"You brought yourself," Krem said. He gestured toward his couch and smiled, pulling the wine out of his pantry to uncork it and let it breathe for a moment as he settled the cake batter and slipped it into the oven, humming tunelessly to himself.

He poured them each a hearty glass of wine and stepped back toward her, smiling as he passed her one of the glasses. "Any changes on the settling front? New books you've bought? Coffee houses you particularly enjoy around town?"