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None of my desire died as I had assumed it would. He took a step back, nodded, and dropped onto the bench behind him. He pulled me with him. He pulled me into his arms.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have asked. I should have—”
“Hush.”
He choked on laughter. “Wow, I’ve never heard you take that tone with me.”
“Perhaps it’s best if I do it more often.”
“Careful. You’re picking a fight if you do that.”
I rested my head on his lap and turned so I could peer up at him. Around his head, the locker room lights cast a shadow over his face. “I think I can handle a fight.”
“Galanthia.”
“Xavier.”
He broke into a fit of chuckles, bowing over me and encompassing me with his warm amusement. All this time, I’d thought I was walking through a nightmare. One week without Xavier had felt like ten years. Torture like that couldn’t have possibly been compared to the shock collars the Ambersky elders had made me wear.
Pain like that stuck for a lifetime. Xavier was a calm and comforting lake on a warm summer’s night. His assistance would always be needed, but I wasn’t sure how to say those things to him without appearing to be reliant on his company.
“Avi,” I whispered as his laughter faded, “I don’t want to do anything without you anymore.”
Darkness hid his expression. “Do you mean that?”
“I mean most things I say.”
“Well, that puts a lot in perspective.”
I sat up with a sigh. “You know what I mean.”
“Actually, I think I do. I think I feel the same way.”
“Can you be certain?”
He raised my hand to his lips. “I’m certain this week was hell without you.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Leo keeps asking for you too.”
Gloom zapped my energy. “No.”
“I kept telling him not to worry about you, but he’s been relentless.”
“I can’t believe it.”
Solemn nods erupted from him. “I’m so sorry. I mean, I should apologize to my kid too. He’s been wrecked.”
“Really?”
“He misses you, Galanthia. He wants to spend time with you.”
I made a noise, or I thought I made a noise. It was hard to say when I was too busy shoving my face into his chest, begging him to take me to Leo to see him. I had missed him dearly, to the point of physical illness. Now my stomach roiled, my limbs ached, and my heart quaked to know that Leo had expressed similar feelings.
Malice whipped my chest. “Avi, howdareyou keep us apart!”
“Galanthia, I’m sorry. I just—”
