I flinch at the gut-twisting anxiety I know he must've felt. Even if I'm not sure Atticus knows how to love her the way Ro needs to be loved, I know he does care for her.
I haven't seen him this fucked up since Flo died.
He ate half a cake.
The man's practically a walking train wreck.
"But she didn't," I offer. "Which means there's still time for you to make it right."
His nose wrinkles at the idea, but he'd better get used to it if he wants any sort of relationship with her.
"I'm going to hit the rowing machine."
He pushes off from the counter and leaves the crumbs on the counter in a verynot Daddicusmove.
"Didn't you just come from the gym?"
He stops and turns. "So?"
"You should get a few hours of rest. We're going to need you sharp tomorrow."
"Do I not look sharp?"
"That's not what I?—"
"Just thirty minutes," he argues. "I'm fine, Sev. Leave it."
"All right, man."
He shakes his head as he starts down the hall.
"But I think this is a good thing," I call after him. "She didn't just, like, shut you out. She actuallydidsomething, you know. She wanted to get even instead of pretending you don't exist."
He ignores me and keeps walking, so I shout louder after him.
"I know you don't see it, but that's progress!"
22
CURTAIN CALL
AURORA
Iguess it's pretty lucky Linette Berkley set everything up for me to get to the airport as well as the flight to Atlantic City since I no longer have a fucking car.
Didn't really think that one through.
The waiting is the worst. I've never been an early riser—definitely not on purpose—but this morning I woke up before my five a.m. alarm and have been packed, ready to go, and pacing the apartment since.
It's perfectly natural to be anxious about this, I keep telling myself, echoing the words of Elijah last night. It was meant to be the final briefing before the official meeting with Ambrose today and even though Seven and Elijah seemed to handle it well, there was no denying how strange it felt not to have Atticus there.
To be fair, I thought hewouldbe there. He's the man with the plan. I was mentally prepared to see him, but, apparently, I wasn't mentally prepared for him not to show.
The others said he was busy getting things packed up and ready at the house since they had to leave sooner than me to make the long drive. Sounded like bullshit. When Elijah left forthe bathroom, I called Seven out on it and he admitted Atty needed a minute after what I did the night before. Said he hadn't seen him so messed up over something in years.
Seven also demanded a detailed accounting of how exactly I drove the car off the bypass. His eyes glimmered when I explained how I jumped out of the moving cara totally safedistance from the edge of the unfinished road.
I had to tell him to stop grinning. It isn't something to smile about. It was reckless and a risk to this mission.
