“We can order dinner for everyone or have a quiet dinner here,” he said.“Nothing fancy.You said table.I heard it.”
Her mouth softened.“I want to eat with you when the world is loud.It turns it down.”
“Then let’s turn it down.”
He texted Tony,
"Lock up when you leave."
He received a thumbs-up in reply.
He set his phone on the table near the door.She did the same.They didn’t need to swear an oath.The small act held.
In the kitchen, he opened the refrigerator and stared.He turned to Carlene, a grin on his face."How about I call Jace and have them deliver?"
She chuckled.“Sounds perfect.Neither of us has to work or do much cleanup.It's already been a day.”
“Agreed.If you want to unpack, I'll take care of ordering.”
"Sounds good.Any drawer in particular?"
"Ah, great question.Follow me."
He moved clothing from two drawers and created a large space in his closet."If you need more, let me know.In the coming days, I'll get more organized, so when you bring the rest of your things here, you'll have the space."
She kissed his lips."Thank you, Jami."
At seven, a faint buzz sounded from their phones in the entry.Neither of them moved.He watched her breathe and felt his own settle to match.
“Want to look?”he asked.
“In a minute.”She took another bite and set down her fork.“Tell me the first song you ever wrote that you did not show anyone.”
He laughed once.“Mean question.”
“Honest question.”
“I was fifteen,” he said.“It was about a girl who could outshoot me in the arcade.I loved her and hated losing to her, so I wrote a song about both.It was terrible.”
“I want to hear it someday.”
“You won’t.”He pointed at her.“Your turn.What’s the first campaign you ever wrote?”
She wiped her mouth with her napkin.“The first campaign I wrote that mattered was for a food pantry.I made a poster that did not use a single sad face.Just a list.Tuesdays: beans.Wednesdays: tuna.Thursdays: apples.Donations doubled in two weeks.”
“Of course they did.”He felt something ease in his chest.“You make people useful to themselves.”
“That is the nicest thing anyone has said to me.”
“It was only true.”
They cleared the plates together.He washed.She dried.Habit formed faster than he expected when both people leaned in.After the last glass hit the rack, she nodded toward the entry.“Now?”
“Now.”
They walked out and stood over the phones.Notifications stacked.He didn’t open any of them.He glanced at the photo she had scheduled.Four hands on a guitar top.No faces.All-purpose.Her caption read exactly as it had on her screen.
He put the phone back down.“Thank you.”
