Claudia let out a sigh and then sat back into the comfortable embrace of the chair he was currently sitting in. One positioned strategically next to the table that held the various drinks he kept in his office. It was late, well past the time he would have normally gone home; however, the scotch in his glass seemed preferable to the walk back to his apartment. It didn’t matter in the end. Whether he was here or at home, his thoughts would be the same. He’d still be fretting over Violet. He knew she didn’t really communicate back to keep them updated but the silence was maddening all the same. Especially on this longer assignment. A week was one thing, but she wasn’t even a third of the way through the whole time. Maybe he should’ve asked her to write every couple of weeks? No, she needed to be out doing her own thing. Not worrying about satiating his desire to know she was okay.

The click of the door’s handle caused him to look up, his back coming straight at the same time. Who the hell was still here? When he saw the raven hair and bright, violet eyes he slumped back in his chair. 

“You’re still here, huh?” Cattleya asked. 

Her question prompted a shrug from Claudia and he brought up a hand to show off the drink he was currently nursing. “Can’t go home without finishing this now, can I?”

She smiled then and continued into the office, shutting the door behind her. “Good point. May I ask what drove you to pour that glass? And more importantly, why you didn’t invite me?” 

For the first time today, a small smile formed on his lips and he extended his free hand to indicate the seat on the other side of the small table. “By all means.”

She nodded her thanks and then walked over before sitting and relaxing with a pleased little sigh. Afterward, her eyes dropped to appraise the selection of spirits. “Aren’t you going to pour a lady a drink?” 

“I would if there were any ladies around here.” This quip earned him a smack on the arm and a smile that matched his own. However, a moment later, Claudia sat forward and set his drink down on the table before retrieving a clean glass. “And what would the lady like this evening?”

“Whatever you’re having is fine, thank you.”

He nodded and reached over for the same decanter he’d chosen for himself earlier. He poured the caramel-colored liquid until it matched his level, about a quarter of the way full, and then handed it over. “Sorry, no ice.”

Cattleya shrugged but otherwise took the drink. “Thank you and that’s alright. A luxury we’re used to going without.” 

Her assertion brought out a grunt of agreement as he picked up his glass once more before he let his eyes wander. Mostly over the interior of his office. Neat, orderly, and cozy were all words he’d used to describe it. Luxurious even. At least when compared with a tent in the middle of a war.

“To luxury.” He finally said as he returned his eyes to her, his glass extended in her direction. 

“To luxury.” Cattleya brought hers up and clinked the two before bringing it to her lips for a sip. “Mm. Damn, Claudia. Luxury is right, you have good taste.”

“In some things, I suppose.” 

Afterward, Cattleya let the glass fall to rest in her lap and her fingernails began to tap on its side in the silence that settled between them. A silence he was perfectly content to let linger for the moment. 

“So, are you going to tell me why you’re here drinking such nice liquor all by yourself after work?”

Claudia took a deep breath and then dropped his head back slightly, his gaze moving to the ceiling. “Do you think I made the right decision by sending Violet on that assignment?”

Cattleya’s eyebrows rose moments before an “Ah…” slipped from between her lips. “So, that’s what’s on your mind. It’s been…two weeks?”

“Three.”

“Right. I should’ve known she’d be in your thoughts.”

“She isn’t in yours?”

“She is, but maybe I’m not as worried. Besides, it wasn’t like you told her she had to go. That was her decision”

He shrugged before taking another sip. “True. Though, I could’ve said ‘no’ without even telling her about it. It’s an unusual request, after all. But…” He paused then and looked down at the glass before spinning it in a way that made the liquid swirl on the inside. “She should have a choice. She should always have a choice.” 

Her expression softened then before letting out a gentle sigh. “Claudia, you can’t undo everything that happened to her.”

This caused him to take another drink, a longer pull this time before he looked back over at Cattleya. 

“No…but I can try and make sure everything that comes after is better. I can take care of her.” Couldn’t he? That was the least he could do, right? And not because Gilbert had asked him to. Not anymore. Now, he cared for Violet of his own volition wanted her to be happy because she had come to mean so much to him. 

“You don’t have to do that on your own, you know. Besides, who is going to take care of you?” 

“Me?” Claudia waived away the latter question before focusing on the former. “I know. I don’t mean to minimize what you’ve done. You’ve been just as helpful in getting Violet situated. If not more. You’re certainly my partner in this.”

Following his words, Cattleya chuckled and then shook her head lightly before dropping her gaze somewhere else. “Just in this, hmm?” 

His eyebrows knit together following the question as he tried to catch her meaning. However, before he could ask, he was surprised to see her down the remainder of the alcohol. “That’s really more for sipping…”

Cattleya placed her glass on the table with a thud before waiving the comment away. “Not right now it isn’t. Come on, bottoms up.” She rose then, and turned to him as if she was waiting for him to finish. 

“What? Where are we going?”

“I’m hungry and I know you haven’t eaten. You’re coming to my apartment and I’m going to cook dinner for us.”

He shuffled slightly in his seat and was about to protest but the hand Cattleya raised silenced him before he even had a chance to respond. There really was no arguing with her when she set her mind to something. It was frustrating at times but something he had always found admirable about her.

“Nope, no excuses. You know I’m a good cook.”

She did have a point. Her food was delicious and he was pretty hungry himself. Whatever she made would be leagues above what he could get from a street vendor on the way home. After a few moments of consideration, Claudia sighed and tilted his head back to quickly drain his glass. Afterward, he set it down and stood before stretching his back with a groan. “Fine, you win.” 

She smiled then and indicated an unopened bottle of wine among the collection. “Oh, and bring that, please. Seafood deserves a good white.”  

His eyes dropped to the bottle but he didn’t hesitate to reach down and scoop it up. “I see, you just want me for my wine.”

Apparently satisfied she had gotten her way in both things; Cattleya turned and began walking towards the door. “Perhaps. I still want your company too. In fact, I may prefer it. Now, off we go.” 

Well, there were certainly worse people to spend an evening with. Though he wouldn’t admit it aloud, he found himself heartened at the prospect of eating a good meal and letting her distract his mind from its current course. He almost felt a little guilty knowing he was about to enjoy the evening. Hopefully Violet was settling in nicely with Isabella, it would be good if she made a new friend through this experience.