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understand. Kurt wasn’t sure he did, either. Ben didn’t have to take out an advertisement in the newspaper, but shit, there were other gay men on the force. They were younger than Ben, but gay marriage had been legal for years. Why had Ben been so secretive about it, and by extension, forcing Davy into hiding as well?
“I guess I’ll go shower, then.”
     
Kurt waited until he’d left the room before starting on the groceries.
    B
Y THE time Kurt had the groceries put away and prepared omelet fixings, Davy returned, smelling of citrusy soap. Kurt smiled when he saw the worn T-shirt and jeans Davy wore. He’d been half-afraid Davy would return wearing another pair of pajamas.
    “Have a seat.” Kurt turned up the heat on the burner. “These will be ready soon. You like eggs, right? I don’t know how to make much else.”
“Eggs are fine. I can cook for myself, you know.”
     
He twisted around to stare at Davy. “Really? When was the last time you ate?”
     
“Yesterday.” A smile didn’t quite curl his lips, but the intention was there.
     
A chuckle escaped. “Before that.”
     
Davy’s amusement fell away. “I don’t remember. I like to cook. A lot. But it’s hard to do, just for me. I couldn’t be bothered.”
    “You can cook, can you?”
“Yes.”
    “Cool. How about you make me lunch tomorrow? If you can cook, you can probably whip something up with the random groceries I ordered.”
    Kurt dished up the omelets and slung them on to the table with the panache of a seasoned waiter. Like the rest of his siblings, he’d worked a number of shifts at Finn’s, but not as a cook.
    Davy poked at the eggs with his fork.
“There’s nothing wrong with them, you know.”
“Kurt, what are you doing here?”
Throat suddenly constricted, Kurt put his fork down, his own eggs
    untasted. “Ben and I worked together for three years. I trusted him with my life. I knew he had my back, and even though he didn’t seem to think so, I had his back. That includes making sure you don’t starve to death for God’s sake!”
“Ben knew you had his back. He said you were the best partner he could have hoped for after Ed died. He talked about you all the time.”
    “He never talked about you.” His previous anger swiftly morphed into regret, and tears, never far from the surface, threatened to fall. He stared down at the plate.
“I know,” Davy said softly. “That was just Ben. But I don’t want you here because you feel sorry for me.”
     
“Fuck. I don’t.” Kurt lifted his gaze again. “But you need some help. Your friends should have been here. Or your sister.”
    Davy shrugged. “My sister… well, she’s having a hard time. Her husband is stationed in Afghanistan, and she’s having a high-risk pregnancy. I didn’t want to burden her.” Davy stabbed his fork into the eggs, but didn’t take a bite.
    He’d accept that for now. He wanted Davy to eat, and this topic wasn’t helping either of their appetites. There would be time later to find out where Davy’s friends were.
    “Eat, Davy.” Hoping Davy would follow his example, Kurt stuffed a large forkful into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. “What do you do for a living?”
    “I manage drug trials for a pharmaceutical company.” “Oh, a smarty-pants, eh?”
Davy hung his head, but the compliment clearly pleased him.
“Not really.”
     
“Uh-huh. I bet you’ve got a graduate degree at the very least. In what, chemistry?”
    “Close. Biochemistry.”
“See. Smarty pants. Tell me about it.”
Davy was sufficiently distracted that he ate every last bite of his
    omelet as he talked and gradually grew more animated. But it soon became clear his professional life was as lonely as his personal one. He managed a large number of people, but had few peers. No work friends to help him.
    When they were done, Kurt cleared the table and made quick work of the dishes. “Right, well, I better get going. But I’ll be back tomorrow.”
He made sure