There was a slight, confused head tilt at Elijah’s assumption of … love? Love was for lovers, and maybe lucky and well-off nupitals. Marriage was for business.

But he supposed the premise of love was more … palatable, than the truth. Or this risotto. Had it always been this bad? He was typically well into his glasses before the plates hit the table.

“I hope so,” he said with a polite smile. “We are two people who need each other, and sometimes that is enough.”

And then Elijah spoke again. And Zechariah wished he could marry for love but that was over a century away.

When Elijah offered to cook for him … it sounded strangely, well, domestic. Damn himself for misconstruing every word he spoke for something Zechariah wanted, rather than what was there.

“I would love that,” he said sincerely, oblivious to Elijah’s level of frugality, then took a bite and swallowed. “Absolutely love that.”

Surely it would be better than boiled rice and vegetables.