Page 263 of Sorrow & Strangers

“It would be easier to count the moments I didn’t think of you,” he says, taking a long sip from his glass, the ice clinking softly.

My phone pings, and I glance at the message.

Do Not Fuck

You still game for tonight?

“Fuck,” I mouth.

Summer

Can we maybe reschedule? I’m not feeling great.

The lie makes me feel icky, but I have no idea how long this ceasefire with the stranger is going to last, and I’m enjoying talking to him.

Do Not Fuck

You want soup?

Summer

No thanks.

“Little fae?”

“Sorry, I’m here.”

“You went quiet.”

Do Not Fuck

Okay, feel better.

“Sorry,” I say, clicking out of our conversation and rolling onto my side.

“What is it? Talk to me,” he says, and his voice is so gentle.

I exhale. “I canceled my plans for tonight.” It bothers me how easy it is to fall back into trust with him.

“And that bothers you?” he asks, and I hear his confusion.

“No. It bothers me that I did it so easily.” I look at my ringless finger. “That I did it because I want to spend time with you.”

We are both silent for a moment, sitting in the truth and the pain of the past, but then the stranger breaks the silence.

“Tell me about the last few months. What I missed.”

I relax a little. This I can do. This is easy.

“Well, Rafe has been seeing this kitsune female, but that might be over thanks to the miraculous reappearance of a certain phoenix, and Alice has fucked at least one new shifter.”

“Leo King?” the stranger asks, his chair creaking as he sits back, the leather groaning.

“What? Absolutely not,” I say, shocked and a little horrified at the thought. Even having seen that Leo seems into Alice, the thought of them together is odd.

He chuckles. “He’s certainly interested, from what I’ve heard.”

“Oh?” I frown.