
She stood next to the dancing flames and tried to finish warming back up from her dash through the gardens. “Why isn’t there a tunnel?” she complained. “It’s so cold outside.”
“You could get one of the enclosed electric vehicles to bring you.” Jacob stood behind her and rubbed his hands up and down her upper arms to help her warm up.
“I could.” She wouldn’t, but she could.
Maybe she would if it got much colder.
Or maybe she could wear warm boots to the office instead of stilettos. That would help keep her feet warm as well as make it easier for her to move quickly through the gardens.
By the time they finished preparing dinner, she had to admit Jacob’s idea of having dinner ready when she arrived had merit and told him so.
“Maybe you can give me an idea of when you plan to be done while we eat lunch. I can plan for it unless I hear from you otherwise.” He set both plates on the table while she found the cutlery in one of the drawers.
They each talked a little bit about their days while they ate. He was able to tell her far more of the details than she was able to tell him. Until he took his seat on the Council, there were a lot of things she couldn’t discuss with him. Even after he did, there would be a few things he wasn’t cleared for.
Once they were done eating, they worked together to clean up the kitchen then went to the living room. She stood next to the fireplace while he lowered the television and found the nextTrilunium movie.
“Are you still cold?” She found the worry in his voice endearing.
“Not nearly as cold as I was before, but not fully warm yet, either.” She should have put on something a little warmer than the lightweight flannel pajamas.
Rather than sitting on the couch like he had before, Jacob took a seat in the big chair but all the way to one side. He reached over and pulled a heavy quilt out of the basket nearby. “Come here.”
Sit with him in the chair? It would be warmer than sitting by herself. It didn’t take a conscious decision to find herself snuggled into his side with his arm around her and the quilt pulled all the way up to her chin. The ottoman was at just the right distance to rest her feet on.
“Ready?”
Catherine could hear his voice, but she could feel it as well. “I am.”
He hit the play button, starting the next Trilunium movie. In mere moments, they were transported to another world, with three moons. The second set of the sisters and brothers were in the process of falling in love while trying to get all six of them through a maze to defeat an enemy of Trilunium.
Jacob paused the movie. “Wait. So, what about the couple from the first movie?”
She nodded against him. “What about them?”
“Where are they?”
“They stayed in Trilunium. Charlotte was the queen and Aaron was her prince consort. In our world, the country is New Sargasso, a fictional version of Terralago Nuova. In that world, about a year has passed. In Odzoo, where the princes are from, it’s only been a few months. But in Trilunium, it’s been a millennia.”
“So they’re dead?”
“Yes.” Catherine confirmed.
“Huh.” There was a thoughtful sound to his voice.
“What?”
