Dad couldn’t pull into the driveway fast enough for me. As soon as he parked, I had my door open.
“Thanks for breakfast.” I quickly moved toward my car.
“Thank you for joining us,” Mom said as Dad helped her from the back.
“Will you come back tomorrow?” he asked.
I hesitated. My love for my parents was absolute, but that didn’t stop how much it hurt me to be around them.
“I’ll be here.”
I closed the door before either of them could say anything more. As I backed out of the driveway, they waved. I returned the gesture and wondered what I was going to do.
Mom couldn’t stay in Uttira until the baby was born. Especially not with Dad. It wasn’t safe for him. Yet, I knew she wouldn’t leave thanks to my issues. Where did that put me? Starved, friendless, smothered, and as frustrated as Hades. That’s where.
Feeling very fury-angry, I hit my steering wheel.
While I couldn’t do anything about Mom just yet, I could do something about being friendless. I headed into town and parked in front of the restaurant Mom and I had tried dining at when she’d first arrived. Given the still early hour, there weren’t many patrons, which was perfect for what I needed. I sent a quick text to Tegan, equally hoping he would and wouldn’t respond.
Me: If you’re not busy, would you be willing to meet me at The Happy Table?
Tegan: I’m on my way.
My stomach did an uneasy twist at his immediate reply. Almost as if Tegan had been obsessively waiting around for me, which didn’t make sense. I thought back to the day I’d met him, trying to identify what might have gone wrong. I’d been wearing regular school clothes, and Fenris had been with me. I was positive I hadn’t accidentally done anything alluring.
Yet, Fenris had been just as sure Tegan would call me after that meeting, and the druid had. Fenris had obviously seen something I hadn’t.
I was so out of my depth when it came to “normal” interactions with men and needed advice. But my pool of possible male help was extremely small. Fenris or Oanen.
They were both equally open with me, and either one would willingly give me advice regarding the opposite sex. The thought of asking Fenris about men, though, made my insides go hot and cold. Yet, if I asked Oanen, he knew me well enough to wonder why I was meeting with the druid in the first place.
I debated for only a moment before sending another text.
Me: Are you busy?
Wanting to be seated before Tegan arrived, I headed inside rather than waiting for a reply. A couple ate breakfast at one of the back tables, so I claimed a table as far away as possible. It wouldn’t keep anyone from overhearing our conversation, but I hoped it would keep the couple from staring the whole time.
My phone buzzed a moment after I picked up the menu.
Fenris: Never too busy for you. Need another brownie removal?
Me: Not today. I need your insight and maybe some advice.
Moments after sending that, my phone rang. I wrinkled my nose and glanced apologetically at the other customers before answering it.
“I’m at The Happy Table,” I said softly. “Can I just text you?”
“Nope. Advice is typically more involved, and my thumbs get tired if I have to text more than ten words in a row.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And yet you haven’t hung up on me.”
I sighed and gave in. “You were right about Tegan calling me after I gave him my number. Any guesses what he’d do if I met with him in person?”
“Depends on why he thinks you’re meeting with him.”
“Instead of hiring a druid to locate Ashlyn, Adira hired one to track me, Fenris. They aren’t taking Ashlyn’s search seriously, but I will. I’m going to ask Tegan for his help.” I didn’t elaborate how.
Fenris was quiet for a moment. “He’s going to treat it like it’s a date.”
My stomach pitched.
“What do I do?”
“Go along with it. By the time he pays the bill, you’ll have him—”
“If you say eating out of my hand, I’m not hugging you ever again.”
“I would never. I was going to say, you’ll have him convinced he should help you.”
I stared at the menu for a morose moment. While Fenris kept his tone light and playful, we both knew getting my way with Tegan would be anything but that.
“He’ll be like Eugene, won’t he?” I asked.
“Probably.” Pity weighed that word, and I closed my eyes against it.
“How soon are you meeting him?” he asked.
“As soon as he gets here.”
The door opened just then, and Tegan walked in as if my comment had conjured him. Even though he was barely four years older than me, his presence commanded attention where mine begged to be ignored. I could only hope his strength of will would protect him.
“Igottago,” I murmured to Fenris, hanging up just before Tegan spotted me.
He smiled, his hazel-green eyes lighting with pleasure as he approached the table.
“Eliana, it’s nice to see you again.” Looking completely at ease and not at all enthralled, he joined me. “I wasn’t sure you’d take me up on my offer.”
“I was hoping Anne would text me so I wouldn’t need to, but she must be pretty busy out there in the wilderness. Where did you say they were camping again?” I didn’t care if I was being obvious. I wanted the information as fast as possible so he wouldn’t read into this meeting any more than he already had.
Tegan chuckled. “I didn’t say. Just like you didn’t say why you’re so desperate to find them.”
“I need their help.”
He leaned forward slightly in his chair.
“And I’m here offering to help you instead.”
I studied him for a quiet moment, trying to figure him out.
“Do you know what I am?” I asked, finally.
“Yes.”
Before I could say more, the waitress came over for our drink order. Tegan ordered wine for both of us.
“I’d prefer water,” I said.
“Are you sure?” Tegan asked. “Wine is more fitting for what you are, isn’t it?”
Annoyed, I cut him a sharp look and saw the dark powder he’d added to his eyebrows. Seeing the blatant evidence of my slipping control and his attempt to look more appealing, I took a calming breath.
“What I am is a sleep-deprived woman at nine o’clock in the morning. I’ll have water and a lot less judgment.”
The waitress hurried away, and Tegan chuckled again in the face of my annoyance.
“There’s no need to be angry. After the uncertainty I saw on your face when you asked if I knew what you were, the drink was only meant to reassure you that I do know and am familiar with some of your kind. However, no two people are ever alike, and I apologize for guessing your preference incorrectly.”
The words were right. The look of remorse was there in his eyes. Yet, the whole thing rubbed me wrong. Probably because I didn’t want to be there at all.
“My anger isn’t unwarranted. This meeting wouldn’t be necessary if your sister would stop ignoring me. And although I appreciate your offer to help, I don’t know you or understand the motivation behind your offer. So I respectfully decline and reiterate that I’d rather continue to work with your sister.”