“Open up, Cat,” he said, and I did as directed, thankful for the help. The warm creamy taste hit my tongue, and I closed my lips around the fork. Duely had done a fantastic job with the sauce. He should keep more food in his fridge if he could cook like this. It was also possible he’d used magic to create this and that made me grin. He probably couldn’t cook at all.

“Is Catalina unable to feed herself?”

The voice. It was back. He was back. Happiness at his return was the only emotion I felt, and I didn’t mind at all. I opened my eyes to see Rathe across the room. I wanted to sigh or maybe I did sigh at the sight of him standing there in all his beauty. His perfect face was scowling. He looked beautiful when he was angry, too. I swallowed my bite of food then beamed at him. Maybe he was hungry, too. That always made men angry. When they were hungry, they got ornery. It was something one couldn’t miss when they served people food for a living. “Hello Rathe!” I said a little too loudly. Why was I yelling? Or was I?

He studied me closely, and I wiped at my face with my hand, thinking that the sauce might have gotten on me. I didn’t feel anything there, but then I was feeling a little light headed, so my judgment couldn’t be trusted.

“Why is Catalina drunk?” Rathe asked, glancing over to Heath then to Duely. He seemed unhappy about this.

“I’m not drunk,” I quickly assured him. I held up my wine. “This is only my second glass. I may be tipsy, though. Yes, I’m sure I am tipsy. If there is food on my face that is why.”

“It’s your third glass, and yeah, you’re a little more than tipsy, Snow White,” Duely said, and I studied him as I thought about his words carefully. I didn’t remember getting a second refill. When had that happened?

“She needed it. We all needed it. The break from everything,” Heath said. I agreed with that completely. I nodded my head. This was a much better feeling than what I’d been feeling before the wine.

“The wine is delicious. It’s the good stuff. Why is your date over already?” I hadn’t meant to ask him that. It had just come out of my mouth before I could think it through.

He wasn’t frowning as severely anymore. Possibly he was getting in a better mood. I hoped so. I wanted us all to be happy.

“It was a commitment. I fulfilled it,” he replied then walked toward the kitchen.

“Do we need to go?” Duely asked Heath.

Heath shook his head. “No, he’s good. Must have gone badly,” he said the last bit in a quieter tone.