I seated them at the table and served the food. Jimi was asleep, and I didn’t want to wake him for dinner—I preferred letting him rest. Aster showered the meal with praise.

“If this is just the starter, I can’t even imagine dessert,” he teased, winking again.

“I told you there wouldn’t be dessert,” I reminded him.

Simone laughed and added:

“Then eat slowly, Aster. Manu cooks well, but I’m not chasing her for seconds.”

He smiled at her in a way that confirmed everything I ...