Chapter 10
Zhen
One ward painting session later, I showed Jo Jo where the guest room and everything was, let him settle in for a minute.
I texted Kris on the way back down the stairs, asking if there was anything she needed me to do and when she’d be home.
She had thrown stuff into the crockpot this morning before leaving, which turned out to be stroganoff meatballs after a quick peek.
She answered: On my way get boiling paste water
One hundred percent that was voice dictated. I laughed, translating her message no problem. Start boiling water for the pasta.
Jo Jo found me in the kitchen and slung himself onto a barstool. He looked around, taking in the cream-colored kitchen cabinets, the white quartz tops, the deep, almost navy blue on the walls, and let out a whistle.
“Damn, Zhen. Since when you got an eye for design?”
I snorted. “Since never. My wife picked all this out.”
“She’s good. Every room of this house looks magazine worthy.”
“It really does.” My chest puffed out because I was a proud husband. “She didn’t arbitrarily pick things out, either. She always presented me with three options. I like how she handled it, because I got to choose something I liked, too.”
It had also been a very educational experience. Thought you knew someone? Try knob shopping with them. You learned a lot about them in a hurry.
“From what I’ve heard, you two really do work well together, which surprises me. You barely knew her before you got bonded.”
“Trust me, I feel my luck. Two things help us. First, we’re both the type to pull together and form a team when shit goes down. That helps oodles. Second, we both communicate. We’ll talk it through rather than fight about it.”
“Ah, yeah, I can see how that makes the difference. How’s the bond these days, anyway?”
“Still a little bitch, but it’s letting up. Kris and I can go most of the day apart now, which is awesome compared to before. I’m the teeniest bit antsy right now because she’s been separated from me for hours, but I also know she’ll be home soon so I’m able to manage the side effects.”
I’d need to touch her the second she came in the house. The bond was being uppity today and demanding contact. But that was no hardship on my part. Touching Kris was always a pleasure.
Jo Jo tapped a finger against the countertop, expression thoughtful. “It’s interesting how acceptance of the bond was so essential in getting it to calm down. I feel like that’s a huge hint.”
“Me too, but we haven’t given up on dissolving it yet. We’re just taking it a day at a time.”
Jo Jo breathed in deeply. “Man, tell me that’s dinner, ’cause the smell’s killing me.”
“It is indeed. Kris has made this recipe before, and I’m telling you now, if you’re wearing a belt? Take it off. You’re about to have three helpings.”
Jo Jo cackled. He possessed a ridiculously high metabolism.
He could—and had—eaten twelve plates in one setting.
Granted, we’d come off a two-day hunt with limited rations.
In snow. So he’d earned all the food by then.
Still, you could feed this man four thousand calories in a day and he’d burn it off by morning.
He also wasn’t the type to build muscley muscles; his build didn’t work that way.
The man was insanely strong and had stamina for days, but you’d never guess as much by looking at his frame.
Just another example of how bodies did their own thing and we were along for the ride.
“Can’t wait for it to be finished, then.” Jo Jo looked around again, like he was trying to see into the shadows themselves. “I don’t see any huodou?”
I’d accidentally let that slip earlier, so boo, no reaction video. “There’s at least one in the house at all times. They take turns keeping our cats company.”
“Oh. Really?”
“Yup. They love the cats. The rest usually follow Kris around, though.”
“Huh. Interesting.” He leveled me with a look. “Changing topics, it disturbs me your wife wants to know my full name.”
I laughed loudly, setting the large pot of water on the stove top and turning the gas on. Pasta water started: check. Turning, I maneuvered so I could comfortably lean against the island and talk to Jo Jo.
“I promise she won’t use the information for evil.”
Jo Jo sighed. “I should bite the bullet and legally change my name.”
My friend’s parents were free spirits, which had applied to naming their children, too. Jo Jo had hated his name even as a kid. The sad thing was, his siblings’ names were arguably worse.
Kris had to know his legal name in order to do paperwork for the socials.
She’d been adamant a bank account had to be linked, one everyone had access to, so legal names were a must. The group socials were new for sure but already generating income, and I could see how it would only pick up speed from here.
Although it did bring up a good point. “Why haven’t you changed your name?”
He shrugged. “I can’t find two Jo-type names I want to string together.”
“Why would you need two? I’ve heard people with just one Jo-type name go by Jo Jo. Jordan, for instance, or Josie.”
His mouth formed an O. Then his eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Dumbass. You’ve seriously been overthinking it.”
“Clearly! This is great, though. Oooh, I wonder if Kris would help me with the paperwork.”
“Why don’t you do your own paperwork?”
“You trust me? Me?”
Eh, based on past experience of lost passport forms, maybe not. “Well, I guess you could ask.”
The back door opened and in sailed Kris through the mud room, perfectly visible from where I stood. She kicked off work shoes and slid into slippers, all while talking to me.
“Did you get the pasta water boiling? Sorry, I realized as I pulled into the driveway my text made no sense.”
“I translated, don’t worry.” I swooped in to give her a kiss hi.
Her eyes danced with amusement over my quick grab, but she kissed back, arms thrown around my shoulders, clearly happy with the welcome home.
Ahh, this felt so much better, having her in my arms. The bond stopped bitching, for one, but I was always happy to be with her.
Jo Jo popped up and splayed his arms wide. “Kris! Hugs!”
She laughed and went straight to him. Jo Jo was a friendly guy, and he’d been communicating with Kris a lot recently to set up the socials and keep them running. These two had become bosom buddies as a result. I couldn’t be more ecstatic.
“Was the trip over here easy, Jo Jo? And thank you so much for coming, we were worried about what the sword would do.”
“It was easy peasy getting here; sorry I was so delayed. Took a look at the sword, too. Actually, I brought the sword here with me.”
Kris jumped back in alarm. “What, where?!”
“Storage closet in my workshop,” I answered with a shrug. “No worries. Jo Jo and I painted a quick ward on the floor, and he’s got the sword in one of Meemaw’s warded bags, so it’s nice and protected right now.”
Kris still looked slightly alarmed. “Err, if you say so. Um, so do you know what’s wrong with it?”
“Best guess is curse was placed by a jealous SOB who wanted it for himself. It’s a fairly new curse, about twenty years old. I’ll study it a bit, make sure I can break the curse without damaging the sword. Then it should be fine to hand back to Jasha.” Jo Jo shot her a cheerful smile. “No worries.”
“That’s a relief, as Jasha loves that sword. Okay, boys, let me change into comfies, then I’ll finish dinner. Over dinner, I’ve got quite the wild story to tell you both.”
My spidey sense tingled. “Wait, is this the follow-up to the divorce case?”
“It ’tis indeed.” My wife’s grin was downright mischievous.
“Ohhhh, I can’t wait to hear this.”
Kris darted up the stairs and Jo Jo looked confused.
“Divorce? I thought she worked with Grandma at her ghost matchmaking office.”
“She does.” I gave it a second because Jo Jo was no slouch in the thinking department.
His eyes flew wide, mouth dangling. “Wait, ghosts can get divorced?! Oh god, do I ever want this story.”
“Let me catch you up while we’re waiting on her, then, that way she can give us both the update.” I proceeded to do the deed, and Jo Jo listened attentively, groaning in a few places.
“I cannot believe people sometimes. Can you imagine going to your older brother and saying, ‘Hey man, I want to marry your wife, can you divorce her for me?’”
“Yu, gentle-natured as he is, would absolutely reach for the first butcher knife on hand.”
Jo Jo groaned again, a laugh mixed in. “So would mine. The audacity, man. If their new marriage lasts more than six months, I’ll kiss a good man’s ass.”
I snorted. “For real. I’m amazed the parents are supporting them ’cause it’s still cheating, no other word for it.”
I could guess why, though. If they loved their daughter-in-law and the younger brother was whispering promises of grandchildren in their ear, of course the parents would be gung-ho.
But still. “There’s so many people in the world, why do people insist on fishing out of the same pond when there’s a whole ocean available? ”
Jo Jo shook his head, messy fringe swinging with the movement. “No idea, man. No idea. I frankly find the idea of getting it on with my brother’s wife to be icky.”
A shiver raced down my spine. “So icky.”
Don’t get me wrong, Charlotte was a very pretty woman, but I could never look at my sister-in-law that way.
I just couldn’t. I mean, Kris was downright ravishing, that was part of it, but I couldn’t wrap my head around looking at my wife’s sister and thinking of getting it on with her. What was wrong with people?
Kris popped back in wearing basketball shorts and one of my shirts. She liked stealing my shirts for some reason, but I liked seeing her in my clothes so I had no complaints. “Jo Jo, before I forget to ask again, what’s your full legal name?”
Jo Jo glared at me, his stare promising death and dismemberment. I, however, had a whole island between us. I dared. “Journey Jovi.”
“You bastard!” Jo Jo reached for me, intent on violence.