"Put that on a Hallmark card." Asher peers over my shoulder, watching for a reply.
I agree with Orion. Wylder might avoid me, but he won't ignore a magical threat to Emberwood.
At least, I hope he won't.
My phone stays silent as we walk back to Asher's truck. I stare at the screen, willing it to light up.
Nothing.
"Give him time," Orion says quietly.
But time feels like something we're running out of.
CHAPTER FOUR
Orion pulls his truck to the curb to drop me off at Biscuits & Banter five minutes later. Wylder's reply text came just as we were about to leave the town square, and I admit, I am more than a little relieved.
"Good luck, baby girl," Asher calls through the open truck window. "Don't let him strangle you with any local foliage."
"You just worry about getting those supplies to Mom and Sebastian."
"We're on it," Orion says. "And call if you need a ride later."
Asher frowns. "Yeah, if he's any kind of gentleman, he’ll drive you. If he’s a dick, don't walk home on your own. Promise?"
"Promise."
The truck pulls away, leaving me standing on the sidewalk, wondering if this is a mistake. I could’ve just texted the information instead of asking for a face-to-face meeting. But this feels too important for a text.
And our little group of rebel arcana members is better with him in it, so it’s time to pull up my big-girl panties.
Inside, I choose a booth against the window where I can watch the parking lot.
Marty appears almost immediately, hot chocolate in hand. "Hey, darlin'. You look like you need this."
"You're not wrong."
He sets down the mug that readsOnce in a while someone amazing comes along, and here I am.I laugh and thank him. "Are you waiting for someone?"
"I hope so." I wrap both hands around the mug. "Wylder said he’d meet me here."
Marty scrubs his fingers through his beard. "That boy's been moping around town like a kicked puppy. Glad to see you two are workin’ it out."
"There’s nothing to work out. We're not…” I don’t even know what to tell him.
He watches me struggle for how to describe our situation and pats the top of my head. “Don’t strain yourself, girlfriend. It is what it is. Do you want pie?”
I chuckle. “If I eat pie every time I come in here. I’ll be as big as a house.”
He scoffs. “Darlin’, life’s too short to worry about such nonsense. I’ll bring you over two bowls of our fruit pavlova. It’s like eating air. Besides, you look like you could use some pleasure endorphins.”
He has no idea.
I watch the cars moving in and out of angled parking in front of the diner, but Wylder’s Jeep is nowhere to be seen. I check my phone to see if he’s been waylaid at his landscaping job, but there are no update messages.
Five minutes pass. Then ten.
My chest tightens with each minute that ticks by, and it hurts my heart more than I’d ever admit.
