“You really don’t have to.”
“I want to. It’s all settled. I’ll see to it. When you get home tomorrow, it’ll be like a new place. Exactly like you’re picturing in your mind. It’ll be just the place you can get away from everything and just be you.”
“Okay. If you really want to, far be it from me to stop you.”
“I’m excited. I can’t wait to get everything in its place!”
Remi laughed. “Glad you’re having fun.”
“I’ll see you later,” she said.
“Have a good day,” Remi said. “Enjoy your breakfast. I added a little extra for lunch, too.”
“You did? Thank you, Remi. I’ll see you later.”
He smiled as he watched her leave the restaurant.
“Am I correct in thinking she just decorated your house exactly like she wants it decorated?”
Remi glanced sideways at Richie. “Yep.”
“You two haven’t even settled everything between you, and she’s making your place hers.”
“Mmhmm.”
“Is she even aware she’s doing that?”
“I don’t know. But she is, and I’m just sitting back and letting her do it.”
“What if you two don’t work things out? Everything in your house will remind you of her.”
Remi shrugged. “I’ll worry about that later. Right now I’m just enjoying watching her build her nest at my house.”
Richie laughed. “It won’t be long, my friend. Won’t be long at all and she’ll be there with you in every sense of the word.”
“Lord, I hope so. It’s killing me,” Remi said. “I keep acting aloof, but it’s eating me alive.”
Richie patted him on the back. “The aloof is working. Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it. It’s got her jumping.”
“It’s not really an act, though. It’s me holding my Dragon back, trying to maintain control and give her space until she’s ready.”
“I get it. Good on you for being able to control him. I’m not sure I could if it was me.”
~~~
Cristie got to her office at the animal hospital and sat down at her desk to eat her breakfast and go through her emails and upcoming cases for the day. She reached for one of the bottles of coffee that Remi had prepared for her, but didn’t really look to see which she picked up. She flipped the spout with her thumb and brought the bottle to her lips, sipping what she expected to be iced coffee. But it wasn’t. She pulled her attention away from the email she’d been reading to look at the quart bottle she was now holding up and looking at. She turned the bottle up and took another drink, her eyes closing as she recognized the flavor.
The mint tea she so loved. He’d made her mint tea and even poured the hot tea over ice cubes to create the temperature variation she’d talked about last night. She sat there blinking away tears that he’d done something so special for her. Then her attention settled on the bag containing her breakfast. She reached for it quickly, opening it and taking out all of the food inside it. When she finished unpacking the bag, she had her typical breakfast croissant, a container of moussaka, a container of kibbeh, and a container of kunafa. She opened them all and sat at her desk sniffling while she cried a little.
“Morning, Cristie!” Alex called out as she went by.
Cristie didn’t answer, she just kept sitting there sniffling as she sipped her tea again, blinking away the slight dampness of tears.
Alex backed up and looked more closely at Cristie. “You alright?”
“Mmhmm.”
“You’re crying,” Alex pointed out.
