Jackson’s only response was the sound of the door closing loudly behind him.
‘He definitely won’t be asleep now,’ Lydia commented, taking another drink of juice and pulling a face. ‘What is in this? It’s foul.’
‘That’s because it’s healthy,’ I replied, watching Jackson’s head bobbing past the kitchen window, his face still stormy. ‘Why don’t we go out for breakfast. On me?’
‘Girls’ trip? There are a few stores I’ve been wanting to check out and I want to pick up a new bathing suit.’
‘I’ve spent half my life sitting outside changing rooms.’ Wyn strolled into the kitchen, T-shirt, shorts and hair sleep rumpled. ‘I have four female cousins, Lyds, I’ve seen things in Zara you wouldn’t believe.’
‘That’s what you get for shopping at Zara,’ she pouted. ‘You’re not invited.’
‘You forced me out of my bed at six a.m. to come on vacation with you, and twenty-four hours later you’re dragging my girlfriend away and I’m not allowed to come with?’
‘Nailed it.’
‘Cold,’ he said, pouring a tall glass of water from the refrigerator. ‘Ice cold.’
‘We won’t be long,’ I told him, trying to reassure him without sounding Lydia’s alarms at the same time. ‘We could all meet up for lunch maybe?’
‘Maybe,’ Lydia cautioned. ‘Maybe.’
‘You sure you’re good?’ he asked quietly when Lydia turned her attention to her phone, muttering to herself under her breath.
‘If I need you, I’ll let you know,’ I said, drifting closer to him, irresistibly drawn as ever.
‘I know you won’t need me.’ Wyn gently brushed away a speck of sleep still clinging to the corner of my eye. ‘But let me know if you want me.’
‘Always.’
‘Jeez you sap.’ Rolling her eyes, Lydia shook her head. ‘Honestly, anyone would think you hadn’t seen each other for a month or something.’
I gave her a look.
‘We haven’t.’
She gagged and clapped her hands twice.
‘That was two days ago. Come on, let’s get out of here before he changes his mind and I have to surgically separate the two of you. You’ve got five minutes to get dressed and we’re out of here.’
On her way back upstairs, she swiped Jackson’s car keys from the kitchen counter.
‘We’re taking Jackson’s car?’ I said, alarm bells ringing in my ears.
‘We shared a uterus, we can share an Audi. Besides, he isn’t here to stop us.’ Lydia said with a quick glance out of the window. ‘But we should probably make a move in case he comes back.’
‘Lyds, we’ve passed three different boutiques and you haven’t looked in a single one,’ I said, following my friend past yet another beachy apparel store in South Shore without pausing to check out the goods in the window. ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were on a secret mission.’
‘There’s one place I want to check out first, then we can do whatever.’
‘I’m guessing it isn’t a bathing suit store?’
Lydia checked a map on her phone and continued marching onwards.
‘Why didn’t you tell me you had a plan?’ I asked. ‘What are you up to?’
‘Because if I’d told you where I wanted to go, you would’ve said no.’
With a self-satisfied smile, she stopped in front of a tiny storefront, dark and dimly lit compared to its light and airy neighbours. Their wares were displayed in the small window on a black velvet cloth: crystals, precious stones, herbs, candles, journals, rare feathers. Above the closed front door hung a wooden sign that readArcandum.
