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“You said you’d feel better if one of us guarded the door.”
“I know, but I hate to impose. You’ve done so much for me already.”
“You aren’t imposing. In truth, I’d feel better knowing you were safe, but perhaps tomorrow we’ll give you a little more space. For now, how about we enjoy the evening?”Like an old married couple. “If you want, we can order some food. I’ll give you a list of the best places that do take-out.”
“Does Mike have any food we can use to cook with? Ordering out is expensive.”
He understood that she needed to watch her money. “Whatever Mike doesn’t have, we can pick up at the grocery store if you like. Can you cook?”
Cassidy planted her palm on her forehead, acting as if that was a ridiculous question. “Can I cook? Are you kidding? My second love besides being a firefighter is being a chef.”
Jackpot!“Who knew?”
“What about you? Do you or Mike cook?”
He loved that she asked about both of them. “Even though my mother is amazing, or rather because my mother is amazing at preparing food, I never really learned. I mean, I get by. I can make a mean omelet, and I can grill steaks, hamburgers, and hot dogs, but that’s about it.”
She smiled. “What about Mike?”
“As a wilderness guide, Mike has to be able to use what's available to make a good meal, but I wouldn’t say he’d make a living being a chef in any restaurant. However, Mike is definitely a better cook than I am.”
“Good to know.” She glanced at the clock. “How about you take me shopping, and when we get home, I'll whip us up a meal? I doubt that Doug would ever step foot in a grocery store. That’s women’s work.”
Zach whistled. “I don’t divide work by sex. Whoever wants the chore or whoever is the most competent, gets the job.”
“I like it.”
“Before we go, we should take inventory of what Mike has. You can then make a list.”
“Perfect.”
She seemed happy to be able to contribute something. Most likely he’d be paying, but for a good meal he didn’t mind. While he didn’t look carefully at what she’d purchased at the drugstore, she had bought quite a lot of things. Since money was tight for her, she needed to watch what she spent.
Zach found some paper and a pen for her to take notes. Cassidy did a thorough job of jotting down what Mike had in the refrigerator as well as in the cabinets.
She faced him. “Pasta, fish, chicken, or red meat?”
“I will eat anything.”
Cassidy tilted her head. “Work with me here, ranger.”
Zach chuckled. “How about chicken with some kind of marinara sauce?” His mom often made it and said it was easy to make. “I can check on line for a recipe unless you’ve memorized how to make it. Mike’s computer is on the table.”
“Go for it.”
Once he found what looked like a simple recipe, he took a picture of it on his phone. “Ready when you are.”
“Let me get my coat.”
Zach couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to a supermarket with a woman. It might have been a few years ago when Mike decided that Tiffany would be the one for them. At the time, they hadn’t even discussed the concept of a fated mate. It was only when Cassidy walked into their lives that he realized she existed.
Cassidy didn’t say much on the way to the store, and he wondered if she was having second thoughts. “What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“I’m worried about Mindy and my parents. I know Doug said he’d do what he needed to do in order to convince me to mate with him, but I never thought he’d resort to violence.”
Pain and guilt flowed off of her. “It’s not your fault. If he’d asked you out in a nice manner, you might have said yes.”
“I suppose. It’s not that I haven’t dated, but in the back of my mind, I knew I was biding my time until I met the right person or persons.”
