Page 47 of Recipe for a Curse

I let him go and headed to the dresser to find clothes for the day. I had food to make, including sticky buns. When I turned back, Rio was still there, standing in the same spot as though frozen.

“Rio?” I asked.

“No one cared before,” he whispered. “It was always too much.”

“What about your family?” I asked.

He shook his head, gaze focused on me.

“Well fuck them,” I said. I knew all about family abandonment. “We make our own family. And here at the manor we have a nice one. Zach never said you had to go, right?”

“No. He wants me to stay. But wants you safe too.”

“I am safe.”

We stared a moment longer, both of us stopped, me wondering what else to do for him to show him he was wanted here, not a burden, even with his curse. I said, “You know the manor used to be cursed? Zach broke it when he fell in love with Sean. Maybe your curse has an out clause like that.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

I shrugged. “Your curse just means you need to eat.” I pointed to myself. “I am a chef who loves to feed people. Can’t think of a better match myself. I mean, so you get a little hairy sometimes. I’m finding I’m not all that turned off by hair.”