My smile is tight when I give her a short, “Thanks, but I’m good.”
“Oh, okay.” There’s a touch of sadness in her eyes that makes me feel worse than I already do, and that’s saying something. “I’m here if you change your mind.”
She drifts to the other side of the room, where my parents are, and they start chatting. I’m feeling awkward, not knowing what to do with myself and considering just going back to my room and calling it a night, when a plate appears in front of me.
I jerk my attention to the side to find Becks standing there, holding a dish piled high with the dinner I missed.
“I saved you a plate,” he says, an easy smile on his face.
The gesture is so sweet and caring, I have to remind myself of what I overheard to stay grounded.
Glancing away, I tuck my hair behind my ears, my body a riotous jumble of contradicting emotions.
I’ve never wanted to kiss someone at the same time as punch them before.
“Thanks, but, um, I’m not hungry.”
“Oh,” Becks says, and I hear the disappointment in just that one word. “Well, no problem. I can cover it and throw it in the fridge for when you are.”
“Sure, whatever, thanks.”
I thought I could handle this, but I can’t.
I start to turn away, planning to flee, but Becks catches my hand before I get a full step. The fact that he’s showing physical affection in front of others is enough of a shock to stop me. I glance down at our entangled fingers and then up at his face. His gaze is searching, concerned.
“Is everything all right?”
Behind him, I catch Locklyn zero in on our clasped hands while my parents are talking. The frown that appears on her face says everything.
I tug free, refusing to meet Becks’ gaze.
“I’m fine. I’m just still feeling kind of tired.”
“Are you sure?” he asks, and his concern, or pretense of concern, because I no longer know what’s genuine or not with him, spikes my anger.
“I said I was fine,” I snap, finally looking up at him.
His brow bunches when he catches the fire in my eyes. He’s about to say something else when Talon comes jogging down the stairs, interrupting us.
“Oh good, we’re all here,” he says.
Becks glances over at Talon, and I both miss the weight of his stare, and at the same time I’m relieved his attention is elsewhere. This riotous mix of emotions swirling inside me is confusing.
While he’s distracted, I slip around Becks and head toward the stairs Talon just descended.
“Haven, wait up,” Talon says before I slide past him. “I was hoping to talk to everyone. Do you mind staying down here for a bit longer?”
“Oh, sure.” Turning around, I follow him back into the living room and take a seat in the sofa chair next to the fire, a deliberate choice as Becks can’t sit next to me, even as my gaze tracks him as he puts away the dinner plate and joins the rest of us. There’s a seat available on the couch, but instead, Becks leans against the wall next to where I’m sitting.
If this is just a fling, why does he have to be so attentive?
“What’s up?” Becks asks, crossing his arms over his chest and making his biceps bulge distractingly.
Talon glances at Locklyn, who just stares back at him quizzically before he addresses the group. “I have an idea. It’s a little out there. But I want you guys to keep an open mind.”
I lean forward, curious about what he’s going to say.
“We all agree that what we’re lacking right now is information, right?”
