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Technically, she did block it after replaying it in her mind over and over and rolling in that deodorant-ridden bed, unable to sleep. She held on to the lie and listened as he visibly relaxed, then sat beside her and dropped the work papers on the ground.
“Seriously, Charlie. You need to find a new job.”
“I will,” he promised.
“What are you waiting for?”
“The right job. The right position. Something I know I worked for and not just handed to me.”
She wanted to ask what was up with that but knew Charlie always kept his work private and away from scrutiny.
Time went by, flowing naturally. The topics shifted, one flowing into the other as if they didn’t even spend the rest of the hours apart.
“Why do I smell magnolias?”
“Because I got a bouquet for you. Here.”
The scent assaulted her senses, but it was the kind of assault that delighted her.
“Why?”
“I passed by a flower shop and recalled that flowers make you happy. Remember when you were so obsessed with jasmine and everyone you knew complained because every room smelled like jasmine?”
The delight seeped in her stomach at the random memory. She sniffed the bouquet and felt bliss.
“I remember. Your clan leader thought I was going through a Fae-related crisis. No workload today?”
“None, thank goodness. The boss is on vacation. I thought we could watch a movie. We haven’t done that in ages, so I brought my laptop.”
She glanced in his direction while he fumbled around to setup the laptop, then heaved a sigh. She felt his warmth, then sensed him stretching his arms. “Shouldn’t you be out mending things with Hayley?”
“I don’t want to force it. We will work things out.”
His confidence told her they were on their way there, and he would be back to spending less time here. She didn’t dwell on it, listening to the first scene come in as she leaned against a tree trunk. They laughed at some scenes and made fun of others. They argued over a guy’s decision, unable to agree if it was foolish or brave. She dozed at some point and felt his breath murmuring against her ear.
“Daria, sweetheart, you should sleep here. There’s plenty of space for you.”
She fought off sleepiness and yawned, then straightened. She shook her head. “I have to go.”
“Okay. I will take you home. Should we watch another movie tomorrow?”
“Sure.”
They watched another movie. They talked about nothing in particular, and he counted stars for her until they were too sleepy to count. Then the week was up, and she knew it was time to say goodbye, but she didn’t say it out loud.
“Another movie tomorrow?”
“I can’t come back.” At his pause, she added, “Tomorrow, I mean. There are lots of things to do with Yano.”
“When can you come back?”
“I’m not sure. Lots to do. I will call you. Or text you.”
She wasn’t sure about the signal and how safe it would be to translate texts to voice messages, but she would try. Daria gulped down the fire burning in her throat and smiled as widely as she could, willing herself to keep it in. To let him be. The silence had her holding her breath, suspecting thathesuspected….
“Okay. I will be free when you are.”
She let go of that breath and waved a hasty goodbye, insisting that she could go home alone and winning that argument. The years of going back-and-forth between both homes meant she had memorized every step, every shortcut, and every alternate path, and the lack of any sense of trouble in the air made the walk faster. Then she was at the warehouse where rats flourished and were controlled by her king, and she muttered a hello before accessing the portal leading to her underground, other-dimension home.
