“Well I’m glad to hear your romance abstinence has held, River. I think it’s a very healthy thing for you to do.”
“Thank you,” I said, pleased by the affirmation.
We chatted for quite a while until it started raining in London, and Marie let me go to catch the Tube. Noises from out in the condo grabbed my attention, and I realized it was late enough that the guys must be back from the office. After a second in front of the mirror, fixing my hair and picking a necklace, I headed out to say hi.
Leo was busy chopping vegetables at the kitchen counter with Beyoncé on the stereo. When I rounded the corner, he made a gesture to turn the music off.
“Please, never turn Beyoncé off when I enter a room.”
He laughed. He’d unbuttoned his dress shirt, and I had to tear my eyes away from his cotton undershirt, stretched tight across his hairy chest.
“You hungry?” he asked. “I’m making a stir fry.”
“Sure. You want any help?”
He nodded toward the stove. “Would you put some rice on?”
“How’s Silver Lining?” I asked as I grabbed a pot. Wednesdays I didn’t go in at all, although I still remembered Leo’s schedule for some reason.
“The usual. How’s your day off?”
“Good. I just looked at schools all afternoon.”
“You going back to college?” Leo steadily chopped bok choy and broccoli. I had taken a few cooking classes and watched enough shows that I knew there was skill in the way he held the knife.
Good cooks were hot.
I shook the thought away. “I think so. Since I’m at this impasse in my life, I thought it might be a good time to complete a degree. It’s something I always intended to do, but the timing was never right.”
“What would you study?”
I washed the rice over the sink. “I haven’t decided yet. I guess I need to pick a career.”
“I had no idea I would like PR until I took a class. I’d always been good at talking myself out of trouble, but I didn’t know you could make a career out of that.”
I laughed. “I’m sure you were good at talking yourself out of trouble.” I could easily picture teenage Leo, fast-talking to his teachers. “I’ve always wanted to get an arts degree. I thought maybe something with a focus in arts administration?” I turned my hands up. “Something like that.”
“That sounds great.” Leo’s voice hummed, and I was touched that he seemed so sincere. “I’m sure you’ll have a lot of success.”
“Thanks. I hope you’re right.” I stirred the rice into the water, and when Leo walked behind me, we brushed close. It gave me a soft thrill, and I held my breath until he passed.
“You going to college?”
Kai joined us in the kitchen. He was still dressed for work but with his jacket hanging open and his leather belt undone.
“Maybe,” I answered. “Don’t get too excited.”
Kai held his hands up. “I promise not to push.” He glanced between me and Leo. “Look at you two, making dinner together. It’s nice.”
Leo set the knife down and took a long drink from his beer. It crossed my mind that he might not be the best at keeping a secret, especially from Kai, but I pushed that thought away as quickly as it came.
Too late to start worrying about that now.
“We’re cooking for you,” I offered to Kai with a smile, saving Leo. “You got a package. I think it’s the headlamp you ordered.”
Kai sat at the island as Leo joined me at the stove. I stirred the rice a few times, then stepped back to give Leo room as he lit a burner. I felt warm standing next to him, and I knew it wasn’t all from the stove.
“Hey, Leo,” Kai said. “Did I ever tell you about the time River and I went camping as kids?”
