“So,” I say, breaking the comfortable silence that’s settled between us. “What changed your mind about lunch?”
She takes a delicate bite of her sandwich, chewing thoughtfully before answering. “Let’s just say I had an… epiphany of sorts.”
“Sounds mysterious. Care to elaborate?”
“Perhaps later,” she deflects, but there’s a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “For now, I have a question for you.”
I lean back, spreading my arms wide. “I’m an open book, princess. Ask away.”
Her eyes narrow slightly at the nickname. The word feels different this time—less of a jab, more a habit I don’t want to break. “Why didn’t you ever consider joining an orchestra? You clearly have the talent for it.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Me? In an orchestra? Can you imagine?”
“Actually, yes,” she says, her tone serious. “Your technical skill is… impressive. With some refinement, you could easily—”
“Whoa,” I interrupt, holding up a hand. “First off, thanks for the backhanded compliment. But seriously, can you see me in a penguin suit, taking orders from someone waving a stick?”
Ana rolls her eyes. “It’s called a conductor, and it’s not about ‘taking orders’. It’s about being part of something greater than yourself.”
“Yeah, well, I prefer being the greatest thing on stage,” I quip, but her words stick with me. “Tell you what. How about I write you a classical divertimento? I’ll play it for you tonight.”
She nearly chokes on her sip of water. “Tonight? You can’t be serious.”
I’ll admit, it’s a pretty bold challenge. She probably never imagined I’d even know what a divertimento was, much less be able to write and perform one.
I grin, loving the challenge in her eyes. “Dead serious. By midnight, I’ll be playing you a Nyxx Night original.”
Ana laughs, shaking her head. “Well, I won’t expect much, but I admire your ambition.”
“Oh, ye of little faith,” I tease. “Prepare to have your mind blown, Anastasia Ashcroft.”
As we finish our lunch, trading barbs and easy laughter, I feel the spark of a challenge light between us. And if there’s one thing Nyxx Night doesn’t do, it’s back down from a challenge.
Game on, Ana. Game on.
Chapter Five
Anastasia
The tomato-laced tang of Nyxx’s homemade marinara sauce wafts through the air as we sit down to dinner. He moves around the kitchen with easy confidence, forearms flexing as he drains the pasta. I tell myself I’m only noticing because the motion reminds me of rhythm—measured, precise—but that’s a lie. It’s just hard to take my gaze off him.
I brought a lot of groceries with the best intentions, but I have to admit, I never thought I’d actually cook anything that smells this delicious. It’s a good thing Nyxx knows his way around the kitchen.
I can’t help but marvel at the domesticity of it all—how quickly we’ve gone from adversaries to… well, I’m not quite sure what we are now.
“So,” I begin, twirling pasta around my fork, “where did you disappear to this afternoon? I half expected to hear you practicing that symphony you promised.”
He looks up, fork paused halfway to his mouth, and that slow grin of his flickers to life. It does alarming things to my pulse. “Wanted to surprise you. Took a walk down the gravel road, got a feel for the area.”
“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow, genuinely curious. “And what did you find?”
“Well, for starters, there’s this amazing little creek about a mile away. Water’s so clear you can see right to the bottom. And the wildflowers along the bank? I’ve never seen colors that vibrant in the wild before.”
It’s the first time he’s spoken without a touch of cynicism and irony; the change is magnetic. For a second, I forget to breathe, caught somewhere between admiration and surprise. “That sounds… lovely,” I admit. “I should probably explore the area myself at some point.”
“You mean you haven’t?” Nyxx looks incredulous. “Ana, you’ve been here for days!”
I feel a flush creeping up my neck. “I’ve been… preoccupied.”
