“I guess we don’t have an excuse now that we’ve lit the candles.”
“Oh, definitely not. Unless you want to run away with me and never come back.”
There it was again. A small comment that made me question his intentions. It wasn’t just what he said; it was the way his eyes lingered, and the easy smile that tried so hard to mask the sadness underneath.
I clasped my hands together. “So, can I ask you a question?”
“I don’t want to sound preachy, but you kind of have to.”
“Why don’t you like it when people call youDevin?”
“Ugh. I knew you’d ask that. And I can’t even deny you an explanation!” He bared his teeth at the mere mention of that name. “Short answer? The sound of it gives me the ick. Change one letter, and it’sdevil.And I’m tired of being treated like one.”
While it was true that all the conversations I overheard earlier hadn’t exactly contradicted that, I couldn’t fully agree with it either. Whenever his family talked about him beforehand, it was obvious that they really loved him. They were just worried he wouldn’t find his way in life.
“And the long answer?” I asked.
“That’s a story for when I’m drunk.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Fair enough.”
“Okay. My turn.”
He laced his fingers together in front of his mouth, muffling his voice slightly. “Why are you here? And I don’t mean in this room. I mean in Seastone. Why are you living with my parents?”
“That’s a good question.” It was one I’d been asked more than once. “Your parents put up an ad, looking for someone to help around the house in exchange for a room, food, and a decent salary. So the short answer? I needed a place to live, something to eat, and a way to make money.”
“And the long answer?” he repeated my earlier question.
The long answer wasn’t something I had shared with anyone here. They all knew only the same story I had told him. Maybe it was stupid, but somehow I wanted to tell him everything—just to have toldsomeone. He would be a good choice, since he’d be gone in a day anyway, but maybe it was also “…something for when we’re drunk.”
We smiled at each other, as if repeating the phrase meant we would actually get drunk together someday. A moment of silence passed between us, drawing our attention back to the candles. The flames flickered under our breaths.
“Can I ask you something else?” he said softly enough that my eyes dropped to his lips without meaning to. “I saw all the instruments upstairs.”
A tingle spread down my neck. I had been trying to figure out how to bring that up, and now he had done it for me.
“What about them?”
Just as he opened his mouth to reply, Mila appeared behind him. “How’s it going, guys?” she asked, climbing onto the bench beside her brother. “Mind if I join?”
Sebastian made a face and shot me a look that clearly said hedidmind. I couldn’t deny I would’ve preferred talking about my music without an audience, but I couldn’t tell her no.
“Not at all,” I said.
She settled in and glanced at the two candles standing close together in the middle of the table. “I see. Seb initiated you?”
“Yep,”Sebastian said. “He’s a full Draper now, and he didn’t even have to marry into the family.”
Mila ignored him and kept her eyes on me. “Have you two been having a good conversation?”
“Up until now,” Sebastian replied for me.
“Dude,” Mila said. “Why are you being so aggressive?”
“You know what?” Sebastian inhaled slowly, then shook his head. “Never mind. I’m sorry.”
“Wow. Haven’t heard that from you in a while.”
