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“Some might say that.” As vague as ever.
“I’ve seen you at the bar twice now. And the hospital that day.”
He nods. “The bar is the exception. It’s my home away from home. I like it there,” he adds. “Comfortable.”
“Is that a rarity for you?”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t you feel comfortable?”
He taps his palm on the soft leather for a moment, considering his answer. “I guess… because I won’t allow myself to be.”
I didn’t expect that answer. And by the way the tiniest divot forms in his forehead, he didn’t either. I take the opportunity to ask more questions just in case he’s suddenly in the mood to share. “And the hospital. Do you go there a lot?”
“No. The person I was visiting passed away.”
The air weighs heavily, and I’m instantly sorry I asked. I should’ve known better. Me, of all people.
“And you? Are you still poking people with sugar sticks?” His eyes roam over my choice of outfit.
“Well, actually, tonight, this”—I gesture to my candy striper uniform—“was more of a fashion choice. But no. Believe it or not, I was just too successful at cheering people up, and the hospital was losing business, so they got rid of me.” I giggle.
“I actually have no trouble believing that you would be very good at that, Luna.”
He offers the compliment so casually that it almost doesn’t register. But when it does, my cheeks are already burning hot.
Deflect time. “Have you always lived in London?”
A fond smile stretches his lips. “Pretty much my whole life. You?”
“I’ve actually only been here for just over a month.”
“Where are you originally from?”
“Now that is a story that will take longer to tell than we have. I’m from everywhere and anywhere. But before I came here, I was in Edinburgh for about three months. And before that, I was in Sicily over the summer.”
“A traveler. I can’t say that I’m not a little jealous. And where to next? And when?”
I sigh, throwing my hands up in the air. “You know what? I actually don’t know. What do you suggest?”
He rests his elbow on the arm of the couch, his head leaning on his fist. “Well, that all depends on what you’re looking for.”
“Some peace and quiet.”
“Then I definitely suggest you go somewhere where you are not.”
I can’t help laughing at that. “Touché. Although, you say that as though I might have been the problem, but I vaguely remember you being in all those same places where you like to so fondly recall that I was supposedly causing trouble. Maybeyouare actually the common denominator.”
His eyes heat up with a wry expression. “At first, I thought that was pure coincidence. But maybe I’ve just been assigned to be your personal protector.”
“Then the world owes you a big thanks for keeping me around.”
“You know what, I’m actually not so sure the world agrees.”
I give him a poke. “Hey! Fine, then I at least owe you a thanks.”
He raises an eyebrow, reaches for his cup of tea, and lifts it to his mouth.
