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I nod, and he smiles.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lita
Thedownsideoftalkingto Orion is going back to work after and being teased about it mercilessly. I tell everyone it was nothing, but it feels like I’m walking on air just a little, and I’m sure Cora has noticed.
She teases the most, but she also asks me to be careful.
She doesn’t want me to get hurt.
I tell her it’s not like that, but I don’t think she believes me.
I'm not sure if I do, either. I can't seem to make my mind up about Orion.
He seems nice, but there's something about the way he's been with me that feels a little off.
I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because he doesn't behave like I expect, or maybe he's only pretending to be sweet.
All I know is, I’m glad Alina’s in the dining room for most of the rest of the afternoon.
She seems to have missed the whole thing with Orion, or if she heard about it, she isn’t commenting, which is about the only reason I’m happy she’s in this odd mood.
It feels like she’s avoiding me. That there’s something she doesn’t want me to know.
As much as I want to know what actually happened last night, I know better than to push.
Alina will tell me what’s wrong once she’s resolved her feelings about it.
In the meantime, I should probably assume nothing, and try to forget about those weird, sexy dreams.
Dreams usually drift away. I just need to let go of that fantasy and that’s what will happen.
I guess if they didn’t fade like that, they would feel too much like memories.
I’m still thinking about it while I dry the dishes Cora is washing.
The last of the dinners were served a little while ago, but I don’t realize we’re done for the night until Cora puts the last plate on the drying rack and drains the sink.
I blink at her, and she signs, “Finally!”
I finish up drying and putting the dishes away for tomorrow.
Astor and Alina come into the kitchen and toss the cloths they used to clean the tables into the laundry basket. Emily’s already by the back door, jacket on.
Cora’s just taking her apron off.
I close the cupboard and untie my apron, glad that it’s finally time to go home.
Alina tells Emily to lock the back door. Everyone’s already forgotten the new routine we established last night, to make sure we were being as safe as possible under the circumstances, while Alina and I are the only ones who know our Alpha has stopped bothering to keep up the rituals that protect our town from monsters.
I hang up my apron, grab my jacket and follow Alina and the others out of the kitchen.
I switch off the lights as we leave, plunging the room into darkness.
The dining room lights are at this end, too, so I wait by the switch for the others to get to the exit into the hall before I flip that switch. The hall light guides me as they filter out of the room, Astor holding the door for me. The hallway is a pretty small area that doesn’t really have much of a purpose.
Cora has her hand on the light switch by the door as the rest of us filter out of the building.
