Riley jumped into action, draining the potatoes and mashing them with the ingredients he'd set out. How nice to have a helper. It allowed him time to open a can of beans and heat them up as well.
A moment later he dished up two plates of food, steaming hot and fragrant. Riley eyed the feast hungrily.
“Wine?” he asked, and she agreed with a shrug and a nod.
Russ poured two glasses of Shiraz and joined Riley at the table. “Sure you're legal?” he quipped.
She giggled and pushed on his shoulder. “Quit teasing, old man.” They both laughed, then they applied themselves to their dinner.
Riley, Russ noted, ate with intense concentration, as though every forkful of food meant so much more than mere sustenance. He sipped his wine as he watched her eat, his own food forgotten on his plate. Eat,
