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She nodded to the dance floor. “Perhaps going out there would help. Shake your ass and shake your worries away.”
I thought back to the last time I was here and shook my head. “Tried that already, and it didn’t work.”
“Well you know what usually helps me?” she said.
“What’s that?”
Luna wagged her brows. “Sex.”
Just then the secret door opened, and Sebastian came walking through. I froze, mouth wide open.
He glanced between the two of us, searching for something. Finally, his gaze landed on me. “Everything okay here?”
I stood, the drink sloshing over the lip of the glass and getting my hand all wet. I shook my hand, repelling the excess liquid. “Everything’s hunky dory.”
Luna got to her feet as well, amused as all hell at my reaction to Sebastian.
I leaned over and grabbed a few napkins that the staff had left with us, wiping my hands dry.
“Everything okay with my server?” Luna asked Sebastian.
He gave a sharp nod. “I found nothing suspicious. Nothing’s been corrupted, but it does look like someone spilled Sprite on your control panel.”
Luna inhaled deeply and pinched her eyes closed. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” Sebastian wasn’t one to mince words.
She opened her eyes and set her drink down. “Dammit. I guess I need to sort out my team.” Luna hugged Sebastian and then came over and did the same with me. “Faith, it’s been lovely. I’m going to get your contact info from this guy.” She used her thumb to point behind her. “I want your opinions and don’t be afraid to be mean. I need honesty about these designs.”
“You got it, boss.”
She shot me a wink and looked pointedly between me and Sebastian. “Have fun, you two.” She exited through the same door Sebastian had come through.
The man looked positively confused. “Do I want to know what you talked about?”
I closed the distance between us. “Probably not. Lots of girl talk.”
He gave his signature sharp nod. “Right. Do you want to finish your drink? Stick around?”
I broke out into a yawn.
He chuckled deeply. “Let’s get going, Sleeping Beauty.”
“That’s not our Disney movie,” I said, heading toward the exit.
He held the door for me. “If you say so, Belle.”
NINETEEN
SEBASTIAN
We returned from the city a few days ago and got into an easy rhythm of me working and Faith retreating to the atrium. Every day she’d come and bring me a simple sandwich with chips and a salad or something equally healthy. She even tested out some vegan sandwiches, using lots of hummus, avocado, and other veggies.
I’d return the favor by dropping off a coffee around two each afternoon. Just a little jolt of caffeine to help her get through the rest of the day. Every time I entered the atrium I expected to see progress made on her collection. Every day I came in to find a blank canvas.
The dark circles underneath her eyes grew worse by the day. Her posture was more rigid. I’d bet anything the mounting pressure made it even harder for her to paint. A self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts.
There was another bright spot in our new routine: Evening walks with Willow.
