“That’s not necessary.”
The woman shut the door on his protest. Cato flopped face-first onto the operating table and let his arms dangle over the sides. “Why me, Lord?” He groaned.
“So,” Valens drawled. “I came because there’s a callus on my left big toe.”
“Go away.”
Valens laughed. “I need ink.”
“There’s some on the desk,” came the muffled reply.
“It’s dried up.”
Cato lifted his head. “Did you add water?”
“Obviously.”
“Did you shake it?”
“Of course I shook it; everyone knows you shake it.”
Cato let out a long sigh. “Normal people shouldn’t be allowed to buy medical texts.” He let his head rest on the table again. “They should require a certificate of medical training at the time of purchase.”
“But how would anyone take their health into their own hands?”
Cato moaned. “Someday I’m going to move far, far away and live on a farm.”
“I’ve never pictured you as a farmer.”
“Beautiful sunsets, goats frolicking on the hillside, good food—”
“That’s a picnic. You’re thinking of a picnic.” Valens walked slowlyalong the counter, letting his eyes travel over the bottles. “So, about the ink.”
“What are you going to do about Iris?” Cato propped his chin on his hands.
A rush went through Valens at the mention of her name. He forced his gaze to remain on the shelves and feigned innocence. “What do you mean?”
Cato sat up with a shuffle. “I’ve seen how you look at her—like no one else exists when she’s in the room. And then your wholeear-bleedingserenade, which she foundbeautiful.”
“That was not a serenade.”
“Dim lights, you two alone, singing... that’s a serenade, my friend.”
Valens crossed his arms, his heart sinking as he said the words. “The other church leaders are sending me to a church on the Anatolian coast, Cato.”
Cato shrugged. “If you haven’t noticed, she’s hiding too. Once we buy back her father, the least you could do is whisk them away to those white-sand beaches.”
The idea was not without appeal, even though his mind ran with all the ways it would never work.
“She could be your Delphine, and you’re going to ignore her?” Cato shook his head. “Tell me you’re not that stupid.”
Valens threw his hands up. “Everyone has been pushing women at me my entire life. I’ll find one on my own.”
“Well, haven’t you?”
Valens turned away. He had and he knew it. The problem was, now that he’d found the one who found her way into his every thought, he wasn’t sure what to do about it. He turned toward Cato, about to ask for advice, and noticed his friend watching him and looking—of all things—like he was about to laugh. He lifted his chin and started to speak but Cato stopped him with a raised hand.
“I understand your struggle, Val. I’ve been there. Every bit.”
