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Monday, February 1
It’s possible to be happy even when the world is falling apart.
Devin’s hand is on my thigh beneath the table. I shoot him a look and he smirks at me.
He enjoys teasing me.
I think it’s worse since we got engaged. We’re so close to being able to complete our mate bond, yet it feels so far away. Since his brother is insisting that we wait until after graduation, it’ll probably be late May or early June before we can get married. And waiting feels a lot like torture.
Part of me wants to defy Damian’s demands and marry Devin now. Who knows how long I have with him? If my father has his way, neither of us will be alive long enough to make it to graduation. But I refuse to go there. Devin and I have to survive this. We’re going to start a life together. I want that more than I’ve ever wanted anything before. And I want Devin’s brother to approve of our union.
Grant bangs his hands against the highchair, making an impatient noise.
Devin and I are staying at the beach house with Damian, Monica, and Grant. Until everything with King Hastings is taken care of, we’re all sticking together.
Dawson comes strolling through the front door, toward the dining room.
“Finally,” Damian says. “We were getting hungry.”
Dawson is still insisting on staying in his own place. I don’t have to read his emotions to know that he is longing to meet his mate. He wants that more than anything. Being around two happy couples all the time is too much for him to handle. So, he stays away. Not because he’s unhappy for his brothers, but because he wants it for himself.
“I was grading papers,” Dawson says, not even bothering for a better excuse.
Everybody in the room can sense that he is lying. I can feel his guilt and how anxious he is. He doesn’t want anybody to call him out on the obvious lie.
Devin starts to say something, so I put my hand on his leg under the table to distract him.
“Did I get an A?” I tease, letting him get a pass this one time.
Dawson looks at me, one eyebrow cocked. “Don’t you always? You’re my best student, even if you can hardly take your eyes off Devin during class.”
My cheeks grow warm at being called out for flirting with Devin in class. It’s not like I was trying to hide it, but I also wasn’t trying to be obvious about it.
Devin looks at me, his eyebrows furrowed. I know he is curious about what is going on with his brother. I covered up an obvious lie for him. I grab Devin’s hand, hoping he’ll be able to feel Dawson’s emotions through our linked hands.
Everybody moves to load their plates up. Monica tends to Grant, making sure his food is cut up into small pieces and cooled down before giving it to him. But Devin doesn’t move to grab food, not yet. He just studies me, his green eyes never once leaving mine. I wish I knew what he was thinking, but it’ll be quite a few more months before I’m in his head likethat.
I can feel Devin’s curiosity and I know he wants to ask me questions, but he can’t with his family sitting here. Besides, I won’t talk about this in front of Dawson. I don’t want to make him feel uncomfortable. He knows I can read his emotions, bringing up that fact would likely embarrass him.
“What about Devin? How is he doing in your class?” Damian asks.
Devin groans. “Come on, we both know how you did in high school.”
Dawson ignores Devin’s complaint. “He’s improved greatly since meeting Tori.”
I turn to Devin, grinning. “You’re welcome for forcing you to study.”
He smirks, likely because most of our ‘study’ sessions end with us making out. I lower my head, not wanting him to see that I’m embarrassed. Though, I’m certain he already knows. Devin knows me better than anybody.
Damian turns to me. “You’re not helping him cheat, are you?”
“No,” I respond, ready to stick up for Devin.
“How could she help me cheat?” Devin says bitterly. “You won’t let us complete our mate bond, so it’s not like we can mind link with one another.”
Damian doesn’t respond, probably because he’s tired of having the argument. It is a topic Devin and he fight about almost on a daily basis. And even though I agree with Devin, it’s not an argument that I allow myself to get involved in.
Monica clears her throat. “There is actually a reason I wanted everybody to come over for dinner tonight.”
