I message his phone to let him know I’m home and then get into the shower myself, because to be honest, I just need a minute to wash away the day I’ve had.

Getting dressed in some semi-casual pants and a shirt, I check my phone, and there is a message from Forrest.

Forrest: Sorry, I was hoping I would have been out of the shower before you got here. Thanks for letting me know. Dinner is ready whenever you are, but don’t rush. Take your time, and I have a glass of red waiting for you.

“Who the fuck is this man?” I mutter, looking down at the sweet message. Oh, this guy is going to do my head in, I can just tell.

Checking myself in the mirror for probably the twentieth time, I think to hell with it. If I’m going to be living here, he is going to see me just as I am. Opening the door, I pad down the hallway on the soft gray carpet in my bare feet. One toe is a little purple from this morning’s chopping board incident, but at least the pain settled as the day went on.

Getting to the end of the hall, I feel nervous, but instead of walking out unsure, I do what I always do and take a deep breath, pull the shoulders back, and go out swinging.

“Hey, smells great in here. Did you get Flynn to cook us some dinner?” I ask, which has him looking up, a little offended.

“I can cook, you already know this.” Forrest’s comment reminds me about the meal he handed me when he turned up on my doorstop, which I never really acknowledged, so now is probably a good time to fix that.

“Oh yeah, thank you for that. It was great.” Pulling out the stool at the kitchen counter, I watch him move around the kitchen. “So, what have you cooked us, oh great chef Forrest?” Why am I being so patronizing to him? It’s the opposite of what I wanted to try to do tonight, but my nerves are bringing my default personality out, and it’s not the best.

“I made lasagna with a garden salad and homemade garlic bread. Then if you are still hungry, I have a cheesecake I picked up on the way home, if that is something you like.”

“Wow, you can cook better than I can. I have the basic dishes but usually grab takeaway or just have a shake for dinner if I have eaten out during the day.” Saying it out loud has me thinking how bad that probably is for me, but when you live on your own, it’s easy to get lazy and is such an effort to cook for one.