I sharply glanced away. I didn’t need to see that. Or think too hard about it.
“Cool,” Chase said, wiping his hand on his jeans. “Then we’re friends now.”
His words squeezed my chest like a warm, gentle fist. It was a statement, not a suggestion.
As its meaning sunk in, I felt a novel sensation stirring within me. It was embarrassing to admit, even in the privacy of my own mind, but Chase was the closest thing I’d had to a friend in a long, long time.
“Yes,” I agreed.
Chase perked up. “Hey, you want a coffee or something? Can’t eat donuts without it.”
I found it endearing that he continued to offer me refreshments. At least he was a good host. Perhaps the demon had possessed Chase because it found his inviting personality... well, inviting.
“Sure,” I agreed.
Chase strode towards the simple coffee machine perched on his kitchen counter. “Let me guess. You want it pitch-black and steaming hot.”
“Actually, no,” I corrected.
His brows flew up as he grabbed a mug. “Really? I figured with your smouldering personality and all...”
“I suppose you don’t have the ingredients to make Thai coffee.”
Chase looked sheepish. “Er... No? Maybe?”
“Let’s see.”
I joined him in the kitchen and rummaged through his cupboard. Besides salt, pepper, and a half-eaten bag of dry pasta, it was startlingly empty. What did this man eat?
I discovered the answer when I checked his fridge. Aside from some basics—a carton of eggs and milk, a bottle of ketchup, a head of broccoli dangerously close to expiring—the item taking up the most real estate was a pack of vanilla-flavoured protein drinks.
“Chase,” I said in a chiding tone.
“Yeah?”
“Do you cook at all?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“Uhhh.”
I shut the fridge door. “Let’s go shopping.”
Chase blinked. “Right now?”
“I’m here for a week, remember? Unlike you, I can’t exist off of ProteinBlast drinks alone.”
He scratched his head. “I guess I do eat out a lot...”
“We’ll change that.”
He nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.”
His quick affirmation surprised me. Maybe I was too used to Cygnet’s combativeness. In comparison, Chase was relaxed and easygoing, like a golden retriever. It didn’t take much to brighten his mood. A treat, a toy, a pat on the head... that was all he wanted.
Was that why he’d been possessed so easily? Because he was simple? Or was he a gentle soul, pure of heart, the perfect target for a malicious entity?
A dark feeling twisted in my gut. I couldn’t lose track of my goal. We could be friendly, sure, but I wasn’t here to be Chase’s friend. I was here to rid an innocent person of an invading demon.
And if I failed to accomplish my task for a third time, then what good was I?
