“Nobody expects to be attacked. Drugged. You can’t be blamed for not suspecting something that bizarre would happen to you. You went there to sign paperwork. You went there in good faith.”
“True.”
She stood. “Now, I’m going to feed you. Royce will never forgive me if I don’t get a meal in you. Should I go get you something?”
“No need. There’s soup in the cupboard.”
“Come on, Maxwell, you have to eat something other than soup.”
I frowned. “Why? I like soup, and there’s lots of it.”
She laughed. “I’m sure there is.”
“Besides, my face hurts to move it too much. Soup is the perfect food right now.” I finished off my coffee, allowing a tired sigh.
“I guess… if you really want soup,” she murmured, looking mystified.
“I do.”
“Okey dokey.” Girdy grabbed a pot from the bottom cupboard, and she went to the pantry. She opened the door and stood staring at the neatly stacked cans. “My goodness. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pantry this organized.”
“It’s important to have everything in its place, or you lose track of the different flavors.”
“Uh, right.” She laughed. “So what flavor do you want? I won’t bother listing them off. Something tells me you have them memorized.”
Naturally.
“I’ll have the chicken and mushroom, please.”
“You got it.” She grabbed one of the cans and cheerfully opened it with the electric can opener on the counter.
I watched her puttering around the kitchen, grateful to have her company. It was weird to enjoy her presence. I’d always preferred being alone, but lately, I was happier when certain people were with me. The list of people I enjoyed was short: Royce and Girdy. But that was two more than before. In LA, there hadn’t been anyone I wanted to be around on a regular basis. I took that as a good sign. I was growing. Evolving. Allowing certain people into my space had to be a positive indicator of personal growth, right? Royce and Girdy didn’t suck my energy away like most people did.
Perhaps it was because they seemed to accept me for who I was. They even seemed tolikeme the way I was.
Once the soup was heated, she brought two steaming bowls to the table. We ate in companionable silence, and I was glad she’d made me eat. I definitely felt better once the warm soup was in my belly. I closed my eyes and let the moment sink in. There was nothing like a full stomach, warm central heating, and knowing I was safe in Royce’s home.
“When does escrow close on your new place?” Girdy asked suddenly.
I opened my eyes. “I believe Mrs. Numi said we’d have a thirty-day escrow.”
She grabbed her bowl and went to the sink, rinsing it under the water. “I suspect Royce will be sad when you move out.”
I frowned. “I’ll miss living here with him too.”
She glanced at me over her shoulder. “Maybe you shouldn’t move out.”
Blinking at her, I said, “But I’ll have my own place again. What sense does that make?”
She set her rinsed bowl in the rack and turned to face me. “Do you see yourself ever living with Royce permanently?”
I wrinkled my brow. “He hasn’t asked me to do that.”
“You could ask him.”
I lifted my brows. “But… he has this house.”
“Yes.” She grimaced. “Don’t you ever think about the future, Max?”
