His Stand In by Rebecca K Watts

change for their date. Christian was going out of town the next day and she’d didn’t want to risk missing a moment with him before he left. The whole date thing was his idea and while he left work early to pack she still had to finish up a few things.
    She didn’t plan on being in the house long so she parked in the driveway and entered through the front door. A small Pomeranian nipped at her heels when she stepped in the foyer. The dog was purchased at Christian’s insistence a few days prior. With him being out of town he didn’t want her alone. Egypt reached down and rubbed the dog’s head. The aroma of food cooking greeted her and stopped her from entertaining their new pet.
    What was Anna, their housekeeper still doing there? Egypt had given her the day off because they’d be gone for the evening.
    She walked further into the living room and spotted lit candles in the dining room next to it.
    She stood there, staring at the set table they hadn’t used since she moved in the estate. They ate in the kitchen, in their offices, or in the living room, but the dining room had become a part of the décor. The white burning flames pulled her into a trance and into the room.
    Moving closer, she caught sight of a bucket of ice with wine in it as the center piece instead of the vase with fresh flowers Anna managed to provide. Clanking to her left drew her attention back to the kitchen and the delicious smell of food.
    “ Christian?” The food smelled so good she wasn’t sure who to expect.
    “ Get settled and have a seat, love,” he replied from the other room. “And no, you can’t come in the kitchen.”
    She paused a moment. This was another thing she had yet to experience with him. Who knew he even used the stove? She rushed upstairs and did a quick wash-up. Though she’d sat in an office all day and took a shower in the morning, it was his routine to wash again when she came home. She slipped into a summer dress though it was far from summer outside. It was spring and the high so far had been seventy-two degrees, but she wanted to be comfortable.
    When she made her way downstairs, a smiling Christian stood in the living room, his arms held out wide. “Welcome to date night.”
    He pulled out a chair for Egypt, and she took a seat. After picking up the wine glass from the setting in front of her, Christian poured her a glass of the white liquid. He handed it to her, kissed her neck, and headed back to the kitchen. A few minutes later, he returned with a covered dish. “For you, love.” He removed the top.
    She smiled at how thick he turned on the charm before glancing at the dish. Her stomach growled at the pan-seared scallops with pesto and tomatoes. “When… How?”
    “ Anna showed me. She made it her mission to teach me how to cook just in case she was sick or wanted to take a vacation day. In her words, microwave meals are not a proper dish for a man.”
    She beamed at him and the meal. Egypt took her fingers and grabbed his collar. She pulled him close and landed a big kiss on his lips. “I’m impressed.”
    He smiled at her and headed back into the kitchen. This time, he returned with his own plate of food. After taking a seat, he grabbed her hand. “Thank you for giving us a try.”
    With a million dollars on the table, who wouldn’t? She thought but her heart knew better, she would. The lopsided grin he gave her was a contrast to his square jawline but served to enhance the draw she had to him. She loved him more than any man before him. The money had nothing to do with it.
    She looked into his eyes, hoping he could see all the love she had for him reflected through hers. He was her soul mate. She felt it the moment she stepped into his office. Somewhere along the lines before him, love had gotten filed on the shelf with work, bills, and life. Once taken down and dusted off, it sparked and fired up just like new when she first laid eyes on Christian.
    His smile widened. “I love you too. Now,