Now was not the time to be concerned with hows or likelihoods. Now was the time to gather whatever pep in our steps we could, just as Layla said. Without believing in ourselves, we were doomed already.
Layla said.
I smiled at seeing more of my usual friend shining through the nonsense.
She popped the final bite of Reuben into her mouth and proceeded to lick her fingers, the feathers in her hair bouncing as she did so.
I said,
But was it really?
I swallowed the lump in my throat that was interfering with my appetite and slid my half-eaten chicken salad sandwich to Brady. Without comment or question, he accepted it like he always did and dove in.
I said.
Hunt said.
Griffin and I arched our brows at him.Luckywasn’t the word I would have chosen.
Hunt answered our unasked question.
My brows lowered.
Hunt nodded, the turquoise of his sole earring swinging with the movement.
Griffin said.
Layla said.
I said.
Griffin leaned his lips to my ear and whispered in a deep, husky drawl, “We need to find time for me to help you … release that from your system.”
My core clenched at the implication, and Layla rolled her eyes.
“I’m totally jelly, not gonna lie,” she offered aloud, before adding into our private chat,
I rubbed the sore spot at the back of my neck where last night’s dart got me. Around the table, the others worried at their puncture sites too.
Brady said,
I muttered bitterly.
With a matter-of-fact grimace, Layla nodded, curled her hand around an imaginary dart, and pretended to stab the air over and again.
She raised a second similarly curled hand, jabbing upward with it.
I said,
I scanned the faces of my friends, searching for unanimous agreement.
I found it in their resolved yet uncertain stares. In their determined nods.
In more courage than we should need to have.
