Page 33 of Miracles and Marriage
Zoe laughed.
“Good. Well, I won’t stay any longer. I wanted to put your mind at rest over the Carrington situation.”
“You busy tonight?” he asked, looking up then.
She blinked. “No.”
“Have dinner with me.”
“Dinner?”
“Is that so odd for a married couple to eat together?”
“Not for a real married couple.”
“Make no mistake, our marriage is real.”
“Okay, maybe I meant, conventional married couple. Never mind, I’d be glad to have dinner with you. Where shall I meet you?”
“I’ll pick you up around six-thirty. I need to get home and shower first.”
“You’re in the same clothes you had on when we left the sea cottage. Haven’t you been home yet?”
He shook his head.
“You must be tired. Let’s not go out. I can fix something at my place and then you can go home. Or better yet, how about I bring food to your place and then when we finish eating, you can go right to bed?”
Cal laughed aloud.
“You’ll make the perfect mother. I’m fine, Zoe. A little tired, maybe, but not on my last legs. I’ll take you up on the offer of ahome-cooked meal. But I’ll come to your place so you don’t have to drive yourself home later. Thanks for the concern.”
Cal arrived at Zoe’s shortly before seven. He’d gone home to shower and change as he’d said and felt more alert. Time was when he could stay up two or three nights without many effects. Apparently those days were gone.
Zoe greeted him and offered him a glass of wine.
“Dinner will be ready soon,” she said. I only have to quickly steam the veggie.”
“Need help?” he asked, following her into the kitchen, glancing around and taking in the touches of color and knickknacks she displayed.
It reminded him a bit of Uncle Hal’s place in that it was restful and relaxing.
“Not at all. Go sit down, you look tired.”
So much for feeling his shower rejuvenated him. He prowled the small living room, stopping at her bookshelf to read the titles of some of her books. She liked mysteries and romance novels. Wandering to the window, he looked at the nondescript view. Nothing like the one from his flat.
He was turning to sit on the sofa when she called, “It’s ready,” a few minutes later, and entered carrying already served plates to the small table in one corner that served as her dining area. It had been set with silverware earlier and Cal watched as Zoe carefully centered the dishes at each place.
“I’ll get the wine and we’ll be ready,” she said, making a quick trip back to the kitchen.
“How long have you had this apartment?” he asked sometime later.
Their plates were almost empty. He’d filled her glass, and his, once more. The woman was a good cook. He hoped she offered more home-cooked meals.
“Since I started working for you. The salary I received enabled me to get a bigger place than I had before. I like the location and my neighbors.”
“What you earn now could get you an even bigger home.”
She shrugged.
