Page 46 of Ex Somnis

“Of course, I do.” The scoff is quiet, almost swallowed, aimed at the glass. “I just don’t see why you’d answer, after…” He trails off.

“After you kissed her while you knew she was with me?”

“Yes.” He finally looks at me. “That.”

There’s something in his expression that isn’t defiance.

Restraint.

Interesting.

“We will address that,” I say. “At an appropriate time. Right now, Lennon is in danger. That takes priority over everything else.”

“What?” He sits up and knocks his head against the car’s roof, then rubs the top of it with a pained expression. “She’s in trouble? Where is she? What can I do?”

He does care after all.

Good.

“You’re familiar with Tessa Vaughn?” I ask.

“Who isn’t?” he says, still a little breathless. “She’s been in a coma for years.”

“Not a coma.” I correct. “Tessa is stuck in her dreams. We’re pretty sure she met someone there, and that person kept her from coming back. Lennon went in after her to get her out. Or so we think.”

“Wait, what?” Nevan stares at me. “That doesn’t make sense. How would you even—” He stops himself. “You can reach someone in a dream?”

“Yes.”

At least Ridge can.

“That’s where the lucid dreaming comes in.” I glance at him. “Are you familiar with the concept?”

“Yeah.” Something shifts in his expression. “I read a book yesterday.”

Not encouraging, but not nothing.

“Ridge and I are working on a way to reach her,” I continue. “But we believe your involvement would significantly increase our chances.”

“How could I help?” He lets out a short breath. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. You can do this. Ridge can do this. I can’t. I’m not… I want to help her, but I don’t see how I wouldn’t make it worse.”

The inn comes into view, and I slow the car, pulling to a stop.

“We’ll explain everything. Teach you what you need to know.”

“I’m not as teachable as you might think.”

“You might be more important to this than you realize.” My gaze drops to my ruined cuff, and I let go of the steering wheel to get the mess out of my sight. “Do you know where I live?”

“Yeah.”

“How about you come by this evening? We can talk some more when we’re all dressed.”

“I have work.”

“The season’s almost over. The staff can manage one evening without you.”

I think about Renée, who has shown up every time I’ve needed her to without once asking for an explanation. She has covered shifts and rearranged her life around a situation I’ve never fully explained to her, and I owe a significant debt that I intend to pay properly once all of this is over, I have my life back, and the person who should be in it.