'What happened to you?' he demanded, evading my question. 'How did you change so much? You're better than this.'
'I've always been like this. You were just too starstruck to notice.'
I turned and left him, heading back out to our friends, making sure I neatened up my appearance in tiny increments as I walked. The alcohol was really kicking in at this point, but I was pretty sure I still managed to walk without looking obviously drunk. When I reached the group, Kayla gestured to be picked up again. I was a little hesitant, but she seemed so insistent that I handed my drink to Doug and lifted her into my arms again. Mercifully, I didn't fall over.
She studied me with those big blue eyes, and I wondered what she sensed. Something about her gaze affected me in a way that Seth's chastising hadn't. I felt bad for what I'd done. Dirty. Cheap.
'She sure does like you,' said Maddie. 'And you're great with her too. You should have kids of your own.'
I ran a hand over Kayla's fine hair, recalling the dreams Nyx had sent me while she'd stolen my energy. They'd all shown an impossible future, me with a daughter and husband. 'Can't,' I said. 'Doug would be lousy at child support.'
'Oh, be quiet,' he snapped back good-naturedly. I think he'd been drinking as much as me by now.
Seth returned just then and touched Maddie's arm, his expression grim. 'We should head off. Terry and the others will be back, and Kayla's probably getting tired.'
Maddie's face fell a little. 'Already?' It was the first time in their idyllic relationship that I'd ever seen signs of clouds.
'We need to get her back,' Seth reiterated mildly. 'And I've got a chapter to write.'
She rolled her eyes. 'Ah. Now the truth comes out.'
Interesting. Maddie had to put up with the same stuff I had.
'Stay,' Doug told her. 'I'll give you a ride.'
'Yeah, like I'd trust you behind a wheel right now.'
'Then you drive me and Kincaid home, and Mortensen can go now.'
They all finally decided that was a good idea. As Seth and Kayla were about to go, Maddie suddenly did a double-take. 'Oh! Wait. You have to give Georgina her present.'
I blinked. 'Present?'
Seth's face turned almost- almost -mischievous, though he was still clearly bothered by what had taken place in the house. 'Uh, yeah. I just got a box of advanced copies of the next Cady and O'Neill book and wondered if you wanted one.'
'I…' I stopped, unsure what to say. Maddie laughed.
'You've been the belle of the ball all night, and this is what makes you speechless?'
'Hey, it's not that easy. I mean…this is Cady and O'Neill. You know how I feel about them. I've sort of accepted that I wouldn't get to read their next installment until October. If I get it now, my whole universe will be thrown out of whack.'
'So you don't want it?' asked Seth.
'Oh, I want it. Just seems…I don't know. It feels like cheating.'
'They're in the car right now,' teased Maddie in a singsong voice. 'Sure you don't want one?'
I looked at Seth's smile, and something weird passed between us. I could hardly believe that minutes ago, we'd been fighting in the house. The looks we exchanged, the way I felt…it was almost like it used to be. I hastily turned away.
'Yes,' I groaned. 'Of course I do.'
Seth said good-bye to the rest of the bookstore gang and tried to find Casey, but she was surrounded by a throng of relatives. Giving up, he led me out of the yard to where he'd parked a block or so away. Kayla was still in my arms. None of us spoke, and it was just as well because my feelings were all tangled up. Every post-breakup interaction between us had been angry or painfully tense lately. Yet, in these last few moments, things had become almost comfortable again. Was it possible we'd ever move past this phase? Could the pain I'd gone through with him really ease up so quickly?
He unlocked the car and got the book for me. I hoped I didn't gape like a schoolgirl when I saw it. All Fools Night . The cover showed the skyline of Washington, DC, blurred like a Renoir painting and overlaid with dark indigo. All sorts of warnings about it being an advanced copy and not for sale were on it, but I paid those no heed. I didn't want to sell it. I wanted to read it. Now.
When I dragged my eyes up from the cover, Seth regarded me with happy amusement. 'I can't believe you're really that excited.'
'Why wouldn't I be? And why are you surprised? Lots of people love your books.'
He shook his head. 'Yeah…but it's still surreal to think that I can write something-create something-that affects people so strongly that they get an emotional involvement with what I've pulled from my head. And to realize that someone I know personally…knowing it affects you like that…well, like I said, surreal.'
The sweet, earnest look in his eyes was making butterflies dance in my stomach, so I hastily looked back at the cover. I almost wished we'd start fighting again. 'Seth…why…why are you doing this?'
'Giving you the book?' He was puzzled.
'No, I mean…being nice. And worrying about me back there.'
'You don't think I'm normally nice?'
I looked back up and sighed. 'You know what I mean. We've been avoiding each other since New Year's, and when we have been together, it's been disastrous. Yet, here you are bringing me this…I just don't understand it. Was it Maddie's idea?'
He stared at me for a long time, or at least it felt like it. A chill ran down my spine, and for a second, I felt disoriented, like I was in this time and another, reliving the same moment over again.
'No. I did it because hate shouldn't last forever,' he said finally, voice soft. 'Because eventually, you have to forgive. You can't just stop caring or…' He didn't finish the phrase. 'I think we'll always have a connection, no matter where we go or what we do. And if so, I'd like us to be friends.'
For the second time that night, I was speechless. There were a hundred things that would have made good responses. Telling him I agreed. Telling him I forgave him. Telling him I wanted us to be friends too. Yet, I couldn't muster those words, and I never had a chance to ponder exactly why because Kayla suddenly jerked in my arms, coming awake with wide-eyed alacrity.
'Hey,' a voice called to us. We turned.
Dante was about half a block away and walking toward us. With each step, Kayla recoiled further and further from his approach. Dante's lifetime of power-seeking and wicked deeds had left a taint on him, one that Kayla could sense the way she could sense my aura. I didn't entirely know what it felt like for her, but it couldn't be good.
'Here,' I said to Seth. 'Trade me.'
Kayla went to him eagerly, and he handed over the book just as Dante reached us. He put an arm around me and kissed my cheek. 'Got your message and thought I'd come by. Hey,' he said, by way of greeting to Seth.
Seth nodded back, and whatever fragile companionship he and I had been rebuilding disappeared. Eager to distract, I employed the conversational gift I allegedly had.
'Seth was leaving and just had to get this book for me.' I held it up as explanation. 'How was work?'
Dante kept his arm around me in a way that was almost proprietary. He'd always regarded my past with Seth nonchalantly, but I think me being so deeply involved with someone bothered him sometimes. His eyes lighted on Kayla for a moment. She was trying so hard to keep away from him that she was practically crawling off Seth. Mortal magic and abilities varied considerably, but I imagined Dante must be able to sense her too. A ghost of a smile crossed his lips, and then he turned his attention back to me.
'Slow, as usual. I did get a couple of high teens wanting Tarot.'
'Oh, lord. Your favorite kind of teens.'
'Yup. Never questioned the price. I don't even know if they comprehended the fortune, to be honest.'
'You didn't tell them about tree frogs, did you?'
'Tree frogs?' asked Seth.
'Yeah, Dante had these kids on acid come in once, and as part of their reading, he told them to beware of tree frogs.'
