“No. Well, yes, but everyone with sexual desires and a brain wants Storm. That hardly counts.”
I throw my hands in the air. “Oh my God.”
“Oh, wait. I just thought of one.”
“Who?” I lean closer to him.
“Trudy Proud.”
Silence hangs in the air. From the corner of my eye, I catch our driver, Sam, who’s been doing his best to ignore us this whole drive, crack a smile.
“You know what? That’s valid. And also proves my point.”
“You’re right, I concede.” He bows his head in my direction and then lifts his index finger. “But at least Trudy is a human cartoon.”
I guess I shouldn’t tell him about Kovu fromThe Lion King 2then.
For the rest of the drive, we alternate between admiring the view and debating the merits of crushes on animated characters until a private road leads us to a heavy gate that does little to hide the grandiosity of the house behind it. The visible cameras on the pillars beside it must be a good deterrent for unwelcome visitors.
There’s a box on the driver side where Sam inputs a code that peels the gate back and allows us entry. As the car creeps up the driveway, Daria throws her door open and stands in the threshold with her arms wide.
“I feel like I just pulled up to the set of a dating show,” Micah whispers.
I agree with him as Sam opens my door, waits for me to step out, then hurries to the trunk for our bags before Micah can get his hands on them.
“Hi, gorgeous,” Daria calls out to me, wiggling her fingers in a small wave.
“Hi, beautiful,” I respond as I walk into her waiting arms. “Long time no see.”
She kisses my cheek. “I know, it’s so nice to see your face in person again instead of on my screen.” She then turns to Micah with an assessing eye. “And you must be Micah. Tanya said you were handsome, but she did not do you justice.”
He smiles as he accepts her hug and kiss. “Nice to meet you, Daria.”
“You too. Not to sound like a walking stereotype, but have you ever considered modeling?” The wheels in her head visibly turn, building an entire runway show around Micah right this second.
“Nah. I prefer to create the art, not be the art.” His eyes shift to me. “I like to leave that to the professionals.”
“I can relate to that.” Daria looks between us, but what she sees, I don’t dare to name. “Shame. You two on a stage or in front of a camera together would be something special.” Her unrelenting gaze bounces back and forth for what feels like an eternity before she gestures for us to follow her.
I allow myself to meet Micah’s gaze. It was supposed to be for only a moment, but the heat in his eyes sets my very skin ablaze, trapping me beneath the flames. It’s not until he takes mercy on me and relinquishes his hold that I’m able to move my feet in Daria’s direction.
She guides us inside to a bright foyer with high ceilings and hardwood floors. “I would offer you a tour, but I’m too excited. So, business first. Tour later?”
“Excited for what?” I question.
Daria’s brows pull together. “For you to see my creations come to life. And for you to finally tell me what they’re for. I’m surprised Tanya didn’t come with you. I just knew she’d want to see my face when all was revealed.”
My heart falls to the pit of my stomach. She doesn’t know. I look to Micah, searching for any way out of this. Any way to avoid being the one to tell her that Tanya’s gone, but I know it won’t come. This is our cross to bear.
“Daria.” Micah coughs into his fist. “Can we go somewhere and sit? I think we need to get on the same page.”
Fifteen minutes later, I’m searching for signs of life in Daria’s unblinking stare after Micah and I broke the news to her about Tanya’s passing.
Her eyes lower into an unnaturally slow blink before she speaks. “She was an incredible woman. I’m sorry she’s gone.”
“Do you need a minute? Micah and I can always come back later,” I ask. I know how grief can chew you up and spit you out. The last thing I want is to force Daria on this road without giving her time to process.
She closes her eyes and shakes her head, reaching out to grab my hand. “No. I’m okay.” She lets my hand fall back to my knee as she gets up from the couch and stands by the fireplace. “Come with me.”
