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“Yeah, it really is,” I say.
He smiles back while dropping one of the tablecloths on the table next to us before he shifts the other one in his arms and holds out one side of the long white fabric to me. I take it silently. It flutters in the air as we spread it wide before draping it over the first table. Then we grab the second one and do the same.
“About the car,” Lionel begins as we smoothen out the creases. “I think I’ve found a good spot for it outside, but I want to know what you think.”
“Great,” I reply.
At least he’s contributing something.
After brushing my hands over the soft linen one more time, I straighten and pull out my phone. From across the table, Lionel blinks at me in surprise as I type a quick text and send it.
Me: Going outside to decide a location for the car.
The reply comes back almost immediately.
Jace Hunter: And giving me a heads-up instead of just sneaking off? Wow. Now I really am impressed, little demon. I was just going to make you dinner tonight, but now I think I’ll throw in dessert too.
An absolutely ridiculous grin spreads across my mouth. But I don’t care, because there’s a sparkling warmth filling my chest. Still smiling like an idiot, I slip my phone back into my pocket.
“What was that all about?” Lionel asks.
A jolt shoots through me because I had almost forgotten that he was here. Clearing my throat, I quickly wipe the grin from my face and instead lift my shoulders in a casual shrug.
“I was just giving Jace a heads-up that we’re going outside so that he can follow,” I reply while we start towards the door.
Lionel’s expression immediately darkens with annoyance. “Does he always have to follow you around like a shadow? It makes it very difficult to have any actual conversations with you when he is always standing a step away, glaring at me as if he’s planning to murder me.”
Amusement ripples through me at the mental image. Because that is exactly what Jace looks like whenever Lionel tries to get me alone.
But the emotion is quickly followed by a flicker of frustration. I didn’t want to have this conversation right now, and certainly not here, but it looks like it needs to be said.
Softening my features, I glance over to meet Lionel’s eyes as we continue towards the door. “Look, I’m sorry if I’ve been sending mixed signals.”
I know that I haven’t, and I know that I have nothing to apologize for, but I phrase it like that anyway because most men truly have such incredibly fragile egos.
“But I’m not really looking for a relationship right now,” I finish gently, and give him an apologetic smile.
His cheeks flush a deep shade of red. “Oh. No, it’s not… I’m not…”
He fumbles when he tries to open the door, and it takes two more tries for him to grab the handle and push it down. While stepping outside, he frantically waves his hand several times in the air, as if telling me to disregard his words and actions.
I just watch him with my eyebrows raised as I step out into the darkened parking lot beside him.
“That’s not what…” he begins before trailing off again, his cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. “I wasn’t trying to imply…” Straightening his spine, he clears his throat and seems to compose himself. Then he gives me a smile. “It’s alright.”
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say to that. Of course it’s alright. I have no obligation to date him or to indulge his attempts at flirting. I don’t owe him anything.
So what I end up saying is simply, “Good.”
He winces, as if he realizes that he probably should’ve said something else. Then he quickly changes the subject instead.
“Anyway, so after the event on Friday, I was thinking that we all should go out to celebrate,” he says. “As a group, I mean. There’s a drinks-and-a-show type of place that’s supposed to be really good, and I just think it could be fun.”
“That sounds great.”
“Good. Great. I’ll… I’ll set it up.”
He flashes me a smile and then quickly moves on to talk about the car again.
