Page 65 of Lured By Shadows

I shook my head sharply. He didn’t owe me kindness. He didn’t owe me anything.

Maybe I needed less sleep deprivation and more therapy.

The doorbell rang suddenly, snapping me out of the spiral. I blinked, realizing I’d been standing in front of the mirror far longer than necessary debating whether my eyeliner looked too heavy or my lip gloss too shiny. Taking a steadying breath, I squared my shoulders and headed downstairs.

When I opened the door, Oliver stood there first, all bright smiles and easy warmth. The sort that made the entire day feel better just by existing. Sienna hovered behind him, her expression carefully neutral except for the faint crease between her brows. She didn’t need to say anything for me to know I was still very much on thin ice with her.

Oliver whistled softly, his gaze sweeping over me from my hair down to the outfit I’d pulled straight from Culver’s delivery. His grin widened. “Yeah, I can see why Scarbrough likes you.”

Warmth climbed into my face instantly.

I let out a small awkward laugh, unsure how to respond without exposing myself completely.

“Thanks, Oliver,” I muttered, smoothing a hand over the front of my jacket even though it didn’t need it.

The blush wouldn’t leave, and it wasn’t even the compliment itself getting to me.

It was the implication.

Scarbrough likes you.

Because that wasn’t true. Culver didn’t like me. He was… assigned to me. Circumstances. Obligations. Invisible strings I kept tripping over.

Awesome. Time to pass away expeditiously.

I shifted just in time to catch Sienna shooting me another pointed look, unapologetic and biting. It dawned on me then that, in her mind, simply being here and participating was already put me in the wrong no matter what I actually did. Still, I straightened my shoulders and tucked my hair behind my ear, forcing myself to act normal.

“So,” I asked lightly, “what’s the plan?”

She rolled her eyes and turned toward the car. “The park, obviously.”

Sienna spoke as though she were perpetually one inconvenience away from committing a felony.

I slid into the backseat while Oliver launched into conversation, his energy filling the car like sunlight pouring through an open window. He talked about the weather and how perfect the day was supposed to be: the breeze, the clear skies, and the crisp fall chill that made everything feel alive. It was hard not to smile when he made things sound so easy to enjoy.

I watched them quietly as we drove. Sienna focused on the road, fingers tapping against the steering wheel while Oliver carried the conversation effortlessly. Their dynamic was strange in a way I didn’t want to unpack. He was open and warm. She was a black cat with jealous tendencies. Whatever existed between them clearly wasn’t my business, and I had enough chaos of my own without getting tangled in someone else’s.

As the city rolled by, I finally took it in properly, letting the narrow streets and mix of old stone and sleek modern glass settle around me. Buildings stacked like layers of history, time never quite smoothing them out completely. There was a quiet comfort in it that surprised me because England wasn’t turning out to be the dull, rainy drag I’d imagined back home. Instead, it felt worn in. Stories pressed into every brick, every stretch of ivy, every scuffed stone step. Not quite home, but not the empty place I’d braced myself for either.

Eventually, the city thinned into something greener. The car slowed as we pulled up beside the park, a wide-open stretch framed by tall trees and packed with people enjoying the day. Kids ran freely across the grass, couples sprawled across picnic blankets, and sunlight skimmed across the lake in bright silver flashes that looked almost unreal.

It was the sort of place that made you want to shut your brain off for a while and just exist.

The doors opened, and I stepped out, drawing in a deep breath of cool air. This felt much closer to what I needed right now: sunlight, casual noise, people moving around without hidden agendas. No tense conversations humming beneath every sentence. No stares pinning me in place as though I was under a microscope.

For once, I just wanted to feel normal again.

“Whoa,” I murmured, squinting slightly as we stepped into the late-morning sun. The park stretched out before us, rolling green grass still damp with dew, the lake wide and reflective, pulling soft blues and silvers straight from the sky. I pulled my phone out without thinking, angling it until the light hit just right. A couple of photos. A boomerang of the trees swaying. One quick selfie.

“This place is unreal,” I added, already slipping into work mode. “Might even be able to film a dance video if the vibe stays like this.”

Oliver glanced over at me while juggling a blanket and a small basket, clearly impressed.

“Do you post on Wiggle?” he asked, trying not to sound too curious.

I laughed softly, still a little groggy but proud. “Yeah, all the time. You have it?”

He gave me a look as though I’d just insulted him.