Page 22 of Sky’s Edge

And persevere.

That puffy jacket made me happy, thus, I returned my attention to opening the other packages.

In them, as ever when I got something new, were things that gave me a thrill.

As such, I persevered.

Chapter 3

Comms

Sunday evening, I lay on my couch, my feet flung over the back, my arm thrown over my eyes, and I was engaging in my new favorite pastime of feeling sorry for myself.

The only good thing that happened in the last three days was all the mega new, warm clothing I’d ordered for my trip up north had arrived (oh yes, I’d ordered more). It all fit. And I’d look fabulous while I was engaging in putting off my fiancé.

Or, fabulous for me.

I’d done some research on Tanyn Firefierce (and one could say, in the last three weeks, Mira had been busy dumping a variety of pics out there of the king doing admirable things while looking amazing doing them).

What I’d learned was: he was outdoorsy.

He skied, and I skied.

But outside that, and waltzing into a park to have a picnic, or wandering the pavements, shopping, those were the extent of what I did outside.

However, he hiked.

He climbed.

He fished.

He cycled.

He ran trails.

Although I couldn’t say I didn’t enjoy seeing the many pics of him engaged in these activities, I did none of those things.

I also had no interest in doing any of those things.

In fact, I’d had dates where the male suggested we do something like that, and I not only declined, I also made excuses to end it with them because I didn’t want some male trying to drag me onto a bike, or worse, some nature trail somewhere to look at birds or whatever.

I shuddered at the thought.

But learning this was excellent.

I knew in my soul we didn’t suit, and this was proof of it.

So all my fancy, warm gear was the fancy and warm you’d use while, say, lazing by a fire in a chilly cabin, reading. Or sitting on a balcony, drinking hot-buttered rum while watching snow fall. Not the fancy, warm gear you’d use while sitting on the back of a sled while dogs ran you through a snow-tufted forest.

However, that was the only goodness to come out of the last three days.

First, my father had not contacted me, but Mom had apologized for him no less than five times and asked me to dinner three.

I declined those invites too, sharing I’d see them after the trial, which made Mom openly anxious, and I felt bad about that, but I was nowhere near close to letting go of my grudge against Dad.

And in all that was happening, I forgot that Bash told me he had something on with his buds this weekend, but he was thrilled for me to be at his house when he returned home late that very afternoon.

I really wanted to warn him not to be thrilled, but I also didn’t want to break up with him over a comm, and I further didn’t want to give him any idea bad news was coming his way, which might mess up his weekend fun with his buds.