Page 149 of Sins of the Father

“Then I guess we’re going to feng shui. Is there anything else you want to move around?”

“Not sure. I haven’t opened all your drawers or cabinets yet, but at some point, I’m sure I’ll alphabetize your spices and rearrange your entire kitchen.”

Amusement fills his face. “Have at it. Are you going to cook, too?”

“Yep.”

He puts his arm in a victory pose. “Bonus.” He moves closer to me on the bed.

“Okay, so what are your bad habits?” I ask.

“You know all of them. If something else pops up, you’ll have to tell me.”

“Okay, that’s fair.”

“Oh, there’s one thing.”

“What is it?”

He hesitates but finally says, “I don’t like to waste money or food. It’s an issue I have from growing up poor. It drives me crazy.”

I put my hand on his thigh. “I can understand that. These last few years, not having money to waste like I used to made me make different decisions. The old me wouldn’t have gotten what you’re saying to the extent I get it now.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’ll buy something if we need it. But I prefer to buy something of high quality and take care of it. And I don’t like going to the grocery store without a list. I look through the fridge and cabinet and try to use up what I have before buying more.”

“I’m capable of that. Lots of practice these past few years,” I chirp.

He puts his arm around me, and I snuggle into him. “I do need to ask you something.”

I tilt my head up. “What?”

He kisses my forehead. “Do you want to get a different place? We could move somewhere bigger if you wanted.”

“I love your place. It feels brand new and has great natural light. I don’t need a bigger space.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. It’s just the two of us. Besides, I don’t think either of us should be attempting to take on any more risk right now when neither of us is employed. Well, you still are, but who knows what your job search is going to look like. No need to add more stress.”

“I forgot to tell you about my meeting with the guys today.” A hint of excitement is in his voice.

I turn to him more. “What about it?”

“Ethan’s expanding his firm to Chicago. Noah, Jamison, and some other investors are buying several buildings, and Ethan asked if I was interested in heading up the new team.”

Excitement rushes through me. “Really? That’s awesome!”

Steven’s face fills with happiness. “Yeah. It sounds like a great opportunity, and I told him I wanted to bring Shira. I negotiated a higher salary for her, and Ethan offered me a percentage of the equity in the Chicago subsidiary. Over time, it could be worth a lot.”

“Wow. Are you going to take it?”

“I think so. Ethan said he’d send over a formalized offer letter for both me and Shira next week.”

I slide up on him and run my hands through his thick hair. “Congratulations. I told you that you were hot meat.”

His grin widens. “I’m hot meat?”

“Yeah. You’re like hot-and-spicy pork sausage with Carolina Reaper chillis.”

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