Ciaran glanced over at Tobin’s place. “Is he up for driving us out to the hut?”
Fray winced. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him,” he said quietly. “It’s not personal. He’s not pissed at Sawyer, just so you know. He’s angry about something.”
“The timing of everything,” Ciaran suggested.
“I thought so, at first, but...” He shrugged. “Now I dunno.”
He looked so freaking sad, and Ciaran hated to see it. Fray had been secretly in love with Tobin for years, but Tobin was never interested. Not in Fray, not in anyone. He was kind of a loner, preferring long trips of solitude in his boat.
“Man, I’m sorry,” Ciaran murmured.
Fray waved him off. “Nah, it’s okay. You’d think I’d be over it by now. Or used to it, at least.” He brightened with a smile. “I’ll drive you guys out. I’ll just go tell Tobin.”
“Thanks, man. I was just gonna go have a quick chat with Dylan. Give me five minutes? Sawyer’s just packing a bag.”
Fray’s smile was more genuine then. “Sure thing.”
Ciaran watched his best friend turn and run back toward Tobin’s place. He wished he could fix that whole mess for him. He wished Fray nothing but happiness and that he could make Tobin see what an absolute prize Fray was.
With a sigh, he headed for Dylan’s place, not surprised to see Hendrix sprawled out on the couch and Aurin still holding the cat. Dylan came out of the kitchen, popcorn bowl in hand, and stopped when he saw Ciaran.
“Hey,” Ciaran said, aiming for a smile that said everything was fine. “Just wanted a quick chat. I’m about to be...gonefor a few days.”
Hendrix snorted, and Ciaran wanted to smack him upside the head, but he didn’t.
Aurin smiled all too knowingly, stroking the purring cat. “I’m off to see Kellan,” he said in that happy, lyrical tone of his, and then he flitted out the door.
That left Hendrix and Dylan, and even though Ciaran really just wanted to speak to Dylan, he knew Hendrix wasn’t going anywhere in a hurry.
Ciaran also had nothing to hide.
He tapped Hendrix’s legs, a gesture for him to sit up and give him some room. He waited for Dylan to take a seat as well. “I won’t be long,” Ciaran said. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around to see you.”
“You’ve got a lot going on,” Dylan said, voice soft.
Apologetic.
“I do,” Ciaran replied, “but that’s no excuse. You guys will always be a priority, and I’ll need to work on finding a better balance.”
Dylan’s smile told Ciaran he appreciated the acknowledgement. They respected a leader who could admit when he was wrong, that he needed to be better.
“I just wanted to check that you’re okay,” Ciaran went on.
Dylan nodded. “I am. Now. I freaked out in Hobart. I’m sorry if I caused you any trouble or made you worry.”
“Can you tell me what happened?” Ciaran asked. “You ran into some Bass Strait boys?”
He nodded quickly before frowning at his lap. “They recognised me, of course. Started saying shit. I think they were just messing with me?”
“What did they say?”
He chewed on his bottom lip, hands fidgeting in his lap. “They said she’s coming back. They said she’ll be stronger and unstoppable.”
“She?”
But Ciaran knew to whom they were referring.
He nodded again. “They said they were clearing out and that I should do the same. They wouldn’t come and help. They were all but gone already. Flying out of Hobart. Not even leaving by sea.”
