He read aloud. “‘Securely attached individuals feel comfortable with intimacy and independence. Anxiously attached individuals seek constant reassurance and fear abandonment. Avoidantly attached individuals value independence and may withdraw when relationships become too close.’”
“Which one is Sam?” Urien asked.
“How would I know? We’ve barely spoken to him.”
“You gave him forty-seven dollars for a coffee.”
“And he refused it,” Mabon muttered. “Which, according to this articleabout gift-giving in relationships, means either he has healthy boundaries, or he doesn’t trust my intentions.”
His phone buzzed. Mabon glanced at the screen and saw notifications from three different markets opening. He’d set alerts for currency fluctuations, potential investment opportunities, and companies whose stock patterns suggested they were open to acquisition. All of it felt utterly irrelevant.
Sam hadn’t called Rux and hadn’t acknowledged their gifts beyond verifying their value. He still worked at the café with that patient smile, made amazing coffee, and went home to his tiny cottage and his demanding cat.
“There has to be something,” Mabon said, opening a new search. “Some strategy that works.”
The results loaded -Be Yourself,Play Hard to Get,Show Constant Interest,Maintain Mystery,Be Completely Honest,Use Strategic Ambiguity.
Mabon closed his laptop.
“Well?” Rux prompted.
“The internet,” Mabon announced, “is useless.”
Shoving his laptop on the coffee table, Mabon said bluntly, “We need a plan.”
“We had a plan,” Rux said. “Gifts. Conversation. Showing interest.”
“That plan resulted in Sam taking our gold to the pub and not calling your number for eight days.”
“Maybe he lost the receipt.”
“He didn’t lose it.” Mabon stood, pacing the length of the study. “He made a choice not to call, which means our current approach isn’t working.”
Urien leaned against the bookshelf, arms crossed. “What are you suggesting?”
“We try different strategies. Each of us takes a different approach on Wednesday. See what gets a positive response.”
“Different how?”
Mabon pulled up the search results again, scanning through the contradictory advice. “Rux, you try the classic confidence approach. Dress well, project success and show him you’re a worthy mate…” He caught himself. “A worthy partner.”
“I can do that.” Rux straightened. “Dragons are naturally impressive.”
“Without mentioning you’re a dragon.”
“Obviously.”
“Urien, you try mystery. You can be the strong, silent type. Make him curious about you.”
Urien’s expression suggested he’d rather wrestle a feral wyvern, but he nodded.
“And you?” Rux asked.
“I’ll observe. Take notes on what works.”
“Coward.”
“Strategist.”
