Page 122 of Cryptic Curse

Is it my imagination?Or is his jaw tensing a bit more?

“All right,” he finally says.“I don’t want you worrying about this.I’m going to take care of you tonight, Daniela.”

I squirm.

He wants to have sex with me.

And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that too.That’s the reason I didn’t go home with Vinnie, after all.But if I change my mind, already I know that he won’t force me.

He clears his throat.“I just heard in my head how that must’ve sounded to you.”He runs his hands through his hair.“I… I don’t have any expectations.But I will take care of you.I’ll make you some good old-fashioned comfort food and make sure you feel safe tonight.”

I smile.

I feel safe already.

As safe as I feel with Vinnie and Raven, I feel a hundred times safer with Hawk.

37

HAWK

“I’m no chef,” I say to Daniela.“This will be pretty crude compared to the kind of food you prepare, but it never fails me when I need to feel better.”

I assemble the ingredients for my grandmother’s famous macaroni and cheese.It was the only thing Nana Bellamy made herself.As the Cooper Steel heiress, she had personal chefs to cook for her.But when we came to visit, she made macaroni and cheese.

Nana taught me how to make it.I still know the recipe by heart.

She’s been gone for a while now, but I still have every step memorized.She lives through all of us.Just like what Ted said to me all those years ago.

Don’t ever forget that even after you’re gone, your starlight will shine on the people whose lives you’ve touched.

I squeeze my eyes shut and will the memory of Ted out of my head.He’s the last thing I need to think about right now.

I boil the pasta until it’s al dente and then strain it.I make a roux with butter and flour, letting it cook until it’s golden brown.I add warm milk slowly.Then comes the cheese, sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack melted into the sauce.I mix in the macaroni and transfer all of it into a baking dish.A quick sprinkle of seasoned breadcrumbs on top for crunch and then into the oven.

The kitchen fills with a comforting aroma that brings back memories of childhood days spent at Nana Bellamy’s grand house.I glance over at Daniela, who is watching me from the kitchen island, her eyes bright with interest.

She smiles at me and I can’t help but smile back.We may be standing on dangerous grounds with threats looming over us, but here in my kitchen, everything feels right.

When the macaroni and cheese is golden brown on top and bubbling at the edges, I take it out of the oven and set it on a trivet.“All right,” I say, turning to Daniela with a proud grin, “it’s not gourmet, but it’s hearty and full of love.Just like my Nana Bellamy used to make.”

Daniela smiles back at me, her eyes sparkling.“I can’t remember the last time I had homemade mac and cheese.”

I dish up two hefty portions onto plates.We sit down at the kitchen island and dig in.The cheese is gooey and creamy, the pasta cooked to perfection, and the breadcrumb topping adds just the right amount of crunch.

“Wow,” Daniela says after taking her first bite.“This is incredible.”

I grin.It’s one thing to have an ordinary person compliment your food, but to receive praise from someone like Daniela who’s studying to become a professional chef?That means a lot.

I rise.“I almost forgot.”I grab a bottle of Prosecco—which actually goes really well with mac and cheese—and open it.I pour two flutes and hand one to Daniela.

“To the end of your marriage,” I say.

She laughs.“That marriage saved me.”

“I know.But Vinnie is now free to marry his true love, my sister, and you…”

I stop.I’m not sure what to say.