The two men were constantly talking, and she was in her own little world. While she wanted to tell herself that she didn't care, she certainly did. Laurel was severely interested in Nathan, and she even had a moment where she wanted to hope that maybe he had left his intended.
Nancy was not for him. She was kind of a horrible woman, and Laurel was sure that there had to be some kind of mistake. When she had heard that the two were fated together, she had been so sad. She really liked Nathan and wanted to be part of his life. Then, she had met Nancy, and none of it had made sense at all.Why in the world would fate want the two of them to be together?
How badly she wanted to ask if he was still with her. She knew that it was silly to hope, but she couldn't help it. Laurel wanted to be Nathan’s mate. She was so convinced that it was what was supposed to happen. If they weren't fated to be together, why did he awaken her when nobody else in her twenty-three years of life had managed to do that?
“Laurel, you're pretty quiet this evening. I don't think you've been this quiet since you got back.” It was her mother asking and she had this weird look on her face, like she knew what Laurel was thinking.
Lauren and her mother had never been all that close, they didn't have anything in common, but right then, she felt like they did. She felt like her mother knew exactly what Laurel was going through. She doubted that she did, of course, but Laurel liked to believe for a moment that there was a connection.
It was silly that she was still looking for a connection, knowing that the two did not share any DNA.
It was still there, though, the want and desire to be where she was supposed to be. Laurel knew that it wasn't in Brighton. She didn't know if it was in London, either, but she really wanted to believe that it was with Nathan. He was the man of her dreams, before she even started dreaming.
“It's just been a long day. Work was exhausting, and I'm just trying to get over the fact that Nathan is here. He didn't tell me he was coming, so I am still quite surprised to see him. Good surprise, though.” She sent a smile his way.
Now her father looked at her in the same strange way and she knew for certain that she had been had. The only thing that Laurel could hope for, was the fact that he had not noticed. If he didn't notice, then how could it really matter?
*
Dinner seemed to drag on for an eternity. She tried not to seem impatient, but she was. Every second they took, just made it longer that she had to wait to ask him the questions that really mattered. She wanted to know why he was there. Laurel wanted him to tell her that he was there for something more than Mallory. She wanted him to be there for himself, not for Mallory.
It was silly, of course, knowing that he was promised to somebody else, but she still held out hope that he would come to his senses, or whatever fate had dealt him would change. Laurel couldn’t be sure of any of it, until she had a discussion with him. It was a discussion that she certainly couldn't have in front of her parents. They didn't know about shifters, and they certainly didn't know about dragons. Laurel just needed to make sure that it stayed that way. They would most likely think that she had lost her mind and try to put her into some kind of an insane asylum or something, anyway. She shivered at that thought.
Laurel excused herself, and Nathan followed her outside. “I guess being away from the Academy helps to relieve stress.” He said and he had a relaxed look on his face and a smile that was readily on his lips.
It was the most relaxed she had seen him in a while, and she made a comment about it, “I don't think I have seen you so calm in a very long time. Has Vincent been putting too much pressure on you?”
He shook his head. “It's nothing like that. I probably shouldn't say.” That had her intrigued, and she wanted to know what he meant by that. “Well, as you know, my mate is hard to be around.”
She heard herself chuckle. It was probably the wrong reaction, but it was also an understatement. A pretty big one. Nancy was kind of a mess and she knew for certain that she didn't want to be around her if she didn’t have to be. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like to be married to someone like that. She could believe that it wouldn't be very pleasant. While Laurel had lamented that he was promised to somebody else, she really hadn't thought about what that meant for him. Now, she kind of felt bad that she'd only been thinking of herself. He was having way worse of a time with it than she was. Nathan was the one that had to marry the terror.
“Yeah, I do.” She said as she looked into his eyes.
“Well, when she's not around, I feel a whole lot lighter. I'm sure you have something to do with it as well.” He said.
“Me? How so?” Laurel asked and obviously she was confused. What did he mean by that?
He just shrugged and Laurel tried not to push it, even though it was hard not to. For a moment, it felt like he was going to say something, but then it was gone, and now she knew that she would be left to wonder.
“I always like being around you, Laurel. Ever since the first time we met.”
She was surprised that he said something like that. He never had before. They had actually started off a little rough. He had been quite rude to her, until he realized who she was and what she was at the Academy for. At first, he had been quite clear that she didn't belong, and it had been hard for her to move on from that incident. But getting to know him and being ridiculously attracted to him certainly helped. It made her want to get to know him enough to see how great of a guy he was. She could've easily stayed with the first opinion, but it would have been wrong.
She scoffed. “You definitely did not like being around me at first. You yelled at me when we first met, remember?”
He had the good sense to look a little guilty. He really had been a jerk to her in the beginning, but Laurel had persevered, and it had all worked out. If only she wasn't made to leave. Then, she could have possibly seen what her life was truly supposed to be like. Even now, she still fantasized about the man in front of her. She wanted him in the worst way but knew that she could never have him. It was rather hard to deal with.
“I remember. I was just flustered with everything I was feeling. You probably know now how much of a no-no it is for my kind to want your kind.”
It took her a minute to process his words, and then she realized what he had said. That he wanted her. Just like that, so simply. How long had she been waiting for that very thing to be said to her?
“So, you wanted me, huh?”
“Of course I do.” Nathan pressed.
She noted that it was present tense, not past tense. Laurel didn't know why, but it made her smile from head to toe. It was good to know the man she had admired for so long had similar feelings for her. It was challenging to want somebody as badly as she wanted him, and not be able to properly show it. It really had killed her.
“Well, too bad you’re already taken.”
