Page 79 of Perfect Harmony

“Yeah, well, he wouldn’t be banned from thekitchen during mealtime if he didn’t try and steal food right off my plate,” Gideonsaid. “Sit down, Grace.”

They sat down, and he handed her the chickenbefore dishing out some rice and some zucchini onto his plate. “Do you knowwhen you can go in and get your clothes and stuff?”

“Not sure, yet. I’ll text Jesse tomorrow andask him if he knows.”

He scowled, stabbing a piece of chicken fromthe platter. “He barely looks old enough to be a firefighter.”

“He’s my age,” Grace said.

“How do you know that?” he asked. “Have yougone out with him?”

“What if I have?” she said.

He glared at his plate. He would be doinga background check on this Jesse kid first thing in the goddamn morning. If hefound anything, anything at all that –

“Don’t you dare do a background check onJesse,” Grace said.

He dropped his fork onto his plate and thenimmediately picked it up. “I wasn’t going to do a background check on him.”

Did he sound casual enough? Shit, did hesoundtoocasual?

She laughed. “Bullshit. Save your timeand your effort, I haven’t gone out with Jesse.”

He hid the relief that was pouring throughhim like an overzealous fountain. “How do you know how old he is?”

“Because I listen when people talk?” she said.“What does it matter if I know personal stuff about Jesse?”

He forced himself to relax. Grace’sromantic life wasn’t any of his business. If he kept grilling her about it, itwould only piss her off and they’d get into a fight. He didn’t want to fightwith her. Not tonight. Not when the memory of how terrified he’d been thatshe was dead was still fresh in his mind.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “Once youknow when you can get your stuff, let me know and I’ll go with you.”

She poked at the rice on her plate. “Jessesaid last night that most of my stuff is probably too damaged to salvage. Hesaid clothes would be fine, they could be washed, but that my furniture andstuff like that will probably have to go straight to the dumpster. It’s hard toget the smoke smell out, plus a bunch of it will probably be water damaged.”

She ate a bite of chicken before drinking somewater. “I don’t care about the furniture, it’s just second-hand stuff I pickedup, but I hope my pictures and my computer aren’t too damaged.”

She put her fork down and rubbed at herforehead. “It’s overwhelming to think about it. I keep wanting to just sit downand cry like a baby.”

“Nothing wrong with doing that,” he said.

She shook her head. “I hate crying and itreally isn’t going to solve the problem. Anyway, I’ll let you know what Jessesays about going back into my place.”

“Don’t go alone. Okay?” he said.

“I won’t. Trust me, I have no desire to goback in there without some type of emotional support.”

They ate silently for a few minutes beforeGrace said, “Thank you, Gideon. It was… well, it was nice to wake up this morningand have everything taken care of. I really appreciate it. A lot.”

“You’re welcome, Princess.”

Her nickname slipped out before he could stopit. She smiled a little. “I used to hate it when you called me that.”

“And now?” he said.

Fleeting sorrow crossed her face. “Now Imiss it.”

He wanted to tell her how much he missedher.How there was a void in his life that only she could fill, but it sounded cheesyand stupid even in his head. Besides, what good would it do to confess? Itwouldn’t change anything. Better to talk about other things. Safer things.

“So, how long until you think Connor movesin with my sister?”

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