Although, to be fair, Ildaria thought now, while she’d known Jess was there if she needed anything, in truth, she had helpedJess as much if not more than Jess had helped her. Her friend had been trying to balance school, wedding plans, and constant,exhausting life mate sex with Raff during the better part of those three years, and had leaned heavily on Ildaria during thattime. But that had been fine. In fact, it had made her feel needed and useful rather than like a charity case. They’d becomereally good friends. Almost like sisters as Jess liked to claim.
Marguerite had been different, of course, Ildaria acknowledged as she turned off the water and began to wash the dishes she needed for tea and cookies. There was very little Marguerite and Julius needed in the way of help. And she and Marguerite had spent a lot of time together these last almost two months. Ildaria had come to look up to the woman, respect and like her a great deal. Still, it was hard to accept help from her. Maybe that was something she should work on, Ildaria thought pensively, and then glanced around expectantly when she heard the apartment door open.
“Okay. Walk straight backward, G.G.”
Blinking at those words in Sofia’s voice, Ildaria gave up on the dishes and wiped her hands on her jeans as she hurried aroundthe kitchen island, only to stop and gape at the men carrying in—“Is that a couch?”
G.G. was backing into her apartment carrying one end of a large faux suede sofa that looked very familiar. He was moving slowlyto avoid hitting the doors or wall with the feet, but risked a glance over his shoulder at her voice, and smiled, his mouthopening to say something.
Before he could speak though, she gasped, “That’s the couch from Marguerite’s rec room!”
“Yes, it is dear. I’ve decided to redecorate and was going to throw it out, but then I thought, why not give it to Ildaria?She can use it until she finds something she likes better.”
Marguerite’s happy trill was coming from the hallway, but Ildaria couldn’t see the woman past G.G., the couch, and Julius,who was carrying the other end.
“Isn’t that brilliant?”
Ildaria turned at Sofia’s cheerful comment to see her over by the windows, setting down the chair that matched the couch. It was a large, overstuffed recliner in the same faux suede as the couch. Mortals wouldn’t have been able to carry it by themselves, but Sofia set it down like it weighed next to nothing. That was one of the benefits of being an immortal. Increased strength, speed, and night vision came with it.
Straightening, Sofia grabbed the dish towel that had been slung over her shoulder and walked over to hand it to her.
“I saw them out my apartment window when I went to get the dish towel and ran down to offer a hand,” she explained with ashrug.
Ildaria just stared at her blankly, not sure what to say or do.
“There,” G.G. breathed with relief, drawing Ildaria’s attention to the fact that they had made it to the center of her livingroom and had set the large sofa down. Straightening now, the big man smiled, and then headed for the door, saying, “Now let’sgo get that bed.”
“Bed?” Ildaria echoed with disbelief.
“It’s the bed from your room, dear,” Marguerite said, moving past her and toward the kitchen with half a dozen grocery bagsdangling from each hand. “It’s my housewarming gift to you. I figured since I was redecorating the living room, I might aswell redecorate the guest room too. I’m growing rather tired of the rose color scheme in there. I’m thinking all in pale cream.”
“Marguerite,” Ildaria said with dismay, her gaze sliding from the groceries the woman was carrying to the furniture now filling her living room.
“It’s a gift,” Marguerite said firmly.
“But—” She shook her head helplessly, her thoughts a complete jumble. People just did not do these things in her experience.And she couldn’t accept such a generous gift.
“It’s not generous, dear,” Marguerite insisted. She’d set the grocery bags on the island. “It’s all used furniture that wouldhave ended up being given to charity or sent to the dump if they didn’t deem it acceptable.”
“Acceptable?” Ildaria asked with disbelief. “Of course they’d deem it acceptable. It’s in perfect condition.” Her gaze slidto the groceries Marguerite was now unpacking and putting away. Her refrigerator and cupboards were going to be full by thetime the woman finished. There was everything from fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, milk, meat, and a multitude of boxedand canned goods, including large sacks of sugar and flour. Shaking her head, she said pointedly, “And the groceries? I supposethey’re a housewarming gift too?”
“No. They are to aid you in your efforts to make G.G. fall in love with you,” Marguerite said easily, and then reminded her,“G.G. loves food. Greeting him at the door in the mornings with sweet baked goods or meals will no doubt help make him fallin love with you.”
“Marguerite,” Ildaria said with exasperation, grateful G.G. was not there to hear this.
Marguerite paused in her unpacking and met Ildaria’s gaze before saying, “I’m very fond of G.G., my dear. And I have hoped for a very long time to find him an immortal he could be a life mate to. I was very pleased when I recognized it was you. You deserve a life mate, and he . . .” Marguerite sighed and confessed, “I no more wish to watch him age and die than his mother does. It would break my heart, and I intend to do everything I can to prevent that and help you claim him. So”—she pulled a package of steaks out of one
