I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing. I glance over to my alarm and see it is 8 pm. I slept so long. I grab my phone and answer.

“Yea. it's Lt. Mala.” I yawned as I rubbed my neck.

“Zaire.”

I recognize this voice. My eyes shot open. “Hey! How did dinner go? What did you guys decide to cook? It's only eight I figured you would take a bit longer. How did the food come out? Did you cook together? did you have to use the fire extinguisher? ”

“She canceled.” His voice is cold.

I go quiet.

“Wait. What?”

“She fucking canceled!” I hear something smash and break on the other side of the line. “That fucking bitch. What the actual fuck?”

I am mad. I shouldn't be this mad but after the countless times i have witnessed her bailing, and his face he has… hell no. He doesn't deserve this.

“Ziah, I am sending you my address. Be here no later than an hour.” I grab my coat and head to the door.

“But…”

“No buts or coconuts.”

“Okay.”

After I hung up, I texted him my address and head to the store. I grabbed two steaks, potatoes, some veggies, beer, and stuff to make my mother's famous chocolate cake.

I got home and started laying everything out when my doorbell rang. “It's open.” I yelled as I wiped my hands on my apron. I turned around to see Joziah standing there in a nice dress shirt roughly untucked from his pants, hair looks a fucking mess, and his eyes are red.

I do something that shocks not only him but myself… I go to him and wrap him in a hug. He hesitates for a moment then wraps his arms around me. He lays his head on my shoulder and sighs. “You have known me for maybe 3 months and you have shown more kindness than she has to me. Even if it started out rough.”

“Why are you still with her?” I ask as I pull away and turn back to the kitchen. He follows and sits at my small bar for 2.

“I love her.” he says.

I realize that now is not the time for questioning his love choices, but I will later after he is in a calm state of mind. “Okay, grab my extra apron and get your ass in here. We are cooking steak, veggies and potatoes. And I will share my mother's chocolate cake recipe with you.” I turned around pointing a knife at him. “Tell anyone and I will kill you.”

He lets out a small laugh and holds his hands up, “Fine fine.”

He grabs the extra apron and I glance over at him.

“You look nice. Handsome.” I said as I seasoned the meat.

“Thanks, I got all dressed up to come see you.” he said sarcastically as he looked at the potatoes. I glanced at him staring at the potatoes. I wash my hands and walk up behind him.

“Well, thank you, but you didn't have to dress up for me. Ah, you have to skin them first then cut them a few times and toss them in boiling water.” i said as i grabbed his hands to show him.

His hands are so soft and warm. He follows my lead as I continue to peel the potatoes and show him how to cut it. I am a bit taller than him, not by much but enough to where I can glance over his shoulder with no issues. He smells like mint and it relaxes me. I close my eyes and take a soft breath as I breath him in. Why does he make me feel… safe?

I open my eyes and realize what I just did. He is here for help and im acting like an obsessed school girl. It's not like I even like him that way. He just makes me feel comfortable.

“Make sense?” I asked as I stepped away.

His face is a bit red, “Yea thanks.” 

.....................

“You’re not going to ask what happened?” he asked, finally breaking the silence.

I placed the steaks on my cast iron griddle and watched them sizzle. “How would you like your steak cooked?”

“Medium.”

“Cool, but to answer your question: I didn't ask because when you were ready you would have told me. I don't like people prying, so I wouldn't do the same. So whenever you're ready, you just let it out.”

He nodded and checked the potatoes, then pulled them out and dumped them into a strainer. “What next?”

“Take the potatoes and put them back in the pot. Add salt, pepper, butter, sour cream, milk, and garlic powder. Then take the potato masher and mash them together.” I flip the steaks and check the veggies in the oven.

He begins mashing. I walked over and took a spoon to stir it then held up to taste it. “Needs more butter. What do you think?” I held out the spoon to him and he took a bite as well. “I'm not sure, but it tastes really good.” His smile is so contagious that I smile right back as I lay the spoon down.

“Okay, once you're done with that, set the table and if you want to change out of those clothes you can borrow some of mine.” I pulled the veggies out and gave them a quick check, then placed them in a bowl.

“Or you can dress up with me.” I hear him shoot back. I laughed a bit hard.

“Dude, I do not wear ties or dress pants. My uniform is the best I have.” I turned to face him as I lay the stuff on the table.

“I'll change. And I'm guessing the tall dresser next to your bed is where the clothes are?” he motioned to my “Bedroom”. Having a studio apartment sucks, but it's all I can afford.

“Yep. if you don't see anything in there then check the wardrobe.” I pull the steaks off and let them rest. “Also, if you ever make steak, never cut it as soon as you pull it off heat.”

I hear him grunt a bit and look up and see him looking through my clothes. “Why is that?” He pulls out some sweats and goes to look in the wardrobe for a shirt.

“If you cut it before it rests, the juices will leak out. You don't want that to happen. Defeats the purpose of a steak.” I walk over to the table and place our plates on it. I grab 2 beers from the fridge and grab my bottle opener.

“So you don't wear a suit and ties?” I hear him ask as I pop open the beers.

“Nope. I get itchy and feel constricted.”

“Then what's this grey suit for?”

I froze and slowly looked at him. He is holding the suit from a year ago. My hands start to sweat and the beer slips out of my hands and onto the hardwood floor. Thankfully it doesn't break but there is beer everywhere now.

I grab a rag and begin to clean it as he puts the suit away and comes to help.

“Uh sorry. I wasn't trying to be nosy. I saw it in the wardrobe.” he mumbles.

“No. It's ok. Honestly I forgot about it.” I stand up and take a seat at the table. 

I noticed he has on my black sweatpants and grey shirt with “Fuck the Police” on it (yes I know ironic). It shows his muscles very nicely. I looked at him. His brown eyes are so... Wait when did this fucker become attractive?

He sits across from me and cuts into the steak and takes a bite. “Dude. Can I marry this steak?” he says as he moans in delight. Cute.

“Haha, how about I teach your girlfriend to cook and then marry her.” I laughed as I ate as well. “Besides you know how to cook the potatoes now. And they are fluffy and light. You did well, my apprentice,” I clapped my hands together and bowed.

His laugh is deep and loud. I can tell his mood has shifted. “Yea, marriage. I have thought about it but i'm not so sure. I do love her but, the way she has been lately I'm not sure.” he takes another bite and moans again. “I will just marry you so you can cook steak everyday.”

I laugh, “Sure why not, babe.”

He goes sad again. “Hey can I ask you a question?” he takes another bite of his food and takes a swig of beer.

I look up at him and nod since my face is stuffed.

“What happened between you and your ex?”