“I can do both.I have some stuff in the freezer.We can cook something tomorrow since it’s kind of late tonight.”Damien opened the freezer and pulled out his stack of frozen leftovers.He made it a habit to cook for four and freeze what he didn’t eat for nights he didn’t feel like cooking.He’d been working through his options and had plenty left.“I have chicken stir-fry, beef stew, meatballs and sauce, coconut curry, pulled pork?—”
“You have all of that?Just in your freezer.Ready to go?And you cooked it all?”
Damien grinned at her disbelieving tone.“I do.I told you I know how to cook.”
“Can I stay here forever?”
Damien’s grin widened.“Sure.”
Harmony sucked in a breath.“I… I wasn’t trying to put you on the spot.I’ll get out of your way soon.”
“Harmony, you are not in my way.At all.I want you safe, and I can’t lie and say having time alone with you appeals to me in ways it shouldn’t when I’m supposed to be protecting you.”
Her cheeks went red.She shoved her glasses up and smoothed her hand across her face, nibbling her lip at the same time.
“Before I lose track of myself, what do you want for dinner?Or I can cook?—”
“You do not have to cook.I’ll have the coconut curry.If that’s okay.”
“Absolutely.I was debating the same.”
“Oh, I can have something else.”
Damien chuckled.“There’s plenty for us both.”Damien grabbed the sealed bags and closed the freezer.He sliced into the bags and dumped them into a large saucepan to heat up.With the heat on low, he put a bag of rice into the microwave.
“You have this all down pat, don’t you?”
“I try.I like to grill more than cook, so in the warmer months, I’m usually grilling something.But it’s good to have the freezer stocked just in case I don’t have a chance.”
“I don’t do either.I hate cooking.My dad always did the cooking, and I was happy to eat whatever he put in front of me.When he died, I had to take care of myself for the first time ever, and I didn’t know how to do anything.I feel like I’m still a teenager sometimes because I fumble through everything.”
“It can be an adjustment.My parents were adamant I knew how to take care of myself.They made me cook and do my own laundry and clean my room.My sister, too.I hated it at the time, but I’m happy about it now.”
“My dad probably thought he had more time.I know I did.”
Damien reached for her and pulled her into his arms.He held her for a minute, hating all she’d been through.If he had his way, she’d never have to go through anything alone again.
When he was finished heating up their dinner, he handed her a plate so she could help herself to food.He poured them glasses of water after asking if there was anything else she wanted to drink, then filled his plate and joined her at the table.
“How is it?”he asked after she took her first bite.
“I might have to hide in your closet when it’s time for me to leave.This is amazing.”
He smiled broadly.“I’ll cook for you whenever you want.And you don’t have to plan on leaving already.You just got here.”
She nodded, her smile fading.“It’s… I want to feel safe again.I don’t know if this is about the money and people wanting to steal from me or if it’s something else.I have a hard time imagining normal again.”
“Normal is going to be different.But you’ll figure it out when all this is behind you.”Damien was quiet for a minute while they both ate.“Do you have any idea who it could be?”
She shook her head.“No.I would assume it was one of the other two men who broke into Grant Pickens’s building, but no one believed me that there were two others.There’s no footage or anything.No way to see who they are.And neither was female, so I don’t know who Pamela Mercer was.”
Damien remembered the video of the hallway outside her apartment that showed neither of them had left the night before.“What if we could see who broke in?”
“What do you mean?How could we see that?”
“There’s a camera in your hallway.Jude got into it earlier.Found footage that showed neither of us left your apartment last night.Let me call him.”
Harmony dragged in a breath, eyes wide behind her glasses.
