“No longer your enemy, huh?” she asked. Motu had seemingly decided to forgive her for tearing him away from Millie’s kids and bringing him home last night.
Motu was getting a bit too big for such cuddles, so Emmeline sat on the couch, and he nestled over her lap, cuddling against her stomach. She petted his scales and he purred happily.
“That little heathen is so much better behaved than he was,” Charles said, smiling at Emmeline before fixing Haris with a stern glance. Not that Haris was even slightly chagrined—he only looked pleased with himself.
“See?” he said, folding his hands behind his head. “I told you it was a good idea for you to watch him.”
Emmeline shook her head at Haris; he was such an annoyance. But he was her younger brother, so even though he irritated her, she was still fond of him.
“There’s nothing Emmeline can’t handle,” Charles said.
She had always thought so, but the more time she spent with Luke, the less confident she was. She pushed the thought from her mind, focusing on Motu, who looked sleepy now.
“I should head home,” she said, standing with the baby dragon.
They all had work in the morning. After saying goodbye, Emmeline headed home, hoping that she would be so tired once she arrived that she could focus on unwinding, then simply fall asleep.
Unfortunately, not even her favorite silk pajamas, a fastidious skincare routine, a hot oil head massage, and a steaming cup of mint tea could calm her thoughts. AfterMotu was sound asleep, she was alone in her quiet home, and she couldn’t stop herself from thinking of Luke.
“What is wrong with you?” she muttered to herself, picking up the cup of tea from the vanity table in her bedroom. She took a sip, hoping the mint and honey would relax her nerves.
Her thoughts returned to what Luke had said, how she didn’t hold a high opinion of him. She wasn’t sure if that was true or not. If she was being honest, she was not exactly proud of how she had behaved all those years ago.
He had hurt Millie, yes, but she had hurt him, too, so wouldn’t that make it even?
She glanced at her reflection in the vanity’s mirror. Her dark hair was oiled and pulled back in a braid, her face bare of makeup. The only embellishment was her nose-ring, but even with that, she looked young. Her dark eyes were wide and lost.
“Why do you insist on hating him if the record is clear?” she asked herself. It was unreasonable, and she hated being unreasonable.
Deep down, she already knew the answer to her question. If she didn’t hate him, then...
She trailed off. Shaking her head, she reached for her phone.
Luke had said that if she asked him a question again, he would answer.
Chapter 17
Emmeline was to meet Luke in Bayview after work finished at Inferno.
She could have met him at the bookshop, where they would both be headed afterwards, anyway, but she didn’t know how the conversation would go. If it went well, she could get work done at the bookshop after, but if it went poorly, she would want some space away from him for a little while before getting back to work.
He had apologized, which she appreciated, but that didn’t mean all of her guards were down. In truth, she was scared. She was barely holding herself together, and she was afraid of what she might feel for him if she let herself—but she wouldn’t let herself feel anything unless she knew he was genuine.
There was the possibility that he was only acting this way to distract her. He was her rival, after all. She knew winning Anh’s investment was just as important for him as it was for her. It had been three weeks, bringing them halfway to their deadline, and she needed to focus—something that seemedimpossible to do if things continued the way they were with Luke.
There was no denying that he had gotten under her skin—but his hand had been so gentle in her hair. He’d apologized. He’d brought her chai.
She didn’t know what his plan was: hence, this test. “What drives you?”
That was her question, and he’d refused to answer. If he answered her now, then he was genuine. If he didn’t, then he was just playing with her.
Meeting in Bayview was the best course of action because it gave her an excuse to visit. She had hardly been to that part of Starshine Valley, and she wanted to see the lake. Arriving early, Emmeline took in the sights. As throughout the rest of the valley, a blanket of snow covered every tree, bush, and patch of grass, along with the lake itself, though parts were cleared out for ice-skating on the frozen waters.
The area was cute, fitted with a walkway that wound along the lake. There were benches for people to rest, along with small shops: a cafe, a bakery, a bookshop. As Emmeline walked down the path, she spotted a few people jogging in athletic clothes, then saw some old couples walking together. There were mothers pushing strollers and fathers with toddlers; teenage girls giggling over coffee cups; and solitary young men reading on benches.
Some were accompanied with chimeras of various ages, and Emmeline smiled as she walked past a baby chimera holding onto a twenty-year-old guy’s beanie, its snake tail curled across the guy’s shoulders. She hadn’t seen a baby chimera before; it was adorable with its little goat face and stubby horns.
Emmeline continued walking, until she spotted a small truck selling hot chocolate. The sweet scent of the drink wafted toward her. She walked up and scanned the menu, which had about twenty different options. Eventually, she settled on a classic blend.
